Pairs skaters Anastasiia Metelkina, 20, and Luka Berulava, 23, of Georgia are in their third season skating together. Last season, they were bronze medalists at the 2024 Grand Prix Final and 2025 European Championships, and finished just off the podium, in fourth place, at the 2025 World Championships in Boston, MA. Interestingly, they competed in both juniors and seniors during the prior two seasons and won the 2023 Junior Grand Prix Final, as well as the 2024 and 2025 World Junior Championships. As part of Georgia’s figure skating team, they are also expected to be bronze medal contenders in the 2026 Milano Olympics team figure skating event.
In the current 2025-2026 season, Metelkina/Berulava are owners of the highest total score and highest free skate score so far this season among pairs, earned at the CS Trialeti Trophy in October. They qualified for the upcoming 2025 ISU Grand Prix Final in Japan (Dec. 4-7) by winning their first Grand Prix event, Cup of China, and taking silver at 2025 Saatva Skate America in Lake Placid, NY. Metelkina/Berulava led after the short program at Skate America, but made several mistakes in the free skate (including a failed lift attempt and errors on both jumping passes) to finish second overall.
Following the conclusion of the free skate at Skate America, our correspondent Victoria Burdman met with the duo separately, as Anastasiia (“Nastia”) Metelkina was called up for a routine doping test. This interview, originally conducted in Russian, was translated to English by Burdman.
Problems in their free program at Skate America
Q: You skated last in the free skate [as short program winners]. Several top pairs who skated before you made serious mistakes, including an unexpected fall from Karina Akopova and Nikita Rakhmanin of Armenia during a pairs spin. Do you pay attention to how others perform during the competitions?
Berulava: Sometimes yes, sometimes no. Usually not. Today, when I passed [by a screen], I saw the results, but it’s by chance. I was not seeking it out. It does not affect me either way. I was watching Karina [Akopova] because she was my first partner, and I always wish her the best of luck. I am very glad that she is representing Armenia and competes internationally.
Metelkina: Usually not. If I hear the marks by chance, I don’t pay attention. It is important for us to do our own work that we have planned, without paying attention to others. Today, I didn’t know what happened with the others.
Q: So it was not the effect of others’ making mistakes that threw you off. Do you have an idea at this point about what caused your mistakes?
Metelkina: We don’t know why we didn’t do as well today. We will be analyzing it. Possibly it was due to [the] smaller size of the arena. We only came to realize that this arena is smaller during the practices, when we were hitting the boards a bit, as we were not fitting. In any case, we did everything during the practices, so I am not looking for excuses here.
Metelkina’s transition to pairs
Q: Pairs skating is a rather daring sport; the female partner is literally in the hands of her male partner during the pairs elements. What helps develop trust between the partners?
Berulava: Since our first meeting, Nastia and I developed this trust. Nastia is so stoic; she is a warrior. We just “feel” each other very well. I am endlessly grateful to Nastia for her full trust. For example, during the Cup of China earlier this season, which we won, my foot gave out during the lasso lift. But we were able to hold the lift, and Nastia did not move! She trusts me to do what it takes. But today [during the botched lift attempt], I was at fault. I don’t even know what to say. It’s a male partner’s job to lift, and I failed.
Metelkina: We are a team. We help each other. It is easier to go through everything together. I feel more comfortable this way [versus singles skating].
Q: Nastia, how was the transition from singles for you?
Metelkina: When I was skating in singles, I used to say that I would never go to pairs and trust a boy. I am not crazy! [Laughs.] My mom really liked the pairs event and encouraged me to try it, but I didn’t want to hear of it. When I finally tried for the first time [at 14] and got lifted, I really liked it. I don’t remember specifically what it was–the feeling of being up high, or just having this support of another person. I know it’s different for others, who might want to focus more on themselves, but I like the pairs event more. A week later, they asked if I wanted to switch back to singles, but I fell so much in love with it. A week after I started [pairs], I tried a triple throw! The only element that I was initially scared to perform was the twist [lift]. It took me longer to learn than other elements. For a singles skater who was jumping well, twist is a rather difficult element. Singles skaters do jumps with legs. Here, you work with your arms. Legs only help during the push-off, and the rest of the element is the work of arms and trust to the male partner. In singles skating, you do everything with legs. So it was difficult to grasp.
Q: The lifts seem like perhaps the scariest element, from the outside.
Metelkina: The lifts, I am not afraid of. It may seem counter-intuitive, but I was afraid to perform lifts with shorter partners. Even when I was younger and was really small, I was paired with taller partners, and I am used to the height. So I am scared when shorter boys lift me.
