Interview With the Pair Skaters Who Will Represent Armenia at the 2026 Winter Olympics

Figure skaters Karina Akopova and Nikita Rakhmanin, who will represent Armenia at the 2026 Winter Olympic Games in Milan, say their decision to compete under the Armenian flag carries deep personal meaning and a strong sense of responsibility.

In an interview with The Armenian Report, the pair said they officially changed their sporting citizenship in 2024 – a significant step for Armenian winter sports. Akopova said her choice was driven by identity rather than convenience.

“I am Armenian by origin, and I felt in my heart that I should compete for my country,” she said.

Akopova and Rakhmanin did not change their coaching team and continue to train in Sochi, Russia, altering only their skating federation. Akopova said the city feels familiar, noting that many Armenians live there and that the Armenian language is commonly heard in daily life.

The skaters said they would prefer to train in Armenia but cannot do so at this stage. Armenia does not yet have specialized coaches for pair skating, which is widely considered the most demanding discipline in figure skating.

Pair skating combines multiple skill sets, requiring athletes to skate closely together like ice dancers, perform high jumps similar to singles skaters, and execute technically complex elements such as lifts and throws. Because of these demands, Akopova and Rakhmanin said they must continue training abroad to remain competitive at the elite level.

Akopova also spoke about her emotional connection to Armenia. During a recent short visit with her mother, she said she felt a sense of shock and sadness about having left the country years ago. She added that she is working to learn and speak Armenian, even though it remains challenging.

She said that each time she visits Armenia with Rakhmanin, they spend time walking through cities and exploring different parts of the country.

Representing Armenia, the skaters said, has become a powerful source of motivation. Akopova said that hearing her name connected to Armenia gives her an added inner drive to perform at her best, a feeling that has grown stronger following their recent international success.

That success came at the ISU Olympic qualification tournament for the Milan Games, held in Beijing. Akopova and Rakhmanin delivered strong performances and won the silver medal, securing Armenia a quota spot in pair skating for the 2026 Winter Olympics.

The result is considered a major achievement for both the athletes and Armenia, which has limited representation in winter sports at the Olympic level.

The pair described the Olympic qualification as deeply meaningful, saying they were proud of their performance in China and aware of what the achievement represents beyond their own careers.

They said earning a place at the Olympics is a moment of pride not only for them but also for Armenians around the world, as a small country prepares to compete on one of the world’s biggest sporting stages.

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