Denis Khodykin: “Our joint journey with Daria Pavliuchenko has come to an end. This season Dasha had an injury, the recovery was delayed and we never started training again.”
Russian pair Daria Pavliuchenko and Denis Khodykin splitted up.
source: Instagram
Pavliuchenko and Khodykin are bronze medalists of the 2020 European Championships, 2018 World Junior Champions, two-time Russian Nationals bronze medalists.
Denis Khodykin posted about it on his social networks:
“Our joint journey with Daria Pavliuchenko has come to an end. I am infinitely grateful to Dasha for these years of work. We have been through a lot together—ups, downs, injuries, and victories.
After Dasha’s recovery from injury, we talked and decided that joint work was no longer possible. It was a difficult decision for us. But my path in sports does not end there.
I intend to continue my career because figure skating is my life; I love to skate and get pleasure and results from it.
The last few months, while I was skating alone, I took a fresh look at figure skating and got even more inspired. What doesn’t kill us makes us even stronger!”
Here’s also an interview with Denis Khodykin about the split-up.
source: Sport24 dd 5 April 2023 by Konstantin Lesik
Denis, what happened?
Denis Khodykin: Our joint work with Dasha has come to a logical conclusion. This season we have not trained. We prepared for the test skates, and then Dasha had an injury, the recovery was delayed. And we never started training.
And in the end, a conversation took place where you decided that it was time to end joint performances?
Denis Khodykin: Yes. I don’t remember exactly when it happened. There was no initiator. Dasha sometimes came to the skating rink, and one day we realized that we needed to talk. We talked, and more than once. We discussed everything and came to this decision.
We didn’t quarrel. Everyone treated each other with understanding. I am very grateful to Dasha, we have experienced a lot together. But such is life.
Your former coach Sergei Dobroskokov said in an interview that you wanted to retire even before the Beijing Olympics.
Denis Khodykin: I do not really understand this comment by Sergei Vladimirovich. During this period and long before it, he did not take part in the work with our pair. Sergei Sergeevich Roslyakov was in charge of everything. All our results: from the bronze of the European Championships in 2020 to the status of the first substitute for the Beijing Olympics are the merit of Sergei Roslyakov.
Indeed, in a pair, not everything always goes smoothly. The truth is that Sergei Sergeevich tried to keep our pair to the last and helped to maintain a sports mood for the season.
Do you have an idea with whom you will now skate now?
Denis Khodykin: There is no such understanding yet. I work, I’m in shape. Together with the coaches, we are looking for a new partner.
What goals do you set for yourself in sports?
Denis Khodykin: Improve, win, fight for first place. Well, everything is the same: to be creative, to show the audience and judges some interesting finds. My team is still the same, and our task is to create figure skating. But it is clear that, given the new circumstances, it will all be a little different.
In social networks, you showed a video of how you are learning a quadruple jump. Have you thought about switching to single skating?
Denis Khodykin: This is a challenge that I arranged for myself. Didn’t think about single skating. I won’t think about until I learn the quad, ha ha! In any case, this is a challenge to myself.
I have never felt in better shape than now. I have never felt more prepared for difficult jumps – even when I was doing singles. Now I collect complex combinations of three triples. For example, triple lutz + triple toe loop + triple toe loop, triple salchow + euler + triple salchow + euler + triple salchow. I challenge myself a little every day. And the quadruple is no longer a small, but a big challenge. I don’t know if I will do it or not. But why not try?
Related topics: Daria Pavliuchenko Denis Khodykin
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