Career
Pershina teamed up with Marat Akbarov in 1975. The pair moved to Moscow in 1978 to train with Stanislav Zhuk. In 1980, Pershina/Akbarov made their senior World Championship debut, placing 6th.
The pair changed coaches to Irina Rodnina in 1982.
Pershina/Akbarov were gold medalists at the 1982 Prize of Moscow News and 1983 Nippon Hōsō Kyōkai Trophy. They took silver at the Skate Canada International in their final season.
From 1986 until 1990, Pershina performed with the Russian All Stars under the direction of Tatiana Tarasova. She toured worldwide with Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean from 1988 until 1990.
On January 24, 1990, Pershina defected to the United States rather than return from New York to London with the Torvill & Dean / Russian All Stars tour group.
Pershina coaches in Ann Arbor, Michigan. (with Akbarov).