u/OcelotSilver2964

The alternate list has been updated, Adeliia and M/G are first.

Run-through of Sofia Samodelkina’s short program:
3A (fall), flip omitted, 3Lz–3T.

Good luck tomorrow!

Video of the landed 3A is in the comments below :)

Shoutout to @arojotaro on X for doing this video 😭

Kaori Sakamoto Reveals: “My Stomach and Intestines Are Extremely Weak” — Says She Developed Gastroenteritis During Two of Her Three Olympic Appearances Due to Overwhelming Stress

September 29, 2026, 9:21 PM — Sports Hochi

Kaori Sakamoto, the women's figure skater who won a silver medal at the Milan-Cortina Olympics, made her first appearance on Nippon TV's variety show "Odoru! Sanma Goten!!" on September 29.

The episode featured a gathering of figure skaters. At the beginning of the program, Sakamoto met host Sanma Akashiya for the first time and greeted him with a smile, saying, “Nice to meet you.”

When Sanma asked her age, Sakamoto replied, “I'm 26. I retired this March. I've gotten quite a bit chubbier since then,” joking about changes in her physique.

She went on to explain:

>“The skating season is in winter, so the period when I have to lose the most weight is from around October to March or April. But that's exactly when COVID, influenza, and other illnesses spread the most. When I'm trying to get down to my ideal competition weight, my immunity also drops. On top of that, I'm very prone to catching infections, and my stomach and intestines are extremely weak.”

She continued:

>“Of the three Olympics I competed in, I ended up getting gastroenteritis in both PyeongChang and Beijing. In PyeongChang, the team event came first, and the individual event was about two weeks later. Since it was my first Olympics, the stress was overwhelming, and I developed gastroenteritis during the Games.”

Sakamoto recalled that she lost about 3 kilograms (6.6 pounds) as a result:

>“I lost around three kilograms, and even my skating boots felt heavy. During those periods, I often felt like my body was sending me strong SOS signals."

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Link to the original (in Japanese)

Shun Sato did an interview with Asahi, translation below

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I finished second overall at the Kinoshita Group Cup held in early September. Now that the season has finally begun, I feel like I’ve been able to switch gears mentally.

From early spring up until now, I actually had a hard time getting motivated. My training wasn’t going particularly well either, and there were many things I struggled with.

This is the season after the Olympics. Whenever I heard that another skater, including Yuma Kagiyama, had decided to take the season off, I admit that I wondered whether I should do the same. I talked it over with coach Masachika Kusaka and others. But deep down, I still strongly wanted to win the Japanese National Championships. That’s why I decided to compete this season as well.

Being able to compete against Russian skaters at the Kinoshita Group Cup gave me new motivation. During official practice, the Russian skaters were landing difficult jumps such as the quadruple Lutz with ease. I’ve known how impressive they are since my junior days, but being able to compete against them on the same stage, such as the Grand Prix (GP) Series, has given me a new source of motivation.

For my short program, “Aishimi no Czardas,” we made a slight change to the arrangement from the version I performed at Dream On Ice in June. We extended the slow section by about two seconds. I was surprised to learn that some fans had noticed it. (Laughs.) The transition from the spin to the step sequence felt a little cramped and difficult to perform, so we changed it to make the flow smoother.

I also really like the green costume for my free skate, “Poeta.” Last season, it was black and red, which really matched the image of Poeta. Shizuko Orihara designed the costume for me, and I’m really happy that she created a Poeta costume that I don’t think will look like anyone else’s.

In preparation for performing Poeta, I learned how to express flamenco from Javier Fernández at the senior training camp and from Satoko Miyahara in Saitama. Miyahara-san especially taught me about the use of my hands - things like how to clap and how to shape my hands. She told me that even when she was competing, she once spent an entire day working just on hand movements. It made me realize how incredibly subtle and detailed they are.

With my short program, Aishimi no Czardas, and my free skate, Poeta, I want to keep skating them over and over, including the jumps, and enter the GP Series in top form.

Of course, I’m working hard on skating, but I’m also doing my best with my university classes. I only have two credits left in my language courses. Once I take two credits of Chinese in the fall and beyond, I’ll finally have completed them. I’ve also started working on my graduation thesis. I’m writing about a topic related to skating.

As for how I’ve been relaxing lately… With some advice from Kazuki Tomono, I may have developed an interest in fashion. I like brands such as Stone Island and Diesel. Choosing clothes has become one of my hobbies recently.

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Link to the original (in Japanese)

At the end of August, Hana Bath of Australia won her first title in the women’s event at the second Junior Grand Prix (JGP) of the series, held in Riga, the capital of Latvia. The national anthem played at the medal ceremony had a melody rarely heard in figure skating circles, and it sounded refreshingly unfamiliar.

Bath became the first Australian singles skater in history to win a JGP event.

>I’m really happy that I was able to achieve this result representing Australia

she said with a smile after her performance.

The 16-year-old Bath won the silver medal at last season’s World Junior Championships, finishing behind Mao Shimada of Kinoshita Group. She is known for her powerful triple Axel. In Riga, she successfully landed two triple Axels in her free skate, earning a high combined score of 209.07.

>I land the Axel four out of five times in practice when I’m in good form

she said, demonstrating her confidence as a power skater.

Bath was born in Tasmania, Australia, but her mother is Japanese, and she has also competed in Japanese competitions under the name Hana Ishizaki. Since the end of 2024, she has been based in Japan and currently trains in Chiba under coach Kensuke Nakaniwa and others. She trains alongside top skaters such as Ami Nakai of TOKIO Inkarami and Yuna Aoki of Nihon Tatemono Kankai.

