2023-11-22 10:10:00
19 year old Ksenia Sinitsyna – unexpected winner of the Russian Grand Prix in Samara. The figure skater managed to beat Eteri Tutberidze’s students Daria Sadkova and Maya Khromykh and become the oldest medalist in the series this season.
Shortly before the award ceremony, Ksenia spoke with Sport24 correspondent Konstantin Lesik and talked about the emotions of the gold medal, training with a fracture, “veteran” age, quadruples, the rivalry between Evgenia Medvedeva and Alina Zagitova and much more.
«Emotions are running high. I still can’t leave the smile on my face, I’m filled with joy. This is an indescribable feeling. I’m glad! And this cannot be described in words,” Ksenia begins.
— When you finished the program, you actively rejoiced and threw up your hands. Did you understand at that moment that you had won gold?
“There was a realization that if I did everything cleanly and at a decent level, the judges would encourage me and I would become a winner. In general, there was understanding.
— What did you think when you saw the grade and the number one next to your name?
– I’m like: “Really?!” At that moment my dream came true. She not only climbed onto the podium, but also won this tournament.
— There are only a few days left until the stage in Moscow, where you will perform. Will it be difficult to prepare quickly?
“I have so much joy and motivation now that this will only be a good boost.” I hope that in Moscow I will perform in the same way. I’ll just skate the free skate a little better, since there were still some mistakes there. I’ve already looked at the printout, and there are “couches” there (under-twisted by a quarter of a turn – Sport24), it is advisable to correct these shortcomings in Moscow and enter the fight for a place in the top three.
— You changed your costume for the free program. Why did you decide to do this?
— At the test skates, the dresses for the short and free were not mine. I was looking for them. For the short I borrowed it from a classmate, and for a dress for the free program I went to the other end of Moscow. Svetlana Vladimirovna (Panova, coach, – Sport24) negotiated with the coach, who looked for someone from her girls who could borrow it. Thanks to them, they really helped out then and helped with the dress.
– You already said that you had a fracture, which the doctors did not notice right away, and you continued to train… But I can’t wrap my head around how it’s possible to skate with a fracture?
“When you’ve been told that it’s a bruise and it’s nothing to worry about, it means you can survive the injury, right? Well, yes, there is a little pain on landing, but if it’s a bruise, then it shouldn’t be anything critical.
But when the pain lasts for ten days, as it did for me, we wondered if it was really a bruise? When I realized that this was a fracture, I was also at a loss… How did I even skate? How did I jump? This could have greatly harmed my health and my leg. The fracture could have healed incorrectly, but everything turned out fine, and I am very glad that I ended up here in Samara.
– So you skated for 10 days with a fracture?
– Not all 10, after a bruise you also need to sit at home. There was severe swelling, the leg was slightly swollen. It was awkward to get into the skate. I sat at home for about a week. Then I went out for the usual warm-up on the floor, the first few days on the ice I just skated.
When I started jumping, my leg hurt a little, but I prepared myself for the fact that it was a bruise and nothing to worry about. When I had skated for three or four days, the coach told me that I needed to check my leg again to find out why the pain was not going away. Because of this discomfort, I only jumped snipe, salchow and sheepskin coat. And I skated programs with such a set. Doing everything else was painful.
— I understand that the question about ultra-si after a recent injury is premature. But if you go back to these elements, what kind of jump will it be?
— Probably my soul lies with the quadruple sheepskin coat – the most common jump among girls. There is a certain technique by which you can push it, go out and perform it at the starts. I hope I can handle it and show it in competitions. This is my goal for this season.
— For the Russian Championship?
– I don’t know yet, I won’t promise, I’ll just guess. But I really want to perform this jump to be on the level.
— You performed a lot at international competitions. Is it possible to compare the Grand Prix in our country and abroad?
– This is not something that can be compared. Traveling abroad has always been very interesting; it’s nice to feel like you’re in another country with its own mentality, way of life, and audience. It’s nice when you are supported by people who are not only from your country, but also other fans who know you, look at you, follow you.
The Federation is trying to organize similar competitions for us within the country. But there is a feeling that this is a little different. In any case, the audience greets you warmly, very sincerely, which encourages and motivates you to continue skating until some change occurs.
— Do foreign fans or skaters often write to you?
