“There were critics who wrote: ‘Traitor’. But I already relate to this normally. I made a choice.” Samodelkina on her transfer to Kazakhstan national team
Sofia Samodelkina about Kazakhstan Championships and representing Kazakhstan.
original source: tengrisport.kz dd. 27th July 2024
Sofia Samodelkina won her debut National Championships and her plans for the future in the interview with Tengrisport she talks about championships, Here’s a translation of her comments.
“Q: During one of the performances, Evgeni Plushenko said that performing at the summer Kazakhstan Championships for you is “a training skate”. How much does this coincide with your feelings?
Sofia Samodelkina: I somewhat disagree with Evgeni Viktorovich. The attitude was the same as at other competitions. There was no feeling that it was a training session. I understood that if the girls skated clean, I would lose, which I would not like at all. I had to concentrate a lot: I had very much become unaccustomed to competitions. When the music started before the short program, my legs gave out. I think that Evgeni Viktorovich compared these competitions with more major international ones. But for me, every competition is something important.
This is a very special victory: the title of Kazakhstan champion and a gold medal. I can’t remember the last time I wore gold.
After the skate, I didn’t think I had won because I understood that I had made a lot of mistakes that could be used against me. Overall, the girls who skated clean could easily have bypassed me.
While doing the bows, I quickly analyzed what I did, what I didn’t. I hoped that I didn’t mix up the combinations, because the set was completely different. Everything coincided, but during the course of this final sequence of three jumps I was thinking just like I never thought before, that nothing would go wrong.
Q: When people watched the broadcast, many people noticed the fog that was over the rink. How did you react to this? Have you ever been in such conditions?
Sofia Samodelkina: I liked these special effects (smiles). It was unusual. Especially in the free program, when there was more fog and I went for a jump, and I look: there is no border. Theoretically, it should be… It’s good that I didn’t hit anywhere. When I was skating, I thought: now there will be an epic moment if I jump and hit into the border.
But seriously, when you are focused on the program, nothing bothers you. One time at one of the competitions there was horrible ice: they apparently just poured it, and then changed the temperature, and it was literally in bumps all over. You put your foot with a toe picks, right one, and you sway. You can’t push off: the ice draws you in. Naturally, we then said and they re-poured the ice, but the training took place in such conditions. The fog will be remembered for a long time, but nothing terrible.
Q: While you were getting ready to go out on the ice, you were constantly in headphones. What was playing in yours at that moment and what is your playlist in general?
Sofia Samodelkina: I generally am a music lover. But before the program I listen to what I will perform. Before the free, I listened to “Je Suis Malade” by Lara Fabian.
Q: Yesterday before the skate, you had some toy in your hands…
Sofia Samodelkina: I used to have a Pikachu toy. At some competitions, I left it. I searched everywhere, went around the entire rink but couldn’t find it. And yet it was so big, yellow, bright… I was upset.
For a while, I was without a “tissue box” for tears after workouts. But I missed having a toy, which you hold in your hands before competitions and which gives you strength.
Sasha Trusova went somewhere in Mexico, it seems, for a master class, and I say: “Sasha, if you see, bring some tissue box.” And she brought me this cat, and I liked it so much. And now it’s my new friend who keeps an eye on my training process.
Before the medals were awarded, the Kazakhstan anthem rang out over the “Karaganda-Arena”. Sofia did not get lost and showed that she is ready to obey the laws of her new country: she turned towards the flag and put her right hand on her heart.
Sofia Samodelkina: First of all, it is about respect, that’s why I learned the anthem. I don’t know it quite fully yet, but I know the first verse and the first chorus well.
Q: And how about the Kazakh language?
Sofia Samodelkina: I’m going to delve into this topic now. We haven’t hired a tutor yet. I think I will come and will start quietly, and then you start talking with people in simple language and you get used to it.
Q: Was there anything else you could have chosen besides figure skating in childhood? For example, if not figure skating, what would you be doing now, do you think?
Sofia Samodelkina: Possibly horse riding or fencing, maybe tennis. It would have been sports anyway. Our whole family consists of athletes: my dad is a skier, my mom is a swimmer, my younger sister is a fencer, my brother played football and I am a figure skater.
I think that my children will also do sports in the future. I will by no means force them, but at least it seems to me that some of the children will definitely say, “I want to be an athlete”. The genes will definitely be passed on.
Q: Have you already thought about children?
Sofia Samodelkina: At least by the age of 25, I want to already become a mom.
Q: And what about sports? What results would you consider a success for you in 10 years?
Sofia Samodelkina: Who knows, maybe I will be so fit all these 10 years that nothing will stop me. Maybe after giving birth to a child, I will want to return to sports. Of course, I want to go to the World Championships, and the Olympic games. Even when you participate in the Olympic games, it already says that you are a strong athlete of your country. But the medals – it would be really cool.
Sofia Samodelkina and her family made the decision to change their citizenship last year. Many fans took the passport switch to heart.
Sofia Samodelkina: When I made the decision, I immediately realized that it would start in all public forums. But we did not expect that the information would be leaked so quickly. Everything happened by chance. There were millions of comments, correspondents called non-stop. My phone rang all day. I couldn’t do anything.
At some point, I decided to read one article that seemed harmless, and I was surprised at the comments, “Well done, the right decision, we all support you, wish you success,” and so on.
There were some critics who wrote: “Traitor”. But I already relate to this normally. I made this choice. My family, my coaches made such a choice and helped me with it.
Q: After you had skated your program at the Kazakhstan Championships, fans surrounded you before your podium competitor finished her program…
Sofia Samodelkina: Yes, I wanted to watch, but they asked me, “Please take pictures, there are many people waiting.” I watched Sofia’s (Sofia Farafonova – ed.) program’s start. I was very surprised when she changed her dress: at first I saw a yellow one, then distracted a little, turned around – it’s purple. Very impressive.
Q: Do you already feel the support of the fans here?
Sofia Samodelkina: Yes, of course! Before the free program, I was very surprised because I did not expect that so many girls and boys would come to watch. When they introduced “Sofia Samodelkina. Astana” everyone shouted so loudly that I had to smile when I got out onto the ice.
Related topics: Sofia Samodelkina
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