I wanted to talk to Oksana Domnina  - World and European champion, and 2010 Olympic bronze medalist in Vancouver together with Maxim Shabalin - not only about the difficult season, the long-awaited vacation and her future plans. At the recent Conference of the Russian Figure Skating Federation, which focused on assessing the experiences of the past and on the elections, Oksana and her partner were elected Members of the Executive Committee. We start our interview with that.

- Of course, I’m pleased that Maxim and I can be useful to our nation’s figure skating in a capacity other than skating - said Oksana. – In which position do I see myself? You know, during my whole sport career, within our little team, I was always the one to organize everything, to check everything, I was - if I can say that - responsible for everyone. It seems to me that I've got that organizing streak. And then we’ll see how things develop from there…

- In your opinion, should young people be engaged to work for the Federation?
- Everything should be done gradually. During the time when Valentin Piseev was head of the Federation, we won so many medals – that result is invaluable. He has a vast experience that cannot be reached at once. Had the election results been different - nothing would have changed globally anyway. In the 3 years that are left until Sochi, 10 years old figure skaters cannot turn into 20 years old masters. It is now necessary to maintain what we have, and give everyone the chance to work comfortably, and let the youngsters observe, learn, absorb …

- The experts are very excited about our young dance pair  Elena Ilinykh – Nikita Katsalapov,  junior world champions.   They say just with an eye to Sochi…
- I only saw them performing on TV. Right now they are really very good., but in order to reach a higher level, so many factors have to come together: connection with the partner,  mutual understanding with the coach…There’s a big difference between competing at junior and senior level. The financial component also plays an important role...

- In which direction do you imagine ice dance going?
- For some reason, I think the style of Virtue-Moir and Davis-White won’t last for long. The Canadians were very strong in Vancouver, and they are going to do everything to maintain that level or to further improve it. Many will try to copy them, but not everyone is that talented and brilliant. The majority wouldn’t be able to keep up with that style, technique and speed.    
    
- Now that emotions have subsided, what are your feelings towards the Olympics: delight, regret, satisfaction?
- There are different feelings. Regret is one of them ... You know, in sport you will often hear that everybody has injuries, problems, and yes, it’s true. But nobody really knows what Maxim had to go through. Every day we would go to the rink and we didn’t know what would happen in training. Would we be practicing the whole program? Bits of it? Would I be practicing alone? Everything was on him.

- Natalia Linichuk told me that she was impressed by how you managed to stay calm in this situation. Not a word of reproach, no tears, hysterics ... What was the source of your strength?
- I don’t even know myself. I was holding up somehow… But there were moments when I would say to Maxim: ”If you can’t do it, then let’s retire. What good is torturing yourself and the others?” But at the same time I did understand him – how do you drop everything  halfway and quit? Thank God, I never got injured in sport, but recently, while performing on the Ilya Aberbukh’s show "Ice Age”, I hurt my knee, just five days before the end of the tour. Nothing serious, but still, it was painful and the knee needed to be bandaged  at all times – it all drove me into depression. I was feeling horrible, but every time I stepped on the ice I looked at my partner and thought: ”Oh my God, how can he stand all this?” To tell the truth, I still can’t imagine how Maxim went through it all. That’s why the regret... On one hand we were enduring it all for the sake of the most important medal in our life, but on the other hand… When I  rewind it all, I realize that the constant struggle, the pain – this bronze was not worth all that.

- Oksana, what next? After the shows, the holidays at the beach ...
- More rest... (laughing). For the moment I still live in vacation  mode, meeting my family, my close friends. Before I didn’t have much time to spend with them. As for the near future, for sure I won’t be going to the rink every day, but I will definitely be spending some time at the gym  in order to keep in shape. Maxim and I do not have any plans to compete in the upcoming season for sure. Maybe we will skate in some shows and then we’ll see.

- So deep down inside you are still not ready to say goodbye to competitive sport?   
- It is hard to cut off everything at once. After twenty years spent on skates... We are enjoying our freedom now, but sometimes it gets sad. Everything was planned down by the minute before, and now – all of a sudden, nothing. I was kind of mentally preparing myself for this new life, but it’s not that easy to get used to it. Although for me it’s probably easier than for Maxim, because after all I have a family. Roman (Kostomarov – Editor’s note.) and my mom are telling me to stop. Roma is fed up with my being away all the time, and my mother is just tired of being nervous and worrying about me. Of course one day the moment will come, but so far I am still not ready to say: ”Ok, guys, it’s over!”.

- Never say never! But most likely Roman and I will never be a couple on the ice.