Hungarian figure skating champions for the 2022-2023 season, and Grand Prix medalists in both Canada and Finland this year, Maria Pavlova and Alexei Sviatchenko came tantalizingly close to the podium at last week’s Grand Prix Final in Beijing. The duo finished in fourth place with a total score of 192.02 points.
In an interview with Blossom on Ice, the pair shared their thoughts on their performance, reflected on how their coach’s faith in them kept their hopes alive, explained the office worker theme in their short program, and offered tips on managing jet lag. They also explained the unique format of Hungary’s national championship.
Maria:
We’re really happy to have been part of the final. It came as a surprise to us, so we’re just excited to be here and perform in front of the Chinese fans. We’d never been to China before, so that made it even more special.
Alexei:
This was a huge experience for us. It’s the first Grand Prix Final for both of us, not just as a team but in our individual careers as well. We’ve never made it to the final before. Our short program went a little better this time, and we’re really proud that we delivered our best performance of the season here, at the right place and the right time.
Maria:
I was a little nervous before we started, but as soon as the music began, I calmed down and just enjoyed the skate. Unfortunately, the free skate didn’t go as well. We definitely could’ve done better, especially with the jumps, and, of course, the last lift.
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