Alexei Yagudin was four and a half years old when he started to skate. His mother sent him to the ice rink to keep him busy. He trained for many years with coach Alexei Mishin who led him to both a World Junior and a World Senior title. From Mishin he got the technical base for his jumps. However, shortly after becoming World Champion in 1998, Yagudin decided to switch coaches and is now working with Tatiana Tarasova. Yagudin bought a cocker spaniel puppy in 1998 and named him "Lawrence" after his Free Program music of that year. Yagudin missed 2002 Nationals in December due to injury. He had twisted his foot in practice.