Niina Petrokina: “I think I can achieve even better results but it’s too early to think about the next competitions. I’m already thinking that I’m not so young anymore and need to take care of my health. If I’m healthy, anything is possible.”
After a demanding season with three major championships, Niina Petrokina reflects on her achievements, recovery from injury, and her hopes for continued progress and good health next season.
original source: sport.err.ee dd. 2nd April 2026 by Juhan Kilumets
In a tough season with three major events, Petrõkina delivered excellent results, winning her second European title and placing seventh at both the Milan-Cortina Olympics and the World Championships in Prague. The two-time European champion hopes for good health next season so she can take the next step in her development. Here’s a translation of her comments posted on ERR.
“Despite being tired, I’m very happy with such good results. Right now, I feel a sense of freedom,” Petrokina laughed on ETV’s morning show “”Terevisioon.” “I still have a bit of work to do, need to pull myself together, and do a bit more training. On Sunday, I’ll go to put together my new program, and then I’ll go on vacation.”
For her ideal vacation, Petrokina said she looks forward to a warm climate, sandy beaches, and the ocean. She needs both physical and mental rest, especially since the already tough season began with a setback: in October, she had to undergo Achilles tendon surgery in Germany.
“Before the surgery, I had no idea what to expect. I didn’t even know exactly what the problem was. One day I could train normally, the next day not at all. It was always back and forth. My nerves were really frayed, and I couldn’t take it anymore – surgery was the last hope. The German doctor found the problem in two hours, the surgery was three days later, and after that my leg started to heal,” Petrokina recalled of the autumn.
“I still can’t believe I got such a good result!” she continued about the season. “How I started [the season] and how I finished are like two different people. My leg is completely different. I’m very grateful to my leg for being able to do so many jumps and helping me achieve good results in competitions.”
Despite her second European gold, Petrokina says the highlight of the season was her Olympic debut. “At the Olympics, you see how the favorites get nervous, while others are just happy to be there. The nerves are a bit greater, the pressure is higher than at regular competitions. Before the short program, I had a bit of a panic, even tears before the start. The free skate was more like usual- I was calm, able to pull myself together, and enjoy the process,” she said.
Petrokina says the next Olympics are still far in the future, so she’s not thinking about them yet. She hopes to take another step forward in her development. “I think I can achieve even better results. For that, I need to keep working, put together even better programs, and add more difficult elements. I have small goals and will work on them, but it’s too early to think about the next competitions. There’s a whole summer ahead, and anything can happen – I’m already thinking that I’m not so young anymore and need to take care of my health. If I’m healthy, anything is possible,” reflected the two-time European champion.
Petrokina confirmed that she feels the love of the Estonian people very much. “After the European title, everyone started writing to me, even though the Europeans weren’t in Tallinn this time. The love and support from people really helps and gives me motivation, because I feel like I’m not skating alone, but with all the people of Estonia!”
Related topics: Niina Petrokina
Not just Estonians. :-)