“I did not consult a psychologist before the Moscow Championships, but I will definitely do it before the Grand Prix stages” – figure skater Kovalev about his performances after injury

Figure skater Artem Kovalev in an interview with , he said that communication with a psychologist helped him fully recover from a serious injury, and in addition, the specialist helped him prepare for performances.

A year ago, Kovalev, 21, broke his leg and missed the season. In October, Kovalev became third at the Moscow Championship.

— Exactly a year has passed since the injury. Let’s go back to this day. How did you feel when you fell out of a quadruple sheepskin coat during training?

“Before this injury, I had never broken anything. I remember that when I fell, I felt terrible pain, like I had never felt before. When we took the skates off, I saw how swollen my leg was. Then I realized it wasn’t a sprain, but something more serious. They did an x-ray and it turned out I had a serious fracture. Then we went to a sports surgeon, he told me that I needed to have surgery if I wanted to get on the ice as quickly as possible.

— How did you recover after the operation? Was there any psychological discomfort?

— After the operation, I wanted to forget what sport was. While I was in the cast, I did not watch a single tournament, except for the Moscow Grand Prix, where I came in person. I was just following the results. I didn’t want to think too much about sports.

— And yet, what helped you not to collapse psychologically and find the strength to return to the ice?

“I realized that the injury is serious, so you can’t rush and you have to recover gradually, step by step. In addition, I worked with a psychologist, Zhanna Simak, she helped me a lot. When I went on the ice, I spent two and a half months sliding and turning, practicing without jumping.

— You said you were working with a psychologist. How long have you been using this practice?

— I have been working for a long time, I communicate with her before competitions. I don’t see anything wrong with that, the psychologist helps me prepare for the show and says the right things. Before the Moscow Championship, I did not contact a psychologist, but before the Grand Prix stages I will definitely talk about it,” Kovalev told .

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