This season’s programs
Q: Your programs this year are so refined and improved [from previous seasons]. You’re skating to Bolero, performed by Milos Karadaglic, for the short program and “Le discours d’Arthur” by Jerome Rebotier and “Keeping Me Alive” by Jonathan Roy for the free skate. How did the programs come together, and how much did you contribute?
Berulava: It was a long process to choose the programs. The short program was choreographed by Sergei Plishkin. He is a true professional in his craft and always creates something new–just look at the opening of the program. [They start with an elbow headstand.] And the free program is by maestro Benoit Richaud. Also a professional. We went to his camp in Switzerland. He helps so much with the skating skills and steps. He has his own unique approach. We participated in his summer training camp and did the program there as well.
Q: Richaud had a big camp this summer, didn’t he?
Berulava: Yes, but he managed to give attention to everyone, even if he had to eat on the ice!
Metelkina: The costumes are all mine practically! The coaches gave me the opportunity to do it. For the short program, I was looking for inspiration online and found it via [rhythmic] gymnastics leotards. I sent the references to our costume maker, and she worked with it and added the pants. The free costume process was more difficult, as we did not have a certain theme or color for the program. So I came up with an idea of [using some of the] Olympic colors–red and green. We already had red for the short. Green on its own is not very beautiful, so we went with emerald [jewel tone]. ChatGPT helped me with the design.
We entrusted Benoit fully with our free program. It was all his idea, his music choice. We had a different music [choice] initially, but liked what he offered. For the short, it was Luka who really wanted Bolero. He and choreographer Sergei Plishkin agreed that it would be a good choice.
Their training environment and competing for Georgia
Q: You train in Perm, Russia. What is your training environment like? Do you have training partners who are on the same level as you?
Berulava: In Perm, we have very strong teams in our training rink. These are [current and former] Russian national team members, including Ekaterina Chikmareva/Matvei Yanchenkov and Elizaveta Osokina/Artem Gritsaenk, as well as talented young pairs. So we have competition within our training group. We all show good results in our group, with coaches Pavel Sliusarenko and Egor Zakroev.
We have two ice training sessions per day, except Sunday. And we have regular gym, choreo, and dance training off ice. We have everything that is needed. I missed a week in the gym [during their travels to events]–and here is the result! We have a dedicated gym/fitness coach, and I also do martial arts for cardio. I let my emotions out and improve conditioning at the same time.
Q: How do you typically recover off ice? Do you spend time together?
Berulava: During the season, on our days off, we honestly just catch up on sleep. But in the off-season, yes, sometimes we spend time together.
Metelkina: Off ice, we want to take a rest from each other, for sure!
Berulava: I like to sleep in and go for walks, to think things through. I also like watching movies and learning new things. My next project is to learn English. I do understand a lot now, but need to do more to be able to talk.
Metelkina: I am a homebody. My mom often comes to visit me in Perm. I love spending time with my parents, family, and my best friend.
Q: What is it like to be part of the Georgian figure skating team?
Berulava: We have a wonderful team. These four years since the Beijing Olympics, the results are only improving. Some skaters left, some joined. But results have been steadily improving. We feel like a team and always support each other. We have a group chat. Today and yesterday, we had messages from Diana and Gleb and Nika, supporting us. Nika is my close friend, like a brother. We are connected 24/7. [Diana Davis and Gleb Smolkin represent Georgia in ice dance; Nika Egadze skates for Georgia in men’s singles.]
Olympic-season pressure and inspiration
Q: Do you feel additional pressure, with this being the Olympic season?
Berulava: Not really. It’s a dream for every athlete to be able to compete in the Olympics, and especially to medal. It’s not pressure! I enjoy this opportunity that I have to perform in the Olympics, and just work on improving myself constantly, and so does Nastia.
Q: What about the extra pressure from being the owners of the highest total score this season?
Metelkina: I would not say it’s pressure. But when we step on the ice, we try to improve even more each time. And yes, this season is different, because we had not previously started with such a high standard. Today, it did not happen. We don’t have an answer why yet. We will be analyzing it, for sure. But the best would be to just put it behind us and continue to work. We have the Grand Prix Final in two weeks.
Q: Who is your inspiration among pairs skaters?
Berulava: My favorite has always been Maxim Trankov, the 2014 Olympic champion with Tatiana Volosozhar. He is number one for me. Many pairs skaters have mastered the elements,but to skate and interact with his partner, Max is the best. Nastia’s inspiration is Aljona Savchenko, the 2018 Olympic champion.
Q: Aljona Savchenko with which partner?
Berulava: With all of them. She just loves Aljona, and I think they have similar personalities. Nastia is also a warrior.