— Yes, they write after good performances, triumphs like in Samara. They say that they watched and really liked the program, they note some features. Foreigners are watching me, congratulating me and evaluating my performances.
— Do you miss international competitions?
– Yes, sure. It’s very interesting, with them there is variety in life.
— At the stage in Krasnoyarsk, Dima Aliyev, noting that he is an older skater…
— Did you say about potatoes with rotten rot? Ha ha! I immediately remembered this moment.
– It was very funny! But I’m talking about the fact that he called himself a figure skating veteran compared to younger guys. This season, you are the oldest girl to medal at the Grand Prix stages. Do you feel like a figure skating veteran?
– To say the truth, no. At heart I am just as young and healthy. The fighting spirit is present in the same way as in young people. Ready to move forward, despite my age. Age is numbers, and most importantly, youth at heart.
— Is Liza Tuktamysheva a guiding star for you in this regard?
– Certainly. From an early age she has been my idol. Lisa, I give you this heart. (Shows heart gesture).
— Did you follow any other skaters? Who did you like as a child?
— It was always interesting to watch the confrontations between the skaters. For example, Zhenya Medvedeva and Alina Zagitova. They are both very worthy figure skaters, so it was always interesting to watch their skates. I can’t single out just one; each has its own strengths. Both are great athletes. Such confrontations adorn the sport.
— You’ve had to go through a lot during your career. Was there a moment when you thought you had to end it?
— The most difficult time was during quarantine, when everything was closed and we sat at home. We did general physical training under the supervision of a coach, but still there were different sensations on the ice after that.
You go out to the skating rink after a long break and nothing works out, because of this you become limp. There was still some kind of lazy state. You sat at home for two months, and now you need to go somewhere, go. It was difficult to force myself. But in the end I’m here!
— Do you often get confused with Victoria Sinitsina, who performs with Nikita Katsalapov in ice dancing?
— Such comments slipped through, yes. Vika and I have different surnames: she has an “i”, and I have an “s”, some people pay attention to this. At a young age, when photographer Mikhail Sharov posted photos and signed me, there were a lot of comments: “Is this Vika Sinitsina’s sister?” But that was in childhood, and now everyone has realized that we are two different people.
— Is your last name often misspelled?
— Actually, Vika’s last name is misspelled. (Smiles). There is a rule in the Russian language that last names have the suffix “yn” – through “y”. Someone said that her last name was spelled incorrectly. Correct spelling with “s”!
—Are you studying somewhere now?
— I am a second-year student at the Russian State University of Physical Culture, majoring in sports, department of figure skating. There’s a session going on now… But I’m here, and the session is there, haha. But I already completed the assignments before the session, so all that remains is to submit them.
— Do you see yourself as a coach in the future?
– Yes, I really like it. We recently had a September enrollment of kids in the group. I teach some kids to ride, putting them on the path of our sport. I already have some experience working with young children. I love.
— Last year you answered “yes” to the question of whether you would marry a hockey player. Did the players write to you after that?
– I remember this. By the way, no, they didn’t write. There were no offers. (Smiles).
— What is your ideal day off?
— Ideally, lie on the couch and take a break from the bustle of the city. I also really love baking cakes. I am a master of my craft, they turn out very tasty. I mostly bake for my family and friends, sometimes for coaches, and pamper them with cakes. An ideal day off can also be when I don’t think about anything, I just prepare a cake for my loved ones and for myself, of course. It brings me pleasure when I try this deliciousness.
— So, in terms of nutrition, you don’t limit yourself in any way?
— I don’t have any diets, I already had a bad experience with all this. I live, I get high, I eat what I want.
— Did you say “bad experience”?
“We’ve all probably had those periods when you wanted to be thin so that no one would ever find fault. You create your own ideal of thinness. You understand that this is not very good, but you stand your ground and limit yourself. Thank God it all went away.
Now my head has been rebuilt, a more adult understanding of everything that is happening has appeared. I understand how important nutrition is for health and later life outside of sports. Thanks to my family for their support in difficult times.
— So you experienced an eating disorder (eating disorder)?
– Yes. It seems to me that there is not a single athlete who has not gone through a similar situation.
— What do you say to the fans at the end of the interview?
— The most important thing is health! And good luck in life. Watch figure skating!
Other “figured” interviews on Sport24
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