“Medvedev found herself”: experts admired the performance of Russian skaters at the Grand Prix stage in Moscow

"Tears from the eyes"

The unconditional triumph of the Russians ended the Moscow stage of the Grand Prix in figure skating. For the first time in 14 years, all the gold medals of the tournament went to domestic athletes.

In the women's single skating, one of the leaders of the current season, Alexander Trusov, won. Thanks to a serious advantage in the complexity of the free program, she surpassed all rivals, despite two falls in the performance of the quadruple salchow and triple rittberger in the cascade. According to the athlete’s trainer Eteri Tutberidze, her ward’s mistakes were caused by excitement.

“We still have to work to be less nervous, to have more confidence,” said the mentor on Channel One.

In total, four quadruple jumps were announced in Trusova's free program, three of which were performed cleanly. Some fans and specialists do not welcome the presence of such a number of complex elements in women's skating, but the famous coach Tatyana Tarasova noted the positive side of this trend.

“Just tears from the eyes!” We won’t get anywhere from this. Any boy who skated today and will ride tomorrow or the day after tomorrow can dream of what Trusov does. Even at the World Cup there will be few people capable of this, ”the specialist is sure.

Four-time world champion Alexei Yagudin also noted the uniqueness of Trusova’s performance and expressