Hagara responds to bronze at the Junior World Championship in figure skating 2025 (interview)

Debrecen. The farewell to the junior career could not even turn out better. Figure skater Adam Hagara defended the bronze medal at the junior world championship.

While a year ago he was the third after a short program, this time he attacked from the fifth position.

For the first time in the official race of the International Skating Union, he exceeded the 150-point limit in free driving, and this finally brought him to the podium.

The 18-year-old athlete evaluated his previous season the day after the Sportnet race and revealed how he perceives increasingly recurrent questions about a four-time jump.

What was the first night after the race?

I was up to half past six. We were with all my friends in the room, it was a nice celebration. There were about twenty. So I didn't have a long sleep, but it was good.

You have concluded your junior career by defending the bronze medal at the World Championship. Did you have any special expectations before the race?

I took the race like any other that I am going to ride what I know, what I have rehearsed. I knew there was a chance for a medal, but I didn't go to Debrecen, saying I wanted to get it. My goal was to drive purely.

But the unexpected disease came into it. What did it do with your psyche?

It changed only one thing, I couldn't go fully at the trainings. I tried to save on the ride to endure it. I think it helped.

The first days I felt quite nothing, so I have been deliberately set up so that I did not try to die at the first workouts. I thought it would come until driving.

I believed and everything went well.

It was your fifth junior championship, from 33. You gradually worked out on the podium, even twice. What do this experience mean to you?

It shows that I can move to a higher level. I gained experience from junior races so that I can move to the senior level and gradually get to higher rungs in the senior category.

In my opinion, all sport is about training and how the person wants. If we give up, we will not do it anywhere.

I have always tried not to give up and pull it until the end. If a person works regularly and hard, he gets where he wants.

It sounds simply, but it is certainly not easy. Have you always had such an approach, or did you have to learn such a setting?

This is also the case thanks to my parents that they have been taking me for training since I was young, even though I didn't want to. Sometimes it was harder, but over time I learned to do everything myself.

Even though I do not want very much in the morning at six, I go to the fullest and finally I feel good about training. And the main thing is to be happy about what I do.

I have heard of you such a story that one Czech coach has always envied your coach Vladimír Dvojnikov, because if you were on a summer camp, he told you what to do and went to give coffee. You rehearsed it hard all the time without supervision, while the other coaches had to constantly encourage their men not to let them go.

I always try to be a perfectionist. When I want something, I do it until I do it. I think it's one of my strongest qualities. I always try to do every exercise honestly, what the coach tells me, or what I say.

You already have experience that you have to compete sick. Two years ago, you had stomach problems at the European Championship, but you also overcome it.

Then it was probably worse. Even though I was very bad after training during the free day between a short program and a free ride.

But I think it's still worse when you feel sick of your stomach, because you don't know much to do with it. But even then I felt quite good.

Everything always goes on the ride. No matter how you feel, what is wrong, the main thing is to go to the program.

After a short program you were fifth, but you claimed that free ride is your domain. However, in one interview where you should have selected « either – or » between free driving and a short program, you preferred a short program.

The interview was shot at the beginning of the junior season, after both junior Grand Prix. There I fell Axel in both free rides. I guess I was a little angry for a free ride.

With hindsight I would answer free ride. But for me it jumps, it depends on what time it is and what I enjoy more. It is probably a free ride at the moment.

This season you had one place in the Senior Grand Prix, but finally you decided on the junior series. Then you had no doubt whether it was a good decision, as you did not qualify for the final of the Junior Grand Prix?

Not. I have already decided, there was nothing to change. I took it as an experience. I didn't want to look at it that something bad happened.

Of course, it was bad for me, but I also took it as an opportunity to relax more, as I had an injury. In the second, more important half of the season, I could have a little rest.

Last year you went even more races, as it came to the finals of the JGP and the Youth Winter Olympics. What else was this season different?

It seemed very short to me. Also because in the autumn I sat at home for a month, I couldn't move. It was after the Junior Grand Prix.

In three weeks, I actually end the season. I will put everything in it and I hope to finish it successfully.

A year ago at the junior championship, the same three were on the podium, only in a slightly modified order. This time Japanese Rio Nakata won and Korean Minkju SEO was second, a year ago it was the opposite. What have you moved most since then?

Definitely in a speech and self -confidence on ice. Even in the purity of elements, I improved pirouettes, steps and overall impression of driving.

After the European Championships, I compared driving from last year and this, because I was a little disappointed with artistic points. I saw a very big difference, in my hands or in transitions. I think I look more sovereign on the ice.