>Everyone supports each other a lot, and the atmosphere is really good. Especially Yuna - she teaches me little things about how to move my body, and I learn just by watching her.

With Shimada, who won the World Junior Championships four consecutive times, moving up to the senior ranks, a new battle for supremacy is beginning in the junior women’s field this season.

>Mao has always been a role model for me, so I’m looking forward to seeing her do well as a senior. But more and more strong skaters are coming up in the junior ranks too,”

Bath said.

In particular, Russian skaters have finally returned this season as Individual Neutral Athletes (AIN).

>I’m paying attention to Sofia Dzepka, who won the JGP event in China. She’s a well-balanced skater. I hope I can compete against her at the same event someday.

Bath is also training a quadruple jump and confidently said,

>I think I’ll be able to put it into competition programs starting next season.

Since the International Skating Union (ISU) was founded at the end of the 19th century, Europe and North America have long competed for supremacy in figure skating. Japan and other Asian countries began seriously joining the battle for medals in the late 1980s. Australia, however, had never before produced skaters capable of challenging for medals at that level.

That situation now appears to be changing.

From the same Oceania region, New Zealand representative Yang Hao Lee finished third at the 2024 Winter Youth Olympics, becoming the first New Zealand skater to achieve the feat. Born in China and having moved to New Zealand at the age of eight, he is now 18 and old enough to compete in senior events. At this season’s third JGP, held in Bangkok, he finished second.

The skater who finished third at that same event was Hiro Keawtathip, who became the first Thai skater in history to win a JGP medal. Keawtathip, 15, has a Japanese mother and currently trains in the United States.

What is behind the emergence of athletes from countries that have previously had little association with figure skating?

One factor may be the ISU’s establishment of the Four Continents Figure Skating Championships in 1999.

>There were several reasons for establishing it. One was to provide skaters from outside Europe with an event equivalent to the European Championships. Another was to further promote figure skating in countries that were not among the traditional participants

explained Tatiana Flade, an official writer for the ISU.

As she explained, the Four Continents Championships were created as a counterpart to the long-established European Championships. Eligible skaters come from outside Europe, including Asia, North and South America, Africa, and Oceania.

As an aside, the inaugural women’s champion at the Four Continents Championships was Tatiana Malinina of Uzbekistan - the mother of Ilia Malinin of the United States.

Before the Four Continents Championships were established, there were almost no international competitions available to skaters from developing figure-skating nations. Without opportunities to compete internationally, their rankings could not rise, they had little exposure to competition, and their motivation was difficult to sustain.

But after the creation of the Four Continents Championships, spectators could see representatives from countries such as New Zealand, South Africa, India, Brazil, and Argentina—countries whose skaters had previously been largely unknown even to figure-skating fans.

Of course, the European Championships, which had developed alongside the long history of figure skating, and the Four Continents Championships in their early years were on completely different levels. Many representatives of emerging skating nations could not perform triple jumps, and under the old six-point judging system, scores in the threes and even twos were not unusual. I remember the arena becoming abuzz when a score in the ones was given.

Still, there was undoubtedly value in participating. Having the goal of competing at a major international event had a significant impact on the motivation of skaters, coaches, and officials alike.

Hana Bath, in particular, could perhaps become a figure for Australia similar to Midori Ito’s role for Japan in the past. If a pioneer like Bath succeeds and inspires the next generation, it is not beyond the realm of possibility that a new skating powerhouse could eventually emerge from among these developing nations.

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Link to the original (in Japanese)

The second stage of the Junior Grand Prix turned out to be more successful for Alexander Plushenko than the first. In Batumi, the son of two-time Olympic champion Evgeni Plushenko managed to skate both programs cleanly and finish among the top ten. For the 13-year-old skater representing Azerbaijan, many things were new. First, he was taken to doping control for the first time in his life, and then Sasha gave his first major interview following his debut on the international stage.

Sport24 correspondent Konstantin Lesik spoke with Plushenko Jr. about the atmosphere at ISU competitions, learning ultra-C elements, support from Alexander Ovechkin, comparisons with his father, the nickname Gnom Gnomych, haters, football, and much more.

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Congratulations on making the top 10. How do you feel? - we begin the conversation with Sasha, who has just returned from doping control.

I'm very happy. I actually thought I'd finish 11th or 12th, but I made the top ten. The field here was much stronger than in Ankara. It's hard to argue with that. The skaters here already had quadruple jumps and triple Axels - cleaner and more confident ones. I'm very, very happy that I did everything I could and delivered two clean performances. So thank you again to everyone for the support. At the next competitions we'll try to improve my technical content.

You said you plan to add ultra-C elements. Is there one that's especially close right now?

Yes, the triple Axel. It's very close, and some attempts are already almost clean. I've even landed it a few times. I need to do it, film it, and post it. I won't make a big announcement, but I'm working on that jump and will try to include it in my program.

I remember you once made a bet with Alexander Ovechkin about landing a triple Axel.

Yes, I did, but at that time I didn't land it. So I lost the bet. I was little then and said I'd try to do it. It didn't work out. Huge thanks to Alexander for his support. We spoke recently. He's a hockey legend, the greatest hockey player of all time. So thank you to him for his kind words and support.

Does he give you advice?

He says everything will come with time. He told me: "You're doing great. Don't listen to anyone and follow your goal, follow your own path." I completely agree with him and I'm very happy that people like him support me.

