Elizaveta Tuktamysheva: “I found a phrase that really helped me relax. I would tell myself, ‘On a universal scale, it absolutely doesn’t matter whether you skate well or badly. For anyone preparing for a competition, give it a try – it’s very effective in reducing the pressure.”
World champion Elizaveta Tuktamysheva reflects on her figure skating journey and career transition.
original source: Championat
In an interview with Championat Elizaveta Tuktamysheva opens up about her beginnings in the sport, her approach to handling competition stress, and her childhood experiences as a skater, while also sharing her new role as a coach following a pause in her competitive career. Here’s a translation.
How She Started Figure Skating
“I started skating when I was five, which, back then, was considered a good age to begin figure skating. Nowadays, the sport has become much younger. Kids as young as three or four are starting now so that by five or six, they can perform double jumps, and by eight, they’re expected to master triple jumps.
At the time, everything was much calmer, so five years old was perfectly fine. My father was the director of a sports camp, and I would go with him during the summers. I met some figure skaters there, and I liked them so much that I said, ‘That’s it, I’ve made new friends, and I want to be closer to them.’ My parents asked me, ‘Do you want to start figure skating?’ and I answered, ‘Yes, I do.’ That’s how they brought me to join the girls, and I immediately loved it.
The other girls unfortunately didn’t stick with the sport for long. Back then, managing school alongside skating was difficult because we lacked proper organization and scheduling, and the prospects weren’t as clear. Most of the girls who started with me quit after two or three years, with only a few lasting four years.
When Alexei Nikolaevich (Mishin) discovered me at a competition four years later, I started traveling to Saint Petersburg. That gave me a huge push in my development,” Tuktamysheva said.
On Her Childhood Skating Experience
Reflecting on her younger years, Tuktamysheva talked about the role her parents played in balancing her education and skating career:
“My dad was responsible for sports, including figure skating, while my mom, an algebra and geometry teacher, oversaw my education. At school, my mom would keep me on track with my studies, while my dad took care of me at the rink. Somehow, we found a balance.
I was a very athletic child and genuinely enjoyed it. Of course, getting up for training at seven in the morning required some motivation, and my parents occasionally had to push me a little. Naturally, a child doesn’t want to wake up early, but I never resented my parents for pushing me too hard. I always knew that I loved skating, and this love for skating stayed with me throughout my career.”
Stress Management During Competitions
Tuktamysheva revealed a calming mantra she relied on during competitions:
“I found a phrase that really helped me relax. I would tell myself, ‘On a universal scale, it absolutely doesn’t matter whether you skate well or badly.’
For anyone preparing for a competition, give it a try – it’s very effective in reducing the pressure and significance you place on the event. You approach competitions much calmer, with more genuine enthusiasm, because you realize how vast the world is and how small we are as individuals in it. It helps you put everything into perspective,” she explained.
Pause in Competitive Career and Coaching Transition
The 28-year-old figure skater has not competed since 2023, when she announced a pause in her career. Since then, she has participated in ice shows and assisted her former coach Alexei Mishin with coaching duties at the Yubileyny rink.
Starting next season, Tuktamysheva will officially serve as a coach for the Saint Petersburg national team, marking a new chapter in her life and career. Tuktamysheva’s journey provides a glimpse into her enduring passion for figure skating, now translated into her role in mentoring the next generation of skaters.
Related topics: Elizaveta Tuktamysheva
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