Sport tells the love story of Russia's most extraordinary figure skater — the champion Europe by Alena Kostornaya.
On Valentine's Day, Kostornaya posted a photo on social networks with the caption «Brought some kind of marten. Mom allowed it.» In the picture, they kissed Georgy Kunitsa — so it became clear to everyone that both have a sense of humor and that the Kostornaya/Marten couple is now bonded not only with ice relations.
It's funny that a couple of weeks earlier, when asked about the newly created pair of Marten/Kostornaya, coach Sergei Roslyakov issued what became a meme: «Who is a marten?»
I must tell. Georgy Kunitsa is a nice smart guy, a single skater in the past and a hotbed in the present. I trained with Tutberidze, Moskvina, rode for a couple of years with different girls, but somehow it didn’t work out. And so a chain of coincidences connected his sporting fate with the most extraordinary figure skater of recent years. Together with Marten, Kostornaya decided to restart her career and switch to pair skating.
It's been three months and roughly thirty-three interviews since that confessional post on social media. During this period, the athletes learned almost all paired elements, partially set programs for the next season and managed to perform out of competition at the ice dance festival. So now both fans and specialists have a first impression of Alena and Gosha.
But in three months, something else happened besides tangible progress in skating. The love of young people reached such a serious level that a few days ago, on May 15, Gosha proposed to Alena. She answered yes. Everything was very romantic: a flight in a hot air balloon, a sunset sky and those words that every girl dreams of hearing one day and saying — every man.
In an interview for the «Without Water» podcast, Alena and Gosha shared their love story in detail. Having met as children, they didn’t think about any romance at that time. Training in the group of Eteri Tutberidze took all the time, besides, both were too young to think about a serious relationship. Although the fact that Alena is very beautiful, Gosha noticed right away, but this was never a decisive argument for him.
Alena already looked like a future star and soon formalized this title for herself officially — first as an angel (according to the program of the same name), then as a vampire's girlfriend (in the program «Twilight»). And, of course, as a record holder and European champion.
Gosha did not shine with the same results and did not stay long at Khrustalny. Tutberidze advised him to try pair skating. During the journey, the skaters parted ways, so that after 4 years they fatefully converge.
Their romance actually began at the same time when they began to train together. First for the show, and then for the sport. Each new joint step seemed to open a new level, like in a computer game — more and more opportunities, prospects and, it seems, happiness.
There was no obvious trigger for starting a relationship. It's just that both laughed at each other's jokes, held hands for a long time every day and overcame the difficulties of rolling. There is, of course, some joke in this, but in an interview, Gosha told how one day he went to see Alena home from a late rehearsal, and she conquered him with dinner — she cooked dumplings with potatoes. relatives, found a common language with everyone and generally fit into the circle of trust, as they say. Dad even told his daughter after talking with Gosha: «Don't screw him up, Alena.»
Now the couple's fans and just curious fans will follow the news about the wedding of Alena and Gosha with interest. I wonder if they can make it to the new season or postpone the ceremony until next summer — skaters rarely get married right in the middle of the competitive season.
Many athletes say that personal relationships interfere with a successful career. Nevertheless, there are opposite examples — happy on and off the ice champions. Let Alena Kostornaya and Georgy Kunitsa become an illustration of just such harmony.