Sofia Samodelkina: “At first skipping the seemed like a catastrophe. I was preparing for the Kazakhstan Nationals but I couldn’t go there. Now I take it calmly.”
Translation of Sofia Samodelkina comments about struggles with jumps and changing sports citizenship.
original source: RT dd. 6th January 2024 by Elena Vaitsekhovskaya
Sofia Samodelkina, the winner and medalist of last season’s Grand Prix Russia stages, is currently undergoing the process of changing her sports citizenship to Kazakhstani.
Samodelkina talked about skipping the season and performing in Kazakhstan.
“Q: You’ve been waiting for a release from the Russian figure skating federation for several months now. Does this thought weigh heavily on you? Or is it psychologically easier to just forget about this topic?
Sofia Samodelkina: I was definitely informed about the option where I might have to skip the season altogether. At first, this prospect just didn’t fit into my head: how can I skip the season? It seemed like such a catastrophe. But then I came to Evgeni Viktorovich (Plushenko), and we gradually started to work on programs.
Usually, when there are no competitions, you don’t make full run-througths. But here, I started doing that. It’s like mentally preparing for the competitions that exist, for example, for other girls. The same stages of the Russian Grand Prix. So, there was never a situation where I came to practice and didn’t know what to do.
And now the work is just more intense. Working on jumps, working on spins. Trying out some new spins, maybe coming up with something new. So, there’s a lot going on.
Q: So, it’s not that bad that this season is happening for you without competitions?
Sofia Samodelkina: Of course, deep down, I still want to perform. I was preparing for the Kazakhstan National Championships, but I couldn’t go there. Now I take it calmly. It’s only up to me how long I will skate.
Q: And how long is that?
Sofia Samodelkina: I can’t answer that right now. Many people also talk about their intentions to skate for a long time, but in reality, things turn out differently. Maybe I’ll win my first World Championships and say to myself, ‘Enough!’ Or, on the contrary, I might want to compete more and more.
Q: So, you set a goal to win the World Championships?
Sofia Samodelkina: Yes, that’s what I want. A lot,” said Samodelkina.
Sofia Samodelkina also shared how her growth has affected her jumps.
“Sofia Samodelkina: I always worked with full dedication during practices, always wanted to skate. So, there was never a situation where, stepping onto the ice, I felt lazy or didn’t want to do anything today. Even when it was really tough, there was always something to do – skate more, spin more.
But last year, when I was still skating at CSKA, I didn’t even feel like trying the axel – it physically didn’t work, and I don’t know why. I associate it with growth because I can’t think of any other reasons.
Now everything has aligned: jumps are recovering, coaches are supportive, and the atmosphere contributes. When jumps go well in training, you want to try something more challenging in the show. If it works, it’s incredibly invigorating. <…>
Q: Sensations can be tricky, especially when you start growing.
Sofia Samodelkina: That’s right. But in a certain sense, it’s easier for me – I’m very muscular. Of course, any weight gain has an impact: something starts to hurt immediately, it becomes uncomfortable to perform certain elements, speed slows down, but I could still execute jumps even when gaining weight. There was no situation where I gained 300 grams, and everything fell apart.
However, when I started growing, I often remembered one incident. Around the age of 12, I was skating the free skate and complained to Anya Tarasova: it’s so hard. Anya laughed back then, ‘Wait until you start growing, then it will really be tough.’ At that time, I didn’t take those words seriously, thought it was nonsense. But when my body really changed, I understood how right Anya was back then.
Q: Is it easier to maintain weight now than a year ago?
Sofia Samodelkina: Definitely easier. But it’s not just about weight. Sensations change significantly as you grow. The same triple axel, when it fell apart, I had to approach it in training as if for the first time in my life. I couldn’t grasp that feeling for a long time when you explode in the takeoff – and it all works out.
I didn’t understand how to jump, what I needed to do to feel the jump. Even when something started to come together suddenly, the next day I had to remember everything from the beginning. So, in my case, growth became such a problem, really tough,” Samodelkina, 16 years old, shared.”
Related topics: Sofia Samodelkina
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