Tuktamysheva told how and why she decided to take a break from her professional career

World and European champion Elizaveta Tuktamysheva told how and why she decided to take a break from her professional career.

On Sunday, the 26-year-old figure skater announced that she was taking a break from her professional career. Tuktamysheva said she would continue skating in the show and perform at the Russian Show Jumping Championship, which will take place in December in St. Petersburg.

“I’ve been skating professionally for a long time and I’m a little tired from the daily training. Throughout my life, I have only done one thing. In order for this business to bring results and for me to develop in it, I had to put other desires and interests in the background. Figure skating was always everything – although I wanted to learn something new, do something, the focus of training didn’t really allow it.

For some reason this has been difficult for me over the last few years. And when it is October outside the window, as it is now, in St. Petersburg it is constantly dark, the day begins very late, my strength and mood immediately disappear. Especially without such bright moments as a trip to warm Italy or interesting Japan. These trips were a sensation in the season, and now you are in the same climate, more or less, and you are playing the same tees. Of course, I’m exaggerating. The Federation does a lot for us. But fatigue built up and demotivation appeared. That’s why I decided to skip this season.

I’m missing the season, not because I have an injury or because I have trouble coordinating my body. No, I can still jump, roll, train. I just want to direct my energy in a different direction, I want to learn new things.

I made a decision recently. And it was heavy. Because I skated all the time, I didn’t have a single season where I had a fight. Over the 16 years there were maybe 2 or 3 competitions that I didn’t participate in. And I thought: maybe there is still motivation? Maybe something will click in my heart and I’ll be able to tackle the season anyway. 1.5 months would be enough for me to get into competition shape. But after the skating trials, I realized that it was already difficult to get involved in the training routine.

The prolonged suspension is another reason. The brightest splashes and trips to international competitions are now gone. That’s why I’m skipping this season.

I understand it will be difficult to come back. It seems to me that it will be comparable to the times when we were in quarantine and then return to the usual rhythm of life. But many athletes took a break and then came back: Evgeni Plushenko, Carolina Kostner. Miki Ando even missed it for the delivery, then came back. So it’s possible, but it will be difficult.

I saw that many were already accompanying me. I am treating this appropriately. Because usually it’s like if an athlete takes a break, it most often means that they have finished their career and they will announce it at some point in the future. But I’m not that inclined, I always feel like if I had the inclination there would be a way. I know that if I want, I can come back. My body will allow me to restore the triple axel, and all the triple jumps, and three-three stunts.

It was expected that someone would blurt out too many words and that news about the break would be released sooner than I wanted. Why have I been silent these past few days? I collected my thoughts. I had a plan to tell everything, I even chose a date, but I was a little ahead of myself. But there’s nothing wrong with that.

Of course, I’m a little sad. There is something new and incomprehensible ahead. But there is also relief: there is no turning back – at least this season. And you can do other things, you don’t have to practice endlessly every day. And yet, it’s not very sad. However, when I see emotional posts and videos with performance clips, I can get emotional.

During this break, I will try to learn something new, try myself in new roles. I’m going to try to find at least something that would give me the same passion that I had for figure skating. Anyway, this must be done now – life goes on, and in this wonderful time, when you are almost 27 years old, you should already understand where to go after sports. If I find this deal, I will be incredibly happy,” Sports.ru quotes Tuktamysheva.

Tuktamysheva is world champion, European champion, winner of the Grand Prix series final of the 2014/15 season.

Sports.ru