“Of course, Tutberidze’s words were harsh, and I absolutely agree with them. It was right for her to say that, indeed, you need to show the sport in competitions and not your doubts.” Interview with former Russian champion Sofia Akateva
Interview with Sofia Akateva.
original source: RSport dd. December 25th 2024 by Andrei Simonenko
Sofia Akateva (17) has returned to competitions after nearly a year break. In an interview with RIA, the former Russian national champion discussed how difficult it was to recover from her injury, how her feelings and perception of figure skating have changed as she matures, and also shared her emotions about the news that Russian skaters are allowed to compete in the qualification for the 2026 Olympics. HEre’s a translation of the interview.
“Q: Sofia, the Russian nationals marks the first half of the season. How has it been for you?
Sofia Akateva: Overall, my impressions are good. I realized that I still have a lot to work on. The results could have been better; I could have performed cleaner programs and more complex content. But at this stage, this is how it is.
Q: In the free skate, you did not attempt the quad jump. Why is branning it back so challenging?
Sofia Akateva: I landed the quad on the very first day I started restoring it. The difficulty is to keep it consistent and to integrate it into the program. I don’t know if it’s psychology or “physics” that gets in the way, generally I can land it well, everything goes fine, and then suddenly it may just not work out. I landed it during practice, just to do it in the program requires something more than just stability. Ten out of ten, a jump you’re 100 percent sure of. One that works out almost in any condition — whether nervous or tired. Then it will also work in competitions. For now, the quad is in the restoration phase.
Q: You’ve even landed it during the six-minute warm-ups before performing.
Sofia Akateva: Yes, I did it. But at the Russian Nationals, it was not worth the risk to be remembered for a calm skate. At the Grand Prix stage, I could still take a risk, but at Nationals, I wanted to show the judges and the audience clean skating. The content was simplified; I hope there will be a more difficult content in the future.
Q: With a clean skate in the free program, you scored 150 points, yet in the Russian Nationals, the top three included girls with ultra-C elements; you came in fifth. Does it mean that a quad is still obligatory, you can’t just improve the components to compete with those who have a quad?
Sofia Akateva: I perform the programs, and the judges give the scores. They are a guide to understanding what I still need to work on. Of course, I very much want to restore and show ultra-C elements in competitions. This year it’s like this, but gradually I will bring the quad back to the programs.
Q: Yo alsou spoke about the lack of competitive practice. Why is it so crucial?
Sofia Akateva: I understood why this season. Because with any doubts, I cannot show my maximum. Even the slightest doubt when it arises can interfere. Competitive experience is returning; at the Russian Nationals, I skated the free program calmly, not shaking before each element as it happens. I really hope that the intense nervousness will pass, and I can show what I do well in practice.
Q: As people mature, they tend to analyze more, sometimes even dig too deep into themselves. Can this be related to excessive nerves on the ice?
Sofia Akateva: Maybe, I indeed started thinking more about things you should not think about during competitions. Then you must go and perform, but you start considering “what if,” “what happens if,” and, of course, it interferes. I don’t know if it’s related to age. Maybe the reason is the break — I got used to not performing. If that’s the case, I think I’ll get used to it again, and everything will be fine.
Q: Does the feeling of maturing help to be more artistic on the ice? Many people note that you have improved in this aspect.
Sofia Akateva: I’ve always tried to pay attention to components; now, maybe even unconsciously, I manage to show emotions more deeply. But, of course, we work a lot on this in training — to ensure that, alongside the jumping content, there is also a fit with the music, with the character. This is related as well.
Q: After the short program at Nationals, harsh words from Eteri Georgievna were heard in the broadcast, with which she greeted you off the ice.
Sofia Akateva: Of course, they were strict, and I absolutely agree with them (smiles). It’s completely true — I needed to do the combination, but again some doubts arose in me. It was right for her to say that, indeed, you need to show the sport in competitions and not your doubts.
Q: But you are still a more mature athlete than before. Does her style of communication with you change?
