Stanislava Konstantinova: I want to be the best version of myself
Stanislava Konstantinova is 19 years old. At the Russian Championships, she was one of the most adult participants - only Yevgeniya Medvyedeva (20 years old) and Yelizaveta Tuktamysheva (23) were older. By her nineteen, the athlete had not yet managed to win major titles and regalia, but thanks to her emotionality, perseverance and unconditional beauty, she became one of the most popular and beloved Russian figure skaters.
In an interview with TASS, the athlete told how she has to deal with inevitable recessions in her career, about how she admires the example of Tuktamysheva, why she is pleased to compete in the Grand Prix and at the “gas station championships” and how it feels to ride when everyone is waiting for you to fail.
-- Stasya, with the Championship of Russia, your first third of the season can be considered completed.
- The beginning came out quite peppy - performed at this festival in the USA as a preparation for the season, then the Open Test Skates. Not without errors, but also not bad, and then ... Then there was a crisis, from which I still trying to get out of..
--y What are the reasons?
- There was some reappraisal. I worked-worked, coped with problems, knew that I could, knew that you can never fold your legs. At some point, I turned off these thoughts, and at that very moment it struck me.
I began to doubt, think - what is wrong with me? Or maybe something is fundamentally wrong with me? What a painful moment this was. So painful that three weeks ago I didn’t manage to tune in to the tournament in Bratislava. Plus, by that time my skates were broken.
-- One "pleasure" after the other ....
- That's for sure, and it didn’t add to my good feelings at all. And then the Grand Prix in the USA and a complete collapse, failure. How much I worked after that, tried to disconnect, did everything, and now I became satisfied with myself, I saw the difference. And then the Grand Prix in Moscow and the fall from a Lutz. Panic! And the more mistakes you make, the more you panic.
-- And then the error in your free program.
- Small, and not like it made me upset or tired of fighting. It just happens that way - an athlete crumbles, and that’s it. And I can no longer do more.
-- Stasya, you try to get more complicated (programs) all the time, but have you ever thought about concentrating on what is already there?” Or is it necessary to break through the walls with your head in figure skating?
- I think it's worth a beat. But, probably, it is necessary to differentiate everything to the maximum, so that all this does not affect what I already know how. Plus self-confidence, because sometimes you can’t even get a quarter of what you can do.
-- Since we are talking about numbers. Is the tall double Axel you jump this season a good basis for a triple Axel? I understand correctly that the thought of it doesn't leave you?
- Of course! No matter how difficult. It is foolish to limit yourself to the limits of your own abilities. I couldn't stabilise the Axel in any way over the summer - it was either better or worse. Questions of technique and weight.
-- Nevertheless, your skating has its own strengths.
- I understand that each has its own advantages. For example, after the September Test Skates I didn’t even think about what next? I told myself: I can skate as much as I want. And if something doesn’t work out now, don’t be so upset - it won’t be better. Nobody canceled the possibility of desires, coupled with hard work. And there are many worthy examples around. People from oblivion almost came back, and how!
The same Liza Tuktamysheva - I infinitely respect and admire her, despite the fact that she is my competitor. Or Carolina Costner, who to this day gives people joy.
I dig in, I work on such an exertion, as if squeezing out all the juices from myself. But now I think - in this eternal race the result will not be so good than if you work with a bright head. Yes, I had a panic. But I love to skate. And further, even if I am left without the Grand Prix, I can skate the Cups, and even at the “gas station championships”. I will do this - I like it.
-- At 19, in our time, many are already finishing their careers.
- Many of us try not to read the comments. It hurts when they write: "you have to finish," "you take someone's place." When a person in this or that profession, doing his job day after day, fails to do something, you can tell him to go and look for another job, you have nothing to do here? Or when a person studies in university, study for a long time, but they say to him - go look for another one, what have you forgotten here? How is that possible?
I understood for myself - there are people who just like you, there are those who really care about you. Yes, I’m not looking for excuses for my unsuccessful performances - you are an athlete, you must do it, wake yourself in the middle of the night. But I decided for myself personally - I will fight honestly. I have time and energy. And I know, I’ll pull myself out, wherever I have to.
-- How important is communication with a coach in difficult situations for you?
- With Valentina Mikhailovna, we have this - on ice we try to minimize communication. She, as a trainer, says what to do, - I do. Or ask my opinion. Yes, I like to talk, to philosophise, but in that case she says to me: "After the training we will discuss." On ice, it is demanding, in life, if I need support, this is another communication.
-- What qualities do you lack, what would you like to wish yourself to learn?
- Probably reckless courage. Without "what if ", or "what if suddenly."
-- Strange, you do not give the impression of a timid girl.
- I am brave, but sometimes I allow myself to doubt myself. I am very self-critical and demanding.
-- Perhaps you need to slow down in this regard? Self-criticism is wonderful, but doubts about one's strengths are no good for long.
- And the truth is some kind of excess. And I would also wish myself thick-skinned. Now many say: "you are not in shape," "you have recovered." I want to plug my ears, sit and cry.
But when I felt the support of the audience at the Moscow Grand Prix, I felt the buzz from the sport returning. And no matter how great the temptation to take a break, in order to promise yourself "I will return as a new person," we must fight. Returning after a pause in our sport is incredibly difficult. Show, work, study, and you're in a different life. The progress in our sport is unrealistic, so skate, solve your problems, do what you should, get ready for the next start without a stupid load and show what you can do. But it’s not easy to go out, knowing that they are expecting another failure from you.
-- But are other people's expectations so important?
- Probably not now. I want to be the best version of myself, and I understand that this season will be a turning point for me. I’m not going to pause and don’t want to, I want to keep myself in shape. So there are many plans for the next season.
- How important is communication with a coach in difficult situations for you?
- With Valentina Mikhailovna, we have this - on ice we try to minimize communication. She, as a trainer, says what to do, - I do. Or ask my opinion. Yes, I like to talk, to philosophize, but in that case she says to me: "After the training we will discuss." On ice, it is demanding, in life, if I need support, this is another communication.
- What qualities do you lack, what would you like to wish yourself to learn?
- Probably reckless courage. Without "what if," "what if suddenly."
- Strange, you do not make the impression of a timid girl.
“I am brave, but sometimes I allow myself to doubt myself.” I am very self-critical and demanding.
- Perhaps you need to slow down in this regard? Self-criticism is wonderful, but doubts about one's strengths are no longer very good.
- And the truth is some kind of excess. And I would also wish myself thick-skinned. Now many say: "you are not in shape," "you have recovered." I want to plug my ears, sit and cry.
But when I felt the support of the audience at the Moscow Grand Prix, I felt - the buzz from the sport returns. And no matter how great the temptation to take a break, in order to promise yourself "I will return as a new man," we must fight. Returning after a pause in our sport is incredibly difficult. Show, work, study, and you're in a different life. The progress in our sport is unrealistic, so skate, solve problems, do what you should, get ready for the next start without a stupid load and show what you can do. But it’s not easy to go out, knowing that they are expecting another failure from you.
- But are other people's expectations so important?
- Probably not now. I want to be the best version of myself, and I understand that this season will be a turning point for me. I’m not going to pause and don’t want to, I want to keep myself in shape. So there are many plans for the next season.
(c) Veronika Sovyetova
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From:
https://tass.ru/interviews/7487091