How difficult is it to have your father as your coach? Do you communicate differently at home and at the rink?

We always communicate the same way. I love working with my dad. I'm very happy that he's my coach and not someone else.

Of course, I also have other coaches, and I'm very grateful to them. We'll definitely continue working together. But I'm incredibly happy and grateful that my father is my coach and that he's always with me, helping me achieve what is already a pretty decent result for my international debut.

Yesterday you said you have a level of responsibility that other skaters don't have. Is that because your father is a figure skating legend, a two-time Olympic champion, and a four-time Olympic medalist?

It's because my last name is Plushenko. Because my father is one of the greatest figure skaters ever. I can even say the greatest. Four Olympic medals. No one has surpassed that yet, and it will be difficult to do so. Four Olympic medals at four different Olympic Games. That's an incredible achievement.

Other skaters don't have that surname, so they don't have that level of responsibility or attention where every step is analyzed.

People constantly compare me to my father when he was already an adult athlete. But I'm only 13 years old. I get a lot of pressure from negative people. When I missed a double Axel, so many people jumped on me. They shouted, "Go play football." I don't know why they're giving me advice nobody asked for.

I'll choose my own path. I skated cleanly now. I hope people will be happy about the results. Some people jump doubles, some are learning triples, some started the sport later and finish near the bottom but still skate cleanly for themselves. Athletes shouldn't be hated for working hard. Not everyone is gifted in the same way. To people who criticize me, I'd say: go out and do at least what I do. Then we can talk.

The ISU commentator said something very important: everyone works hard and puts effort into what they do. The main thing is to beat yourself. Today I beat myself. I think I skated really well. What he said about appreciating any kind of hard work is very important.

Since you mentioned your surname, would you like to be compared to your father, or would you rather follow your own path?

Of course I want to be compared to him, because I'm being compared to the person who, for me, is the best figure skater ever. I'm being compared to the greatest figure skater in history, and I'm happy about that.

Of course, I'd like people to remember that I'm still a child. If someone hates on me or insults me, it will eventually come back to them because life is a boomerang. I never judge anyone. I've been working all my life - training, performing in shows, skating, being on football fields - since I was four and a half years old.

Have hateful comments ever affected you?

Yes, they did. Even in training, when something wasn't working, I would think about it. But later I stopped focusing on it and started believing in myself.

I told myself: you have the opportunity to compete at international Grand Prix events. At these competitions everyone treated me warmly. The other skaters supported me and told me I was doing great. They said I was the youngest one there but still managed to beat some older skaters.

When I missed the Axel in the short program, people told me not to worry, that mistakes happen and I still had every chance to succeed.

As for responsibility, here's what I mean. I know that if I miss a jump, people immediately write: "Plushenko missed this jump and finished in this place." Everyone talks about it and says, "Another failure." That's a lot of pressure. You fall, and instantly think: "Now everyone's going to write about it again."

Did you read a lot after Ankara?

I always read comments. Some people are negative, but many are reasonable and understand that everything is still ahead of me. This is only the beginning of my international journey, and these are my first competitions at this level. I'm only 13 years old. Look around - the other guys are 15, 16, 17, 18, 19. They're close to moving to the senior level, while I still have years in juniors ahead of me.

Everything is still ahead of me. I need to work hard, and honestly I'd like to start adding ultra-C elements at future competitions.

Is competition stronger in Russia?

In Russia, the competition is incredibly high. I understand that I wouldn't be able to compete here for Russia. We have Lev Lazarev, who is currently our best junior skater, and what he can do is amazing.

But it's great that I have an opportunity to show myself too. There aren't many figure skaters in Azerbaijan, and I'm glad I received sporting citizenship and the chance to compete. I want to help develop figure skating there.

Many people from Azerbaijan came to support me. They treat me very well and cheer for me. But not only there - I also have many supporters in Russia, Japan, and China.

Over the two Grand Prix weeks, I gained 32,000 followers on a social network that is banned in Russia. I didn't expect that. Videos of my emotions after performances are going viral. The day after tomorrow I'm flying to Azerbaijan. I'll train there for a few days.

For a training camp?

No, just to relax after the competition. We wanted to attend Formula 1. I like Charles Leclerc from Ferrari.

Many people say: "Put Sasha in football, it's obvious he likes it." What would you say to them?

Football is something I really enjoy. I play at the media level for 2DROTS, the most popular media football team, and also for our Champions Union team.

I play because I want to develop beyond figure skating. Football helps my skating because it works different muscles and provides a different kind of training.

But I've been skating since I was three years old. Of course I'm not going to leave for football. I simply don't want to. If I wanted to, I would have left long ago.

Do people think someone is forcing me to skate? No. You can't force a child to skate. If someone forced me, I wouldn't enjoy it and I wouldn't be here. If I didn't love it, I wouldn't travel to competitions or keep skating. I don't do things I don't enjoy.

Have there ever been days when you didn't want to go to practice?

No. I always enjoy it because I don't train excessively. I do two ice sessions a day. I don't skate five sessions a day like some people. I don't need that. My dad and I have believed that since childhood. We work with two sessions a day, and training brings me joy.

What's your height now? You've grown a lot.

Yes, I have. I think I'm around 167 cm now, if I'm not mistaken.

Doesn't that make skating harder?

No, I actually like it.

On social media your nickname is Gnom Gnomych. Some people still call you that. Would you like that to stop?

Honestly, I don't really care anymore. Of course I'd rather be called Sasha Plushenko, and most people do call me that now. "Gnom Gnomych" comes up less often because I've grown up.