Sofia Akateva: We started to talk more and more seriously; there were more analyses after competitions. And personally, I have gained more understanding of her words.
Q: Do you talk about life with her?
Sofia Akateva: Sometimes, yes. Not as often because we are always in the training process. But if a necessary moment for such a conversation arises, then we talk, yes.
Q: Do you take her advice?
Sofia Akateva: Of course. After all, I have been skating with her for a long time, Eteri Georgievna is a very important person in my life.
Q: Missing a season, long recovery after an injury — it’s probably a tough topic, but still —what were you thinking about during this time, what were your experiences, who helped you get through it?
Sofia Akateva: All this time, I tried to train as much as my leg situation allowed. In the gym, I tried to do some exercises, to build muscle that I was able to work on. Of course, my parents, my family helped me, coaches, fans wrote to me, eager for my return. It was tough to miss the season and watch all the competitions, realizing that I could have been competing, but instead, I was sitting and losing form. I understood that I needed to go through this period and heal, but still, it was very tough to come to terms with all this. I’m glad that I managed to return to the competitive arena. I now enjoy every performance immensely.
Q: Was watching the competitions during that period a kind of torment?
Sofia Akateva: At first, it was. Especially at the moment when I had just got injured. I was supposed to go to the Grand Prix of Russia in a week, I was preparing for it, I was in quite good shape. And watching the broadcast, realizing that I should have been there, on the ice, was hard. But then, as the season progressed, I gradually let go of the situation. I realized that if I got through this, I could return next season and compete. Accepting it, of course, made things easier.
Q: Did you ever doubt about returning?
Sofia Akateva: Not for a second. At no point did I think that I could just give everything up.
Q: But such a pause from figure skating surely made you think about what else you could be doing, maybe outline some plans for life after sports?
Sofia Akateva: Oh, I still have no idea how that will be. I can’t imagine my life without figure skating. The emotions I get in training and even more so in competitions, I can’t get anywhere else in ordinary life. That’s why I love my sport.
Q: So, for you, in figure skating, is the process more important than the goal?
Sofia Akateva: No, for me, they’re equally important. I just think one generates the other. If the process is successful — there will be a result. And if the process is poor, you won’t achieve your goals.
Q: The main news of this Russian Nationals was the International Skating Union’s decision to allow participation in the Olympic qualifiers. Does the thought that international competitions are getting closer add to your motivation?
Sofia Akateva: Of course, when I found out, I was very, very happy. At some point, we had stopped believing. I’m just happy that there’s progress in this aspect. I hope for changes for the better, to be able to perform, and that I can participate in international competitions.
Q: You had them in your life before.
Sofia Akateva: Yes, a few years ago. But some were lost: in 2021 we were supposed to go to the Junior World Championships, but it was canceled due to COVID-19. Then I competed in the stages of the international junior Grand Prix and made it to the finals but it was canceled for the same reason. It was upsetting, of course, we all prepared, went through the selection. Then came the suspension. I really hope and believe that international competitions will still be in my life. I want to skate for a long time; after every competition, I become more convinced of this.
Q: What do you want more — to win titles, or maybe, to deliver the skate of your life and electrify the audience?
Sofia Akateva: I think every athlete wants to have such a skate. To have a performance that everyone rewatch. We all strive for this, and I’m no exception — to have such a moment in my life that I could be remembered by. Maybe by some program, maybe by an element. Or maybe by some victory.
Q: Are there such lifetime performances by other skaters that you often rewatch?
Sofia Akateva: I’d probably mention Nathan Chen’s short program, the free skate programs of Alexandra Trusova, Anna Shcherbakova at the Olympics. But it doesn’t stop there; there are many great athletes and legendary performances. I often rewatch competitions.
Q: And which is your favorite performance?
Sofia Akateva: Probably at the Channel One Cup two seasons ago when I skated a clean free program; I still remember those incredible emotions very well. It was really cool, and I hope I will have such a moment again in my life.”
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