Figure skater Kondratyuk spoke about the rituals that he performs every time before going on the ice

Olympic bronze medalist Mark Kondratyuk said that before each competition he performs a certain set of actions that do not help him during skating, but help him feel calmer.

— What thoughts do you have while driving?

– Every time it’s different. Sometimes you play with a cold, empty head. If you make a mistake, you have to count the number of points to get the desired result. In other words, the rental program may change during the rental itself. We each have a specified schedule of items, but during the rental, something may change. I usually think over several options for the development of an event in advance. For example, during a tournament, I had six options. These competitions ended well: I came second.

— What is a Kondratyuk day?

— You get up early in the morning, around eight in the morning, and you don’t want to go to the skating rink. For about five minutes you fight the incredible desire to not go anywhere, then you get up and do it.

— Do figure skaters have rituals?

— I try to do the same actions every time. I completely understand that they will not help me perform better. I arrive at the arena very early and I always walk on the ice with the same foot. It helps me feel calm. That’s all.

— What kind of music do you listen to before competitions?

— I am generally a music lover, I listen to a lot of different music. Before competitions, I listen to something powerful so that it energizes me,” reports Kondratyuk, correspondent.

Kondratyuk is the champion of Russia and Europe. He also won a bronze medal at the 2022 Beijing Olympics in the team competition.