"Alena's immunity is completely undermined"
The central event of the women's tournament within the framework of the Russian Figure Skating Cup final was to be the fight to get into the national team for the upcoming World Championship.
Alyona Kostornaya and Elizaveta Tuktamysheva were named as the main contenders.
However, according to the results of the short program, more experienced rivals were overshadowed by debutantes of adult competitions Kamila Valieva and Daria Usacheva, who took first and second places, respectively.
Due to age restrictions, both cannot yet represent the country at the international level.
“I did the same good axel as last time, so the performance was successful.
First of all, it is important for me to win against myself.
I lost this program a little, because the cascade didn't turn out very well.
Why didn't the cascade work?
Because after six minutes I was very tired of thinking about how to do it.
You think a lot, and in the end, nothing comes of it, "the Championship quotes Valieva.
Like her group colleague Eteri Tutberidze, Usacheva noted that it is more important for her to demonstrate her maximum at the current tournament, and not to surpass her competitors.
“The first season gave me confidence, experience, next year we can reach the adult international level.
At the beginning of the season, it seemed that nothing would work out.
But it turned out to be better and more interesting, a new format of competitions, new experience appeared.
If you think only about victories, it is not a fact that you will come to them.
Yes, I want, everyone wants, ”- quotes the words of the young TASS figure skater.
The third place after the short program is taken by Tuktamysheva.
She presented a new number, the work on which began after the First Channel Cup.
“Good emotions remained, I was pleased with my performance.
Smeared a little bit the exit on the axel.
It was a thrill for me to ride, and now I only need to work on the confidence in the execution of the jumps so that they turn out perfectly, ”Tuktamysheva said.
In addition, the student of Alexei Mishina added that she intends to perform two triple axels in the free program.
“Do I have a goal to go to the World Cup?
Well, naturally.
I put on a short program last February, we ran it for a long time, invited a lot of specialists, and I'm a little tired of it.
Now we are enthusiastically working on a new short program.
We decided to change it after the Russian Championship: I decided so, and without saying a word, Aleksey Nikolayevich suggested the same thing, ”the skater added.
At the same time, Kostornaya made several serious mistakes and took only sixth place, seven points behind Tuktamysheva.
She left the rink in tears and refused to answer journalists' questions.
Instead of Alena, her mentor Yevgeny Plushenko commented on her performance.
According to the coach, the athlete was unable to recover from a protracted illness and even considered the issue of refusing to participate in the Russian Cup final.
“Her immunity is completely undermined.
We took a long time to decide whether to perform or not.
I asked the athlete if she was ready to participate or not, to which she replied: "I will compete anyway."
For which she has great respect.
She went to fight to the end, although maybe it was better to take her off.
But we are athletes, we go to the end, "R-Sport quotes Plushenko.
Despite Kostornaya's failure, the coach paid tribute to her rival Tuktamysheva.
“Sport is a long-distance race where only the strong wins.
I wish Alexei Nikolaevich (Mishin. -
RT
), who will soon celebrate his anniversary, all the best - I look up to him and learn from the great master.
Today I am glad for Liza, who skated well, she is great: she was ill, but recovered and continues to fight, ”Plushenko added.
"Divine speech by Valieva"
The experts were also pleased with the short program of the singles.
They admired Valieva's technique and Tuktamysheva's confidence, and also urged Kostornaya not to be upset about the failure.
So, the famous choreographer Ilya Averbukh noted the general level of women's skating.
In his opinion, Kamila deservedly received high scores exceeding the world record, and Elizabeth took a risk, which was fully justified.
“I am very happy for Lisa Tuktamysheva.
Stylish short program.
Liza went to the triple axel and performed it brilliantly.
I put emphasis on her, because she is primarily applying for a ticket to the World Cup.
Divine performance by Valieva, a stunning triple axel and her well-deserved 88 points, ”Averbukh emphasized.
As for Kostornaya, the specialist noted that excitement affected her performance.
At the same time, he suggested that the skater still has a chance to compete for prizes in the free program.
“This is a very difficult season, Alena is not yet in optimal shape, apparently, she has not yet been able to restore her triple axel, which was her main trump card last season.
But, of course, everything is still ahead, the main struggle will unfold on Sunday.
I would like to wish good luck to all our girls, ”concluded Averbukh.
Aleksey Yagudin, Olympic champion in Salt Lake City, commented on Valieva's performance emotionally.
“Awesome!
Thank you and bravo!
I don't know what else can be added to this rental.
Everything has been done in an ideal way, ”Yagudin said on the air of Channel One.
In addition, he noted the courage of Tuktamysheva, who continues to work and go forward, despite her status as one of the most experienced skaters and competition from younger rivals.
“She pays no attention to anything and goes her own way.
Together with the outstanding coach Alexei Mishin, they know what to do in order to show the maximum at the right time.
Its development path leads only upward and only forward, ”added Yagudin.
At the same time, two-time Olympic champion Irina Slutskaya suggested that Tuktamysheva lost to Usacheva due to the second mark.
“I think that she bypassed Tuktamysheva due to the second mark, although Liza skated perfectly today with one small blot on a triple axel.
She complicated the cascade: she jumps with her hand up, and I am very pleased to look at her - light, confident, a great professional in her field.
But the judges decided otherwise, "- quotes Slutsk" Sport-Express ".
The current season will be remembered by several referee scandals at the stages of the Russian Cup.
The assessments of some skaters caused numerous questions from their coaching staffs and even provoked disputes and recriminations.
According to the honored trainer of the USSR Tatiana Tarasova, this time there is no doubt about the fairness of the points.
“Valieva is the first!
I will rate her rental very highly.
If we talk about Kostornaya, then you ask her.
Why is she crying?
She's sixth, what's wrong?
Do not Cry.
Even if she hadn't ripped off the element, she would have remained sixth.
I think the judges evaluated everything correctly today, ”Tarasova emphasized.