“There is anticipation of what will happen next”: Samarin announced his retirement after the Spartakiad of the Strongest

"Apparently I gave away my last"

The end of Alexander Samarin’s career became one of the most high-profile events of the Spartakiad of the Strongest, even though he performed extremely unsuccessfully at the figure skating tournament and took only 11th place.

“There is nothing to comment on the rental. The main thing is that it turned out better than at the Russian Championship, at least emotionally. There was almost nothing technically,” the Championship quotes the athlete.

He further thanked his entire team, coaches, FFKKR and other people who helped him at different times for their cooperation.

“I am very pleased with this period of my life. We will move on. This is not a pause, why fuss... Yes, it didn’t turn out as bright as we would like. But I’m here, the tournament is called the Spartakiad of the Strongest, I’m glad that I was able to be among the strongest. Some things worked out, some didn’t, but ok,” added Samarin.

He was also glad that over more than ten years of performing he gained a wealth of life experience, although he did not always show the results he expected. And in parting, the European Championship medalist wished success to his opponents.

“Feelings are mixed. But I understand that's all. Last season turned out to be excellent, I was even able to take a medal at the Russian Championship. Look how competitive we are, all the guys who are performing now were no weaker a year ago. But then, apparently, I gave away my last. The current one still had enough for the first couple of starts... There is anticipation of what will happen next. And, probably, I’m a little nostalgic for the past,” the skater concluded.

Mark Kondratyuk, who won silver in Magnitogorsk, reacted emotionally to his departure. He called Samarin not only a strong athlete, but also a kind, sincere person, from whom he always tried to follow an example.

“I tried to be like him in some way, to adopt the best that he had. I understood that someday this moment would come. And I was always scared of how I would train further, since being a senior comes with a certain responsibility. For the guys who are just gaining momentum, you will have to become a guiding star,” Kondratyuk complained.

Silver at the European Championship and a disappointing miss from the Olympics

Despite the fact that Samarin did not fully realize his potential and was content with European Championship silver at major international competitions, his path in sports turned out to be interesting and eventful.

Moreover, Alexander’s path was predetermined from childhood. Already at the age of 4, the father took his son to the figure skating section so that he would not be idle. The child liked the new activity. At first he worked under the leadership of Lyubov Fedorchenko, and then moved to Inna Goncharenko.

In the 2012/13 season, the Russian premiered among juniors. And he immediately demonstrated his highest level, taking bronze at the Grand Prix stages in Slovenia and Germany. At the same time, he made his debut at the senior national championship and finished in eighth place. Subsequently, the native of Moscow will win five medals at the tournament (two silver and three bronze). He performed much more successfully at the Russian Championships for his age, where he was second and qualified for the World Championships. There, Alexander took eighth position.

Then the talented athlete continued to progress rapidly. In 2014, he began working in Svetlana Sokolovskaya’s group, from which he never left, and a year later he mastered the quadruple sheepskin coat. At the same time, Samarin won medals at international and domestic competitions. In 2015, he took gold at the Junior Grand Prix in Croatia and won the Challenger Series tournament in Warsaw. But in March 2016, an unfortunate failure awaited him at the World Championships due to his age. After the short program, Alexander was second, second only to Dmitry Aliev, but failed the free program and failed to climb to the podium.

In the final junior season, he took silver in the Grand Prix final and for the first time rose to the top 3 of the adult national championship, behind only Mikhail Kolyada. He also looked decent at his debut European Championship, finishing in the top 8. And at the last junior world championship he still received an award - bronze.

Unfortunately, the debut full season, which was also an Olympic season, turned out to be very difficult for the athlete. To begin with, he received a leg injury, due to which he did not go on the ice at all for four months. The return took place a week before the test skates in Sochi. However, Samarin showed character and quickly gained shape. Thus, at a commercial tournament in Shanghai, where participants demonstrated exclusively free skills, the young man performed three quads for the first time: two - lutz and toe loop.

But it seemed that he achieved his main achievement in the Chechen Republic, where he held second place, despite a broken boot. He beat Aliyev and practically qualified for the Olympics in Pyeongchang. Only a successful performance at the European Championships could save the opponent. And a miracle happened at the last moment. His compatriot took second place in Moscow, and Samarin remained sixth and did not make it to the Olympic Games.

