Nikolaj Memola: “An Olympic medal changes your life in every way, both in sport and personally. I think all of us Italian athletes aim to perform our best in the team event, because now more than ever the odds are in our favor.”
Italian figure skater Nikolaj Memola is focused on technical and artistic growth, aiming for Milan-Cortina 2026 while planning for a long-term career beyond the Olympics.
original source: oasport.it dd. November 12th by Edoardo Diamantini
In an nterview with OASport, Nikolaj Memola discusses his technical and artistic growth, Olympic ambitions, and the balance between sport and personal life as he prepares for Milan-Cortina 2026 and beyond. Here’s a translation of her comments.
Q: What has changed in your programs, both short and free, compared to last season?
Nikolaj Memola: I’ve added a quad to the short program (planning both quad flip and quad lutz) and another to the free program (two quad lutzes and a quad flip).
Q: The competitiveness within the Italian team is high, and this means that one among you, Rizzo, and Grassl will miss the Olympics. How do you handle this situation?
Nikolaj Memola: Personally, I find internal competition motivating and, for the first time, I truly feel hungry for a specific goal. This internal rivalry has pushed me to improve technically and fueled my efforts. That said, I think the level in Italy is higher than ever, which is very satisfying because it means my results and those of the other guys have increased everyone’s drive and competitiveness.
Q: Italy is counting on the team event at the Olympics. Can a medal change a career?
Nikolaj Memola: Absolutely yes. An Olympic medal changes your life in every way, both in sport and personally. I think all of us Italian athletes aim to perform our best in the team event, because now more than ever the odds are in our favor. Italy is finally competitive in all categories, and this can definitely lead to unprecedented results.
Q: Which technical elements are you focusing on?
Nikolaj Memola: Right now, I’m actually working more on the artistic side, because the quads are fairly consistent in practice. The key is to implement them while minimizing the perceived difficulty for the audience and judges.
Q: What music have you chosen for your programs and what inspired those choices?
Nikolaj Memola: The short program is set to music from Tosca, an Italian masterpiece known worldwide. I chose it to honor Italy in such an important year for us athletes. The free program uses music from Scheherazade, composed by Russian Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov. This choice celebrates my Russian side – my mother is Russian and I have a strong connection to the country’s history and culture. I wanted to pay tribute to both my roots.
Q: Your mother, Olga Romanova, is also your coach. How do you keep the two roles separate?
Nikolaj Memol: It’s definitely complex and requires a lot of effort from both of us. Total separation isn’t possible since we live together, so one part always influences the other, but we’ve found a balance that seems to work very well. We try not to argue to avoid ruining our mood, and above all, we have complete trust in each other, which is essential for working together peacefully on and off the ice.
Q: Who is Nikolaj Memola in everyday life?
Nikolaj Memola: Nikolaj is ambitious in both sport and life, but I have pretty typical interests for someone my age. I like spending time with friends and going out, though always with moderation since recovery and rest are fundamental to training. When I have free time, I enjoy being outdoors with my dog. In any case, skating is always present in my daily life – I rarely forget about it, and its influence often leads me to make choices related to it, sometimes at the expense of my personal life.
Q: Looking beyond Milan-Cortina, is your plan long-term and already focused on 2030?
Nikolaj Memola: Absolutely yes. As I’ve said before, the Milan-Cortina Olympics are not a destination but a stepping stone. I have no expectations and don’t want to shape my life around this event, because I’m sure I’d lose touch with reality. My life right now is focused on qualifying for the upcoming Olympics, but I believe I still have a lot of growing to do, so my focus is on the seasons ahead.”
Related topics: Nikolaj Memola
Leave a Reply