Vladimir Samoilov Is Changing Everything

Vladimir Samoilov © Pinterest

After an intense Olympic season, Polish figure skater Vladimir Samoilov is choosing something different. Instead of repeating the dramatic style of his Milano Cortina 2026 free skate, the 27-year-old is stepping outside his comfort zone with a tango-inspired program.

The change reflects something bigger than a new piece of music. Samoilov wants to develop a skating identity that feels truly his.

From Olympic Intensity to Tango

Samoilov’s new free skate combines two works by Argentine composer Astor Piazzolla: Oblivion and Libertango. The idea appeared almost spontaneously during an ISU seminar in England.

His choreographer Adam Solya played the music for him, and Samoilov immediately decided to give the style a chance.

Tango is very different from the powerful, dramatic approach he used during the Olympic season. Samoilov describes the new program as slower, softer and more mature — exactly the kind of challenge he was looking for.

He has spent the last few seasons experimenting with different styles, refusing to become predictable. For him, trying something unfamiliar is part of becoming a more complete performer.

The Olympics Took Everything Out of Him

The new direction also comes after an emotionally exhausting Olympic season.

Samoilov recalled feeling energized immediately after Milano Cortina, only to experience a major emotional and physical crash a week later. The Olympics had taken so much out of him that preparing for the World Championships in Prague became extremely difficult.

He eventually finished 14th at Worlds.

Interestingly, his most stressful competition was not the Olympics but the European Championships in Sheffield. With a realistic chance of fighting for the podium, expectations became harder to manage.

Samoilov says that experience taught him how different competition ice can feel from practice. A jump that seems automatic in training can suddenly become completely unfamiliar once the pressure arrives.

Learning to Fight Until the End

Mental resilience has become one of the most important parts of Samoilov’s development.

He remembers the 2024 European Championships in Kaunas as a turning point. After making an early mistake, he managed to recover instead of mentally giving up on the program.

That experience changed his approach.

Now, mistakes do not necessarily mean the performance is over. The goal is to keep fighting, continue skating and give the audience something to remember.

A Career That Nearly Ended

Samoilov’s determination is especially striking considering how close he once came to leaving figure skating.

At 17, serious back problems forced him away from the ice for several months. He was dealing with multiple spinal issues and even experienced numbness in his right leg.

Returning was his own decision.

When he came back, he initially had only basic jumps and had never landed a quad. Soon afterward, an unexpected tryout with Evgeni Plushenko changed the direction of his career. Within a remarkably short period, Samoilov was landing a quad flip in competition.

From there, more quads followed.

More Than a Quad Jumper

Samoilov is known for powerful jumps, particularly his Salchow and Lutz. But he does not want his legacy to be limited to technical difficulty.

His biggest inspirations include Yuzuru Hanyu, Javier Fernández and Brian Joubert — skaters famous not only for their elements but also for their ability to command an arena.

That is the kind of performer Samoilov wants to become.

The tango program is another step toward that goal: less about repeating what already works and more about discovering what only he can bring to the ice.

The next chapter of his career may not be about becoming a different skater.

It may be about finally showing the audience who Vladimir Samoilov really is.

Source: article on goldenskate.com, published August 30, 2026.

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By Vitalina Andrushchenko, Staff Writer