Niccolo Macii: “Often during practice, I notice Sara pushes herself to the limit, expecting perfection. I tell her to stay calm and appreciate how far we’ve come, turning our passion into our career. Honestly, I give the same advice to myself.”

Sara Conti and Niccolo Macii on their journey, hopes for future competitions, and preparations for their first Olympics.

original source: Italia Team Youtube Channel

In an interview, Italian pair skaters Sara Conti and Niccolò Macii talk about their journey in figure skating. A two-way conversation about emotions on the ice, daily sacrifices, and Olympic dreams, with an eye on Milan Cortina 2026. Here’s a translation of their comments.

“Knowing that the Olympics – and our first Olympics – will take place in our home country brings an unusual and special feeling. It’s like a big question mark because, since they’re our first Olympics, we don’t really know exactly how everything will unfold. However, it’s a beautiful sensation. We’re very proud to represent our country, and we want to enjoy every moment of the Olympics, from the start to the very last event.

Even as early as last year – or perhaps the year prior – we started incorporating more difficult elements into our programs. We also introduced new forms of preparation compared to what we had done before. I must say that we’re already seeing positive results. We’ll see how the start of the season goes, but I feel we’re on the right path for this first phase of the season. To me, the biggest goal is to requalify for the podium in the first two stages of the Grand Prix, make it to the Grand Prix Final, and reclaim the Italian championship title. However, the overarching objective will be securing a spot in the Grand Prix Final. This year’s competition looks tougher, with the return of several strong skaters, but we’re confident in our chances.

In the second half of the season, there will also be the European and World Championships, but I think the Olympics will remain our primary focus. I believe that we Italians are very passionate and extroverted people, often recognized abroad for our animated gestures and gregarious nature. For me, it’s a source of pride to represent my country internationally and demonstrate how far we’ve come, even when people doubted us.

In recent years, I’ve noticed significant technical progress in the sport, and I like to think we’ve contributed to some of that. For example, in pairs skating, it was traditionally difficult to find pairs where the man and woman were of similar proportions. I think we’ve helped shift this trend by showing how visually appealing it is to see a man and woman who both look like adults skating together, rather than someone paired with a very young girl. Since we started skating as a pair, I’ve noticed that this perception has carried on more widely in the sport.

Looking overall at the visibility of figure skating, I think the Italian team has done tremendous work over the past few years. We’ve earned many medals across different disciplines, and I truly believe these results help elevate the profile of our sport, making it more recognized and appreciated. With continued success, I hope figure skating in Italy can achieve even greater recognition.

One of my favorite victories was winning the Grand Prix in China last season, our first-ever Grand Prix victory. For us, it marked the start of a new chapter following a challenging prior season. Another important milestone was the Italian Championship in 2023. That competition held a great sentimental value for me; just days prior to the event, my grandfather passed away, and I wasn’t even sure I wanted to compete. However, despite everything, we delivered one of our best short programs and free skates, especially in the latter.

Our partnership in figure skating began a bit by chance back in 2019 at the rink in Bergamo, where we still train regularly. At the time, both of us were planning to retire for different reasons, but we decided to give skating as a pair a try. The mindset was, “What’s the harm in giving it a shot? If we’re quitting anyway, we’ve got nothing to lose. What if it works out?” And it did!

As for advice, I’d simply remind Sara to keep enjoying herself. Often during practice, I notice she pushes herself to the limit, expecting perfection, much like I do. But when something doesn’t work out on the first attempt, her frustration shows, and she tends to get discouraged. I tell her to stay calm and appreciate how far we’ve come, turning our passion into our career. Honestly, I give this advice to myself as much as I do to Sara.

Sara’s advice to me is similar – she hopes I can be a bit kinder to myself. She reminds me that I’ve become a great champion over the years, even if I sometimes lose confidence and doubt myself. From her perspective, I’m a role model, even though she’s my partner. She wants me to trust myself more and embrace the fact that my achievements reflect my determination, alongside hers.

To that, I say: thank you. Though sometimes, I still can’t believe it.”

Related topics: Niccolo Macii, Sara Conti