Kyrylo Marsak: "My family is incredibly proud of me"

Kyrylo Marsak will be Ukraine's sole representative in figure skating at the Olympic Games in Milan. The 21-year-old, who has been living and training in Finland since the start of the war in his home country, has made a major breakthrough this season. He finished eighth at the European Championships in Sheffield, crowning his performance with two personal bests. We met him after this amazing success.

Congratulations on your success at the European Championships. How do you feel about this great week?

Kyrylo: I am very proud of myself. I did not expect to finish in the top ten or even the top eight. Our goal was simply to do our best and see what will happen. The result is better than anything I could have dreamed of. The European Championships were intended more as training for the Olympic Games. Of course, we hoped to earn ranking points and perform as well as possible.

You seem to be much more confident this season.

I think I've built up this confidence since the start of the season. The season started really well for me at the Lombardia Trophy. That was a very important competition for me and laid the foundation for everything that followed. 

After I secured the spot at the Olympic Games at the qualifier in Beijing, I couldn't at first really comprehend what had happened. It took about a month for it to sink in. The Olympic Games are probably a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and it really means that we're doing something right.

When you say "we," you probably mean your coaching team around Alina Mayer-Virtanen and Valtter Virtanen in Finland. What do they mean to you?

They are like my second Finnish family. Liia, their daughter, calls me "big brother" – in German. We celebrate all the holidays together, Christmas, New Year's, and everything else. We understand each other like a family, and that also helps us work together better. We know each other's limits and know each other super well, which helps with training. I am living in my own apartment since February 2024 now, which I really like. I also learned a little German from Alina and Valtter. I understand almost everything and can speak a little too. I always speak German with Liia.

Your real family lives in Ukraine. How do you stay in touch with them?

We try to call each other every day. I talk to my mother every day, and I try to reach my father every day too, if possible. He is at the front, in the war. The situation is not easy, and sometimes he has no internet or electricity. Every day we write to each other "Good morning" and "Good night" to let each other know that everything is okay. My mother lives and works in Kyiv. My grandparents and many of my friends live in Kherson. I try to stay in regular contact with them as well. 

Your short program to "Fall on Me" is dedicated to your father.

The program tells the story that even though we can't see each other every day, we are always connected and always there for each other. The last time I saw my father was in April, at the Ukrainian Championships. Those championships saved my father's life, as many of his comrades were killed at the front lines during that time. It was a very frightening and formative experience. My choreographer suggested the concept for the short program to me, to make it a dedication to my father, and I thought it was a fantastic idea, especially for the Olympic season. I feel this program and can show my emotions. My family is incredibly proud of me and incredibly happy. They have sacrificed a lot for me and always supported me so that I can skate and pursue my career. In 2018, we moved to Kyiv, and the family had to split up for that. Now it turns out that it was all worth it.

Your role model is Nathan Chen. What fascinates you about him?

I became a fan of Nathan at the 2018 Olympics when he won the free skate after a disastrous short program. First of all, I really like his skating style and also his jumping style. I think there are a few similarities in our jumping technique, and sometimes when something doesn’t work for me I watch Nathan's videos. That helps me understand the technique better. I also admire that he studied alongside his skating career, and that's exactly what I'm trying to do now. I always tell myself: if he can do it, so can I.

What are you studying and what is your daily routine like?

I started studying Business IT Game Development this semester. The program is taught entirely in English and is a normal full-time program in Jyväskylä, Finland. Fortunately, everything is relatively close together, my practice rink and the university. Either I go to practice first thing in the morning, then to university and then home, or vice versa. It works well. My teachers are very understanding and allow me to postpone some deadlines because of competitions. It's really nice to meet new people and have something else on my mind besides just skating. That helps me a lot. What I find interesting about the program is learning how games are developed. I'm not so much on the programming side, but more on the artistic side of games. I've developed compositions and music for games. That's where I see myself.

What are you looking forward to the most at the Olympic Games?

I can't tell exactly, but I'm just incredibly excited and looking forward to the whole experience, for example the opening ceremony. These may be my only Olympic Games. I just want to enjoy representing my country there and have a good time. I'm really excited about the organization, meeting other athletes, and, if possible, watching other sports, of course. Let’s see how it goes.

Interview: Judith Dombrowski
Photos: Judith Dombrowski, Tatjana Flade