“I think Sashka already bought tickets for the Olympics, he won against Dima at the Russian Championship and was higher in the season rating. And here it is, the continental championship a month before the trip to South Korea. And Sasha is “lying” with me. It happened, psychology,” Sokolovskaya explained.

The athlete himself admitted: he was then so emotionally crushed that he wanted to hang up his skates. His coach saved the situation by asking him to be included in the national team as a reserve.

“It was hard to go through these moments. Thank you very much for taking us to the Olympic training camp in Japan, but still, when you sit alone and watch how the guys go to the Olympics and someone returns with medals, and you understand: this story is not about you at all, you are now going to Russian Cup final,” the athlete recalled.

However, even after such an offensive failure, he managed to pull himself together and had a couple of strong seasons. At the same time, in May 2018, Samarin underwent surgery on his leg. But eight months later he achieved the greatest success of his career - he won silver at the European Championships in Minsk. And even then, in Belarus he lost only to the then invincible Javier Fernandez.

And a little earlier, he became the first Russian since 2009 after Evgeni Plushenko to win the home stage of the Grand Prix in Moscow - the Rostelecom Cup. Moreover, he took a kind of revenge from Aliyev, beating him by almost five points.

Unfortunately, after the career of Sokolovskaya’s ward, it was no longer so successful. Injuries also got in the way. In 2020, he suffered a back injury and then contracted the coronavirus. As a result, for the first time in five years, I failed to get on the podium even at the national championship. And in 2022, domestic figure skaters were suspended from international competitions.

The European Championship medalist continued to skate and pass on his experience to his young colleagues. In the previous season, he even won bronze at the national championship for the third time. The current one also started on a positive note for the veteran. At the Russian Grand Prix stage in Krasnoyarsk he became second, and in Samara - third.

“I’ve never had anything like this, just figure skating and you live by it. I enjoy this moment, the smiles, the contact. This is cool. Yes, at first there is stress and excitement, but then you get involved and see the fruits of the work,” Samarin rejoiced.

Alas, the main starts did not go well. At the CR, he showed his worst result, finishing 15th in the final protocol, and then failed at the Spartakiad of the Strongest.

“He will be remembered for his fighting character”

For experts, Samarin’s end to his career was not a surprise. Thus, four-time Russian champion Maxim Kovtun suggested that the main reason was the lack of opportunity to compete at international competitions.

“I will remember him for his fighting character. Of course, this is an adult, informed decision. I understand why he could do this - the lack of international competitions. After all, Alexander is a titled athlete, and he wanted to compete at the European and World Championships and the Olympic Games. I wish him success! Life is just beginning,” Match TV quoted Kovtun as saying.

In turn, the famous choreographer Ilya Averbukh also highlighted the athlete’s willpower, which allowed him to achieve success even in difficult moments.

“Lutz Samarina is the standard for quadruple performance. We wish him to find himself in life, it doesn’t end with sports. On the contrary, the main thing is only now beginning,” he emphasized.

And the winner of the World and European Championships, Anna Pogorilaya, believes that the young man understands: he did everything he could in figure skating, and is not capable of more.

“We will remember him as an outstanding athlete, a cool, Russian guy. It’s a shame,” Pogorilaya noted.

Meanwhile, RT columnist Elena Vaitsekhovskaya highlighted not only Samarin’s skill, but also his human qualities, for which even his opponents always respected him.

“When an athlete completes such a long journey, which has included more than ten years of performances at the adult level, you involuntarily begin to think: what is considered the most important thing in this career? 12 national championships, where Samarin stood on the podium five times? Four European Championships with places in the top ten and silver in 2019? Or the most offensive coincidence of circumstances, as a result of which Samarin, being the vice-champion of Russia, failed to make it to the Olympic team in 2018? All these are the very milestones that remain on the track record forever.

But what I really want to say is something else. About that dedication to work that has always distinguished the skater. About his dedication to his coach and his species. About the ability to support those who are dear to you and not envy those who are stronger. When Kondratyuk says that he always looked up to Samarin, skating with him on the same ice, this is not an act. When Aliyev calls Alexander a friend, it was also always genuine, from the heart. Despite the fact that these two spent most of their careers fighting for the same medal.

Be lucky in your new life, Sasha! You, more than anyone, deserve this,” Vaitsekhovskaya wished.