Let's be honest - Gnom Gnomych is an iconic nickname. I'm very grateful to my mom for coming up with it because it became incredibly popular. Without that nickname, I don't think I'd have more than a million followers.

Are you going to change it?

We'll see.

An important question for a football fan: who should win the Ballon d'Or this season?

I'm in Georgia right now, so I'd really like Khvicha Kvaratskhelia to win it. What he did last season and the way he played were incredible. He won the Champions League, though unfortunately he didn't play at the World Cup.

Harry Kane also deserves recognition. He's one of the best scorers in the Champions League and scored a lot of goals. Kylian Mbappe was also very good - he's one of my favorite players. But Real Madrid didn't have a great season, and France lost.

Then there's Ousmane Dembele. He won everything again. Last year he deserved the Ballon d'Or, and if he wins it again this season, that would be fine too.

So I'd say Kane, Dembele, Khvicha, or Mbappe. But I'll be cheering for Khvicha.

Do you have any figure skating idols besides Evgeni Plushenko?

I really like Yuzuru Hanyu. His skating was phenomenal. His jumps and even his current form amaze me. I was very impressed that he landed quadruple jumps in a show.

I also really like Nathan Chen. I'd also mention Ilia Malinin and Adam Siao Him Fa. The way Adam came back from 19th place to the podium is incredibly inspiring.

Do you have a dream in figure skating?

Of course - to win the Olympic Games. That's the greatest thing that can happen in sports. And not just one Olympics, ideally. But I'd start with one, obviously. That would be amazing.

I'll keep dreaming and working toward that dream. If you don't dream, nothing will happen.

How would you assess your first competition after the Olympics?

It’s true that it’s very difficult to regroup after the Olympics, but I worked very hard and tried to get back into shape. I’m still building my form at the moment. Hopefully, by the Grand Prix events, I’ll be skating better.

For me, this first competition was actually quite good because I was able to perform my programs in front of an audience. I know what I need to work on and what needs to be corrected. There were some issues with my spins and some shortcomings in the step sequences. Also, the rink here is quite small, and I had only just gotten used to it.

Overall, there’s still a lot of work to do, and that makes me happy. Men’s singles has a lot of strong competition, as always. It’s motivating and makes me want to keep skating and improving.

Is the fact that athletes competing under neutral status are participating also motivating?

Of course. Everyone knows that Russian skaters are among the strongest. Naturally, that’s motivating, and we can see how well they skate. The competition will only keep growing, and I’m very happy about that. Figure skating should be difficult.

Were you disappointed to be only third after the short program?

No, there’s no disappointment at all. There are simply things I need to work on. It’s great that the competition is so strong - you can’t afford mistakes. Even small imperfections always make a difference.

And it’s great that, essentially, everyone is competing on equal footing. In the end, the skater who performs cleanly and perfectly is the one who wins.

The crowd supports you very loudly. Does that create pressure, or does it motivate you?

Quite the opposite. I think support is very important for any athlete. I also noticed that there were people from Kazakhstan here cheering for me.

For me, that’s a huge victory, because I remember back in 2024, when I qualified for the Grand Prix Final, I saw that many people from Kazakhstan had started attending my competitions. That’s incredibly motivating and rewarding.
The fact that I’m helping make figure skating more popular in my country means a lot to me.

Olympic champion Mikhail Shaidorov begins his season on September 25 at the Ondrej Nepela Memorial Challenger.

The event in Bratislava will be Shaidorov’s first competition since his sensational Olympic gold medal. His preparation has been extensive: new programs by Shae-Lynn Bourne and Benoît Richaud, training camps in California with Rafael Arutyunyan, and Richaud’s summer camp in France.

Maya Bagryantseva spoke with the Kazakh figure skater to find out how winning at Milan 2026 changed him, which of the star choreographers he feels closer to, and what he thinks about criticism on the internet.

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Your first competition since February is in Slovakia. How prepared do you feel?

Pretty good. Of course, it’s not easy coming back after last season - I always expect a lot from myself. But in Bratislava, my main goal is to show my new programs, and then gradually build from there. The task is to skate cleanly and start the season enjoying myself. My mindset is excellent.

How was your summer?

Definitely one of the most intense summers of my life. But the change of scenery helped me a lot. In June I was in the United States, then in France, and that not only gave me a mental reset but also energized me.

How did the idea of going to two such serious training camps come about?

It was my idea. Right after the Olympics, I decided I needed to try something new. I wanted to reveal a different side of myself. In the end, I spent a month in California with Rafael Arutyunyan and a month in Angers with Benoît Richaud.

In recent years, you trained alone without training partners, and now you’ve been working in large groups. Was it difficult to adapt?

Honestly, yes. On the one hand, when you train in a group, you push yourself further. You watch other athletes and learn from them.

It’s fun training in a big group. Petr Gumennik, Mikhail Selevko, Giorgi Reshtenko - we were all on the same ice with Arutyunyan, all working on difficult technical content. There were training sessions where we laughed that nobody even understood what they were supposed to do because the intensity was so high. It was an interesting experience, and I really enjoyed it.

On the other hand, I was surprised to realize that when I trained alone, I pushed myself even harder. I constantly felt that I needed to do more - always more. And often I ended up overworking myself.

Now I have a chance to look at myself from the outside. Training in a large group turned out to be a great new experience, both in America and in France. Especially in the summer - you can have fun after practice and complain together about how exhausted you are after a long day. That kind of genuine interaction is priceless.

