Alena Kostornaia: “Recovery will be long. Especially when you don’t follow doctor’s recommendations and try to do everything faster. I’m a terrible patient, but as an athlete I can’t sit idle.”
Interview with Alena Kostornaia about recovering from an injury, shows and plans to participate in gala programs competitions.
source: sport-express.ru dd. 29th November 2022 by Anastasia Ratskevich
Alena Kostornaia has a very busy schedule: shows, gala performances. The European champion performed with an gala program at the skating rink at VDNKh, held a master class with everyone, and also signed autographs and took pictures.
And then she talked to the correspondent of “SE”. At the request for an interview, the skater asked to move to a warm place. It has become very cold in Moscow in recent days. But Kostornaia performed in public in a thin suit, and also performed several pair elements, including death spiral.
The skater has recently had a serious surgery. She has a long rehabilitation process ahead but the athlete wants to return as soon as possible so she is already trying jumps. Alena restored the double axel, triple salchow and loop. But she doesn’t show them at the skates yet – after all, it’s dangerous.
After the event at VDNKh, Alena shared that she did not listen to doctors, spoke about her plans for the future and explained why she was not afraid to do difficult lifts.
How is your health? How is the thigh?
Alena Kostornaia: Everything is fine. Much better than it was. Very hard times are behind, but there are still some difficult moments ahead. Yes, the recovery process will be long. Especially when you do not follow the doctor’s recommendations and try to do everything faster. But it’s okay, I am trying to work with what I have. In general, it works out pretty well.
By “Not follow the recommendations?” do you mean that you still can’t jump, but you are already jumping?
Alena Kostornaia: Of course. I still shouldn’t jump, skate programs. Let’s say, I’m a terrible patient, but an athlete. I can’t sit idle. I need to jump, do something. Otherwise, I feel like a person who is about to retire. And my career can go on for a very long time. In fact, I wouldn’t want to lose my career.
Do I understand correctly that you are already restoring jumps?
Alena Kostornaia: Oh sure. I restored the double axel, triple salchow and triple loop. I can jump them, but I don’t do it at shows and other performances yet, as it’s still dangerous.
Do you plan to perform only at the exhibition programs competitions in the current season?
Alena Kostornaia: Yes, it is possible that I will perform at this competitions. But I still don’t know for sure. At all other competitions I will definitely miss. After all I want to recover completely.
Do you already have any ideas for exhibition programs?
Alena Kostornaia: I’ll think. Since this is a show competitions, you can do anything. Of course, I will try to choose something interesting and unusual. And not the fact that I will perform alone.
So you can already skate in a pair? Or ice dance?
Alena Kostornaia: Yes, but not the fact that it will be pair skating. And no, not ice dance (smiles). Perhaps it will be a trio of girls.
Do you have a favorite program? Earlier you said that you didn’t really like “Angel”.
Alena Kostornaia: I just got tired of it. But overall, it’s a great program. Now, of course, Spain, my Malaguena. I adored Twilight, I also loved the short and free programs to the music of Vivaldi. I love all the programs that I skate, because the coaches always listen to my opinion. And it’s hard to skate what you don’t really like.
Do you follow the season in figure skating? International, domestic?
Alena Kostornaia: From time to time. I follow everyone, international one too. I’m interested in the results.
At the opening of the skating rink, you performed a death spiral. Have you already learned a lot from pair skating? Isn’t it scary?
Alena Kostornaia: In principle, I can do almost all the elements of pair skating, and lifts too. Some I have not yet tried on the ice yet. But in general, every element. We started learning lifts for the show, and then I became interested in learning everything. Why not? It’s always good for the show.
I have a great partner (Georgy Kunitsa is Kostornaya’s partner in the Dracula ice show. – “SE”). With him, shall we say, I learned to fly (smiles).
What are your plans for the near future?
Alena Kostornaia: I might have more shows. I will skate in the Bremen Town Musicians, in Dracula on ice. And some more projects.
What do you do now in your free time, if you have any at all? You also study at a university.
Alena Kostornaia: I don’t have free time. I train with Elena Germanovna (Buyanova. – “SE”) in single skating, I train pair elements for the show. This is already two or three workouts a day. And in the evening I still have nightly trainings sometimes. And yes, on top of that, I still have exams at university now.
Did you communicate with Maxim Kovtun? He also trained with Elena Buyanova.
Alena Kostornaia: I did not catch the moment when he trained with Elena Germanovna. But as athletes, we all communicate all the time. Always on good terms, glad to see each other. I communicate well with everyone. I am not a conflict person. But my girls are my love.
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