Russian figure skater and European champion (2022) Mark Kondratyuk responded to winning his first medal at the Russian Championships during this Olympic cycle. He secured third place at the national competition held in Saint Petersburg.

“In the early stages of my senior career, I felt that the Russian Championships were a lucky event for me. I earned a medal on my first attempt, then won right here in Saint Petersburg, but after that things didn’t go as planned. I had some withdrawals and faced several setbacks; last year I was close, but something was missing. In previous years, I performed well at various Grand Prix events and other competitions, but I struggled at the Russian Championships.

After the short program, I thought that perhaps it wouldn’t be my time again. But I’m extremely happy with how it turned out; for me, this was a crucial moment to prove to myself that I am capable of achieving this,” said Kondratyuk, as reported by Championship correspondent Anastasia Matrosova.