Did you motivate each other?

I’ve gotten a bit out of the habit of group training, so I’m mostly focused on myself and my own training plan. But of course we still keep an eye on one another. If Stephan Gogolev lands something impressive, you immediately want to show something difficult yourself.

I saw something similar at your practices in Milan, after you had already finished competing.

Oh, that was an amazing time. Petr (Gumennik), Ilya (Malinin), Nika (Egadze), and I would go to the practice rink. The Olympics were still going on for everyone else, but we were done. We could just skate for fun and try different jump combinations together. Back then we were training purely for enjoyment, without stress. During competitions, of course, it’s nothing like that.

The atmosphere at summer training camps is somewhat similar: it feels like the season is still far away, even though in reality it’s already just around the corner. A big, friendly group, a sense of ease in everything - I really value that.

Tell us about working with Arutyunyan.

First of all, huge thanks to him for giving me the opportunity to come and for the way he worked with me. I hope I’ll be able to keep turning to him for advice because I really enjoyed working with him. He’s an incredible specialist.

His views on figure skating are very close to mine. I’m interested in his approach to training and in him as a person. When a coach of that caliber shares his wisdom and knowledge, it’s invaluable. I absorbed every word and stored it away in my memory.

Rafael Vladimirovich is quite straightforward - he’ll always tell you things as they are - but you could talk to him endlessly. His training methodology is refined; he already has all the answers. It’s like you’re placed on a set of tracks, and all you have to do is stay on them. That’s a great coaching gift.

What makes his approach special?

Independent work comes first. If you haven’t done something properly, that’s your problem - nobody is going to chase after you. And that’s how I’ve trained my whole life; I don’t need to be persuaded to work.

Okay, sometimes a little kick can be useful, haha - figuratively speaking, of course. But if an athlete doesn’t want it themselves and doesn’t understand why they’re training, nothing will help.

The entire atmosphere around him is built on respect, and I think that’s the right way. It’s not just about the enormous respect people have for him (though that’s undeniable), but also mutual respect - between the skaters and from him toward us. It creates an unbelievable environment at the rink.

Did you fit in right away?

The first few days were fairly difficult. I needed time to adapt to the training style of his group. I didn’t really understand how everything worked, but Elizaveta Tuktamysheva helped me a lot - she was also at the rink.

After that it became easier, and Arutyunyan explains everything very clearly. Everything there is logical and straightforward.

The main focus of the training was skating skills. But that’s exactly why I went there - to learn how to skate better. Not to jump, but to understand how other people work. That kind of experience is extremely useful: when something isn’t working for you, you immediately start looking for new approaches.

Speaking of Liza. Do you think she could become a good coach?

I think so, yes.

Does she have enough patience for it?

Considering that she was World Champion in 2015 and won World silver in 2021, I think she has more patience than many coaches.

I always rooted for her; she was one of my favorite skaters.

In women’s skating, it’s not that common for someone to stay at the top for so many years. Yes, she had both setbacks and major victories, but that’s what made her career feel alive and interesting. I’m very sorry that she never got to go to the Olympics. I hoped for it right up until the end, but the miracle never happened.

Still, who knows - maybe she’ll make it to her Olympics in the role of a coach. I’ll keep supporting her because when one door closes, another opens. Everyone has their own path.

In California, you worked with Shae-Lynn Bourne for the first time. How do you even get a program from her? People say it’s not easy.

Yes, that’s true. I really wanted her to choreograph a program for me, and when Arutyunyan and I agreed on the summer training camp, he asked Shae-Lynn on my behalf. She works at the same rink as he does.

Why did you decide to have her create your short program specifically?

That was clear from the very beginning. A lot of people told me that working with her on choreography isn’t quick - it’s exhausting, intense work unlike anything else.

And we only had one week together, so there was no way we could have finished a free skate program.

That’s exactly how it turned out: we barely managed to finish the short program. We were putting on the final touches right before I left for the airport.

And even now it’s not really finished - we’ve already had video calls about it. There’s still a lot of work to do because the program ended up being in a completely new style for me. I didn’t expect that.

But that’s exactly what I wanted: to try something new during this Olympic cycle. It makes things more interesting.

Did Shae-Lynn suggest the music?

She suggested a lot of different options, and I also brought several tracks that I liked. In the end, we both agreed on one of them.

I think it’s going to be very unexpected.

More lyrical or more energetic?

Super energetic - nothing like what I’ve skated before.

I actually heard this music once during a warm-up session and joked that I should use it for the next season, and then completely forgot about it. But when Shae-Lynn and I started working together, I suddenly remembered it.

So maybe it was fate.

What is it about Bourne that’s so special? Why does everyone dream of working with her?

She’s an incredible perfectionist and a person of extraordinary talent. The way she immerses herself in each skater, the way her mind works, how many ideas she has, and how carefully she searches for what suits you specifically - it’s phenomenal.

She studies every tiny detail of the music and then explains in depth how she sees the concept of the program and your character within it.

I had always dreamed of getting a program from Bourne, but that week gave me more than I expected. I recovered physically and mentally and found myself wanting to skate again.

You created your free skate during training camp with Benoît Richaud. Explain it to me like I’m a beginner: what’s the difference between these two systems?

America and France are different universes, different approaches - everything is different. And I’m glad I experienced both.

The training itself is organized differently. With Arutyunyan, the focus was on different aspects of skating skills, and I worked more directly with Rafael Vladimirovich himself. In France, I mostly trained with my own coaches, Alexei Urmanov and Murad Kurbanov. Technical work was with them, while skating skills and choreography were with Benoît.

