Alena Kostornaya, the 2020 European figure skating champion, has shared updates about her training and recovery journey through her Telegram channel. The public record indicates she has been focused on rebuilding strength after shoulder surgery, a setback that required careful planning and close medical supervision. As of the latest messages, the athlete has been documenting a disciplined return-to-ice timeline and the steps taken to regain peak form for competition cycles ahead.
According to Kostornaya, the road back to full ice practice is well underway and she anticipates resuming full training as of March 6. The updates emphasize steady progress rather than rapid leaps, reflecting a measured approach to rebuilding technique, stamina, and the confidence needed for a competitive program. In conversations with her team, she expresses determination to rejoin her usual skating cadence and to prepare for the demands of upcoming events with the same focus that characterized her earlier successes.
In a candid remark, Kostornaya explained that the period of protective gear would end with the start of the new training block. This milestone marks a significant step as she returns to on-ice routines, including the choreographic work for the season ahead. She indicated that her collaborator Gosha would join the effort, and together they would begin staging the program for the forthcoming competitive cycle, aligning music, movements, and technical elements to create a cohesive artistic and athletic presentation.
Changes in Kostornaya’s coaching and on-ice partnerships appeared in early 2023, when Elena Buyanova, her former coach, confirmed that the skater had begun exploring pair skating. Since autumn 2022, Kostornaya had been training in a pair format with Georgy Kunitsa, under the guidance of coach Sergei Roslyakov. This shift reflected a strategic broadening of her skating repertoire and the exploration of new dynamics that could complement her strengths as a singles skater while opening doors to potential future opportunities in pairs competition.
On August 13, Kostornaya and Kunitsa celebrated a personal milestone by marrying. The couple subsequently performed together in September at a test skate session for the Russian national team, marking an intimate early chapter in their on-ice collaboration. Their first free program together drew attention for its bold interpretation of a popular cinema soundtrack, in this case a dramatic score associated with a well-known film, showcasing how their combined athleticism and storytelling could translate onto the ice for audiences and judges alike.
Context around international competition has also shaped Kostornaya’s recent career arc. In late February 2022, the International Olympic Committee advised international sports federations to withhold participation from athletes representing Russia and Belarus in response to geopolitical developments. This request led to a suspension of athletes from the two nations by the International Skating Union, influencing the competitive landscape and the opportunities available to Kostornaya and her contemporaries during that period of upheaval. The episode underscores the close intertwining of sport, governance, and global events that athletes must navigate while pursuing peak performance.
Meanwhile, in related discussions about Kostornaya’s future appearances, comments from Tatyana Navka were revisited in the context of public curiosity about Kostornaya’s potential involvement in show programs or exhibitions featuring Kamila Valieva. The dialogue highlights the ongoing interest in Kostornaya’s direction within the sport, as fans and commentators alike consider how her evolving program choices might influence the broader figure skating landscape in the coming seasons.