Four years ago, Nikolai Majorov was on his way to the peak of his career, but began to question his existence. And when what was supposed to be his first World Cup was cancelled due to the pandemic in 2020, he broke down.
The depression deepened as the injuries to his back continued to recur.
"I remember doing a triple axel, but I only remember lying on the ice in grotesque pain. It hurt so much that my legs just gave way. The counters had rumors, he says.
"The counter was completely black"
Despite the pain, Majorov continued to train and compete. He succeeded in his big goal, to reach the Beijing Olympics in 2022. But then came the next injury blow and he was forced to pause the season.
"I saw the X-rays. There you can see that one of the dishes was completely black. It had sort of dried up, died out.
He began to seriously wonder if it was really worth it. He refers to disgusting fantasies, where he no longer knew what was right or wrong.
"It was pure hell. I dug myself in very deep. I was so far down that my dad had to roll me off the couch.
Forced to choose: Quit her career or focus on something else
The last time he jumped was at the Swedish Championships in December 2022. In April 2023, the press release was released, which revealed that 23-year-old Nikolai Majorov is quitting as a singles skater to focus on ice dancing.
This gave him a new boost in his career. The success with Norwegian partner Milla Ruud Reitan was immediate.
"We have very good chemistry, it almost clicked too well together. A perfect match, says Nikolai Majorov.
The pair took their place in the Swedish national team immediately and in January 2024 they will make their European Championship debut. After that, the World Cup awaits in Canada in March.
Nikolai Majorov got another chance as a figure skater. After severe back pain, the discipline changed. Now he is making success in ice dancing together with his partner Milla Ruud Reitan. Photo: Cecilia Ingman