Richaud’s choreography process is different as well. He and Shae-Lynn have different approaches, their own trademarks, and their own storytelling styles.

Benoît is very easy to work with. Everything develops naturally, with jokes and a relaxed atmosphere, though the work itself is quite intense. I’m amazed by how quickly he comes up with choreography - we created the skeleton of the program in just a couple of days.

Of course, a lot of time is spent afterward refining and polishing details, but the foundation appears almost before your eyes.

If something feels uncomfortable to me during the process, he looks for an alternative. Benoît is a flexible choreographer and a very charismatic person - it’s impossible not to notice.

For each program, he chooses a story, and he does it through you, based on what will fit you best as a performer.

I think we ended up with a more mature program and more mature skating. I want to enter the new season a little differently: stronger, more confident, and able to show skating with greater range and power.

The greatest gift of this season is that I got to work with two such different choreographers. Each of them saw me in their own unique way.

Who is currently on your team?

First and foremost, Alexei Urmanov. We continue searching for new ideas and preparing for the season. He came to France to work with me for two weeks. Murad Kurbanov was there with me as well.

Is he your coach now too?

After the Olympic Games, I realized that I wanted to bring another specialist onto the team. Alexei Yevgenyevich and I invited Murad so that we could have a different, fresh perspective.

I’m very grateful to both of them for their trust. At Richaud’s camp, Murad worked as a guest coach while also working with me personally.

What I really like about him is that he’s willing to take responsibility. He’s proactive and isn’t afraid to make decisions or look for solutions.

You’ve been working with Urmanov since 2018, when you joined him as a teenager. Has your relationship changed since then?

Yes, of course. I’ve changed too - as a person and as an athlete. A certain maturity comes with time. I analyze things more and think through every step. Sometimes I don’t even notice how much I’ve changed.

There’s one phrase from Alexei Yevgenyevich that I remember. It’s figurative and probably not even specifically about me, but I think it describes our relationship perfectly.

I came to him as a skeleton: just bare bones. And thanks to Urmanov, those bones grew muscles and flesh. He turned a boy into a man.

Do you have more of a voice now?

Yes, people listen to me more now - I’m an adult. But I don’t allow myself to speak louder than those who are older than me.

I grew up in Kazakhstan, where respect for elders is very important. That’s how I was raised. I’ll always advocate for my own ideas, but first and foremost I’ll listen to the older generation.

But the decision to attempt five quadruple jumps in your free skate in Milan was your own. How did that happen?

I’m grateful to Urmanov because he trusts me and listens to my intuition. It wasn’t the first time he allowed me to make a decision myself - it was simply the most dramatic and life-changing example.

At the time, he said, “This athlete is someone I trust.”

In my opinion, that kind of trust is one of the most important things in the relationship between a coach and an athlete.

We had trained that layout, and I was doing it quite well. Yes, the final decision came only three days before leaving for Milan, but I had always kept it in mind as one of the possible scenarios.

Last season wasn’t entirely smooth for you. After winning silver at the 2025 World Championships, you finished only sixth at the Grand Prix Final. What was Urmanov saying at the time? I doubt you expected to have to prove yourselves to the judges all over again.

Of course, we had imagined the start of the Olympic season a little differently. But there was no negativity within the team, and nobody was complaining.

Alexei Yevgenyevich approached it very calmly. We were constantly discussing what we could improve and what changes we could make to the programs. He pointed out where we still had weaknesses, and I also understood what still needed to be fixed.

You said that the period before the Olympics was difficult because there was “constant pressure.” Who was putting pressure on you?

The whole atmosphere was incredibly tense. Since August, I had the feeling that people were expecting something from me - from every direction.

There was so much negativity, so many unpleasant discussions. I’m glad I managed to deal with it in the end, but at the time it wasn’t easy. Sometimes I didn’t even understand why I was doing all of this. I didn’t deserve that wave of negativity directed at me.

I really wanted to hide from that pressure. But how could I? I’m a figure skater - my job is to go out on the ice, train, and compete.

I needed to somehow distance myself from all those outside factors, but it was impossible. There were too many different things going on, and honestly, I don’t even want to talk about some of them now.

Did you ever feel despair?

Yes, I did. Especially in the final days before leaving for Milan.

I started to lose heart, and then suddenly something shifted inside me - it felt like moving to another level.

All season long, I had been very closed off, trying to hide from everything. Then, all at once, I felt free. I realized that this was the moment I had been working toward my entire life. That these Games would mark the end of half of my journey.

No matter how the Olympics turned out, I had to do everything possible - and impossible - to show everything I had built over my sporting career.

Honestly, I went there as if it were my final battle.

Were you thinking about any particular medal?

Before the Games, I never even thought about medals.

I figured that whatever happened would happen; there was no point in making predictions. I was simply happy to be flying to Milan.

I love that city very much and was thrilled that the Olympics were being held there. Milan has a special energy, and I can feel it.

When I arrived and saw the Olympic rings, I suddenly felt that everything would work out well. Not necessarily in terms of medals - I just wanted to skate cleanly.

After the short program, I started thinking about bronze. I felt that if I delivered a perfect performance, I could fight for it.

Silver seemed possible only if someone else made a major mistake. As for what depended on me, bronze was the goal.

How did the two days between the short program and the free skate go?

The first day was positive. I was very happy with being in fifth place.

I wanted to make the final warm-up group, but not have to skate first in it.

The second day was harder. The nerves started kicking in: tomorrow was the free skate, the moment was getting closer, and on top of that it was Friday the 13th.

Are you superstitious?

Quite the opposite. I decided it was a wonderful sign.

The perfect date.

What happened on the last day?

Our final practice before the free skate was held in the main arena, with the stands completely full.

Honestly, I wasn’t expecting that. You step onto the ice and suddenly see so many spectators in the arena.

Afterward, I returned to the hotel and started scrolling through social media. There were so many posts supporting me.

It felt like all of Kazakhstan was cheering for me.

Everywhere people were writing that I was the country’s only hope for a medal at those Games.

That energized me so much - it lit a fire inside me.

Even now, I get goosebumps when I remember that evening.

I understood that my performance was going to be watched by the entire country.

When you won, Ilya Malinin came up to you and hugged you. What did he say?

He said in English, “You deserve this.” And I replied that it was an honor for me to skate on the same ice as him.

And that’s really how I feel - we’ve been competing against each other since the 2019–20 junior season. I think it’s a really cool story for figure skating: to have been going shoulder to shoulder with someone since the junior ranks.

But the most important thing about Ilya is that figure skating means something more to him than just titles. The same goes for me. It’s about striving for perfection, pursuing professionalism, and overcoming challenges - not just overcoming yourself.

His gold medals don’t define him. He is more than his titles.

Malinin is developing figure skating and taking it to another level of popularity. He is a unique skater.

Then everything became a blur.

People started coming up to me, there were so many people around, and then I spotted Nika Egadze in the distance. For the first time in my life, I saw tears in his eyes.

And then I started crying too.

We had seen each other before my free skate - he had already competed by that point. I remember how intense the tension was for both of us.

And when it was finally all over, I was so happy to see him.

He’s a close friend of mine.

I never expected to run into him there, and I’m incredibly grateful that he stayed in the arena and came out to see me.

I felt tremendous support - from him and from Ilya as well.

We’ve built really great relationships in men’s singles.

We’re one big family.

Everyone steps onto the ice and battles with themselves, and after that, whatever happens, happens.

Has your life changed a lot since winning Olympic gold? There was a huge surge of popularity - has it settled down a bit now?

Yes, it’s easier now. At first, it was like a hurricane.

What helped me, oddly enough, was that I got sick as soon as I came back. I guess that was how all the tension left my body. It often happens that way: you finally let yourself relax, and suddenly health problems show up.

While you were still in Milan, did you already realize what kind of wave of attention was waiting for you?

I had a feeling. In a way, I was even looking forward to it.

And then I allowed myself to enjoy it.

The most memorable moment was probably the reception with the president. I walked past the honor guard in a daze. I wanted to pinch myself - it was hard to believe that all of this was happening to me.

And I know how important it was for my father and for my coach as well. All the words that were spoken there, the state decoration I received - it was a tremendous honor for me and my parents.

How much has your popularity grown in Kazakhstan? Can you still walk around freely?

People come up to me for photos at the rink, of course. It happens on the streets a lot too.

It’s nice.

I don’t think I’ve ever refused anyone a photo or an autograph.

Even if it’s four in the morning and you’re standing in an airport exhausted and sleep-deprived?

Of course.

What was the hardest thing after the Olympics?

As it turned out, getting back to training.

No matter what your mindset is, no matter how motivated you are.

An Olympic season is a completely different experience. It’s difficult just to survive it, and when you add overwhelming emotions on top of that, it becomes twice as hard.

It feels like at some point in that whirlwind of attention, you became a little lost.

Yes, there was a lot of confusion. That’s true.

I tried to keep everything under control, but there were so many things happening that I couldn’t manage all of them.

I think the reason was that I never really recovered from the Games - not physically, but mentally.

To be honest, I’m still recovering.

My motivation has come back, and I feel fine now, but the process is still ongoing.

I have more energy these days.

Right now I’m working on my own merchandise, and we’re considering the idea of putting on my own show in December.

If you could go back to those first months after the Olympics, what would you do differently?

I would think less, worry less, and enjoy the moment more.

Instead, I kept asking myself: What comes next?

I couldn’t fully accept that the race was over.

You keep rushing forward toward something, and then suddenly that feeling of confusion you mentioned catches up with you.

But it’s experience, and I’m glad to have it.

Have you ever worked with a psychologist?

Yes, during the Olympic season.

I think it helped.

We’re actually still working together now.

She helps me a lot, and I genuinely feel better after our sessions.

Often, athletes turn to sports psychologists to recover more quickly and effectively after setbacks. It’s not therapy in the traditional sense - it’s more like crisis management.

So there are different scenarios and reasons for seeking that kind of support.

Do you read what people write about you on the internet?

Not very often lately.

Why? Don’t you like what people are saying?

No, it’s not that. I just don’t have much time these days.

Though of course I still see some of it.

How do you deal with negative comments?

A lot of the time, they’re actually funny.

But do they ever hurt?

Sometimes.

But everyone sees things through their own lens, and I can’t get inside other people’s heads.

And honestly, I don’t feel any desire to prove anything to anyone.

How do you want to be remembered? For your medal, your signature jump combination, your programs, your charity work?

For all of it.

As a figure skater, I want to leave a mark that goes beyond my own country. The jumps, the programs - yes - but I also want to keep moving forward and never stop improving.

And as for how I want to be remembered...

I want to be remembered as a good person.

I hope I can achieve that.

After the Olympics, I had a conversation with Gennady Gennadyevich Golovkin. He is one of my biggest sporting idols, a legend of world boxing, and one of the greatest athletes in Kazakhstan’s history.

I remember how the entire country would stay up in the middle of the night to watch his fights in America.

He told me, “Now you’ll face the test of fame and success. The main thing is to remain a good person.”

And that’s exactly what I want - to remain the same person I was before winning that medal.

That’s my personal goal.

To be free on the inside, while staying sincere and genuine.

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The interview is way longer than this, this i just like 1/3 of the whole thing, unfortunately it's on "sports . ru" so there's no way for me to send it, even the DMs don't work, you have to find it yourself :/

Thanks to u/Maya_skating for doing this interview and thank you for your hard work, its amazing.

Niina Petrokina - 4S at the 6 minute warmup at Tallinn Open 2026

Source - lizamaria8 on TikTok.

Rio on his free skate:

>I haven’t looked at the scores yet, so I don’t know the levels for the spins and step sequences. But everything was going well in practice. I had planned to do a 4T-3A, but it didn’t work out - that’s disappointing… Still, my condition is good for this stage. There’s almost a month until the Grand Prix, so everything is fine!

During the week of training after the Kinoshita Cup, he increased the amount of jump practice and also reviewed the transition sections of his program. “I still need to practice much, much more before it can be perfect,” he said, setting his sights on even greater heights.

Having officially become an adult, he spoke about his aspirations: “I need to have a greater sense of responsibility. I want to take responsibility for myself and become the kind of person that future athletes can look up to and admire.”

Looking ahead to the Grand Prix Series, which begins in late October, he said, “The most important thing is to be fully prepared for the Grand Prix events. I’m going to work hard with the goal of winning.”

Joshua (Novice A, Boys):

During the five-minute warm-up, I couldn’t land my 2A, but I managed to land it in the program, even though I over-rotated it... that’s great haha! This season, I want to learn a 3T.

Apparently Rio is giving his younger brother advice when it comes to his jumping technique, cute!

ISU rejected the appeals of Kamila Valieva and Mark Kondratiuk when it comes to revoking their neutral status.

They have now 3 weeks to file an appeal to CAS

Edit (9:37 GMT+2)

The ISU also rejected the appeal by Alexandra Stepanova and Ivan Bukin regarding their request for neutral status.

Edit (9:44 GMT+2)

The ISU has ruled that Valieva, Kondratiuk, and Stepanova/Bukin do not meet the criteria and are not eligible to participate in international competitions. Specific details will not be released – at least not until the possibility of appealing this decision to the CAS (Court of Arbitration for Sport) is exhausted.

Edit (9:46 GMT+2)

The ISU released a press release update for the AIN eligibility

Link here

Andrei Yezhlov on Veronika Zhilina’s prospects for the 2026/27 season and her chances of making the 2030 Olympics

How would you assess Veronika Zhilina’s performance in Japan?

Not bad. For her first competition, she did what she was supposed to do. The goal was to skate cleanly with her planned content. In the combination, she did a double toe loop instead of a triple toe loop in the second half of the free skate, but everything else was executed cleanly. Of course, she could have added more emotion, but it is what it is. Overall, I’m satisfied.

Is Veronika a long-term project, already with an eye on the next Olympics?

I think so, yes. I hope she lasts. I think she can - but three and a half years is still a long time. Right now, we’re training in a systematic way. If we’re working on quadruple jumps and triple Axels, we do only three to five attempts - good, high-quality, powerful ones. I know many athletes who do 50 jumps in a row, wear themselves down, and take a lot of hard falls. We’re taking a calmer approach, focusing on quality, run-throughs, simulations, and sometimes skating only parts of the programs.

The Russian neutral athletes will have only one quota spot at the European Championships. Does that mean Zhilina could contend for a medal?

Theoretically, yes, of course. At the next competitions, we hope to include a quadruple Salchow and a triple Axel. Those are our plans. With that kind of technical content, she can compete. In Japan, she could have scored about 15 points more with those elements, and that would have been enough for a medal.

Adelia Petrosyan plans to participate in Challenger Series events after the control performances. This is what Inna Goncharenko (her new coach) said.

Does Adelia Petrosyan have plans to participate in the Challenger Series?

Adelia does have such plans, but we are not commenting on anything yet. Everything will be decided after the control performances. Please wait a little.

I am very proud of what she has done. It is impressive: four years without international competitions, and she comes back with a clean skate. Her little son is sitting in the stands, watching his mom perform. That is so much more than just a result.

I think everyone could see how much more mature she has become. It was wonderful to see that she was enjoying being back in competition. There was the Sasha of the past, there is the Sasha of today, and there is her future. And I think she is opening this new chapter in a very beautiful way.

She proved to herself that she could come back. She proved that she could skate differently, that she has changed, that there is now a different depth to her skating. And, as I just wrote to her, this is only the beginning.

Of course, there is still a lot of work ahead, but this is only the start of the season. In the spring, Sasha and I worked on this program in Novogorsk for just one week, but we stayed in constant contact afterward. Last week, we had an online session together, and her husband, Makar, helped us with translation.

Today I saw many of the things we worked on. I can see that she pays attention to the different nuances of the choreography that we discussed.

Sasha was magnificent, and the scores were excellent as well. I think this program can quickly break the 80-point barrier.

The choreography is very musical, but it also includes deliberate moments of slowing down. We worked a lot on poses that allow people to see and appreciate her lines.
I am very proud that she chose me to choreograph her program. It is a great honor for me - and at the same time, a great responsibility.

I don’t know why yet, but it’s crazy!

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