Video: A short program of Adam Hagaru at MSJ in Debrecen

Do you get used to watching your rides and looking for things that can be improved?

I hate to watch my past rides, because I sometimes ashamed of them. It seems to me that I have improved much and I don't like to watch the older rides. But last year I still managed.

I always look for what I could improve and what we might add to the rides. So far it is coming out.

In Debrecen you received a new personal maximum for free driving. However, after the end of the ride you did not enjoy, there was no explosion of emotions. What was running your head?

It ran my head that I had to look neutral. The end is still part of the program.

And James Bond looks neutral?

Yes, that's what I am. I also wanted to show that it was me, look what I had driven. That was my moment.

Moreover, I knew that when I started to breathe deeply, I wouldn't stop, so I was careful about my breathing, because I didn't feel so good after the ride…

VIDEO: Free ride of Adam Hagaru on MSJ in Debrecen

Do you have an emotional moment while driving when you can enjoy it maximum? For example, after the last jump?

Yes, after the last jump. At that time, at that time, I usually spread my hands. But at the competition I was no longer powerful for it.

This is followed by the choreo sequence, the end of the ride, so I also try to top it up. This time I didn't work out as I would like, but at least there were hands, because I was already meeting.

Given the disease, you've probably grinded from the last …

It was a junior, a shorter ride, so I felt like I ruled my feet and breath. The only problem was that I was stopping the air, I couldn't breathe in the lungs.

In Kiss & Cry you have already shown spontaneous joy when you saw a score of 153.04 points.

I was glad that I finally exceeded 150 points at the official ISU competitions. That was probably my greatest joy in this competition.

I was also glad they gave me high art points, which wasn't always happening.

Then you had to wait for others to drive. How did you experience it?

I was satisfied with my ride and I was only looking at my friends as they ride. I kept my fingers crossed for Ri's Nakat, let him finally win.

When Jacob Sanchez jumped just a simple lutz, you just noted that it is starting to be interesting.

I was sorry, because he also deserves a medal. He's my very good friend. It is a pity that they do not give four medals at the race.

More and more people are watching your performances, but this also means that you are also getting unsolicited advice on what you should jump. Everyone is asking you about a four -hop leap.

I will include it when it is appropriate. I promise people that I am working on it, I try to make it there as soon as possible.

But we can't push it, because the main thing is to have clean driving.

It may happen that I fall a four -jump jump, because I do not believe in it yet and then I fall three more jumps. So what then? I think clean driving is more important. If the four jump is sure, I will include it.

In front of the Junior World Championship, you trained free driving with a four -tub tulup, but you were hampered by a hard fall. What would the order of jumps look like if you had a quadrius?

The four tulup would be the first, then I would go a combination of triple axel – a double tulup of heavy raid. This is the difficult point of the program, because the raid is really challenging.

This would be followed by a combination of a triple flip – a triple tulup and the fourth jump would be another triple axel. The second part of the ride would be as before, just to the end instead of Salchow I would put a rittberger.

Do you have it recalculated how much points it would be?

Not completely, but maybe it would do seven to eight points. But again, when there is a four -leap, the referees also increase the second mark and evaluate the program differently. Overall, this would mean ten to five points.

I will work on it, I am also working on it, but so far I take it that clean rides are more important.

How do you feel when you read the comments from lay people?

I'm glad people are interested in this sport. I am also pleased that they are waiting for me to progress. I'm glad they are interested in me.

I will continue to try to jump four tulp. Once it will certainly come to that ride.

Your competitor and friend Rio Nakata said at a press conference that he is looking forward to your quadrilateral.

He said he wanted to see him in Boston … I'm glad we are all good friends and we can stand together on the podium.

What else awaits you for the Boston World Cup?

I'll have about one day off and then I have to learn for graduation. Especially the Slovak language I have to repeat. I should handle English and mathematics.

What did the championship show you in Debrecen?

For the third time I was sick in the competition and I always drove it basically cleanly.

A year ago at the World Championships of four countries in Turnov, I have already run out of strength, at that time I still had the Grand Prix final. That was already understandable, but even then I won the competition.

I am satisfied with the results. It showed me that I could fight, whatever happens.

Recently, you received the Talent of the Year award at the Athlete of the Year gala evening, where Jozef Sabovčík was also awarded as a sports legend. Many consider you a successor. How do you listen to it?

It is nice when names like Nepela or Sabovčík fall. I appreciate everyone in front of me, but I am Adam Hagara and I will try to develop my career in my direction, to go my speed, so that I am happy. I promise to work hard on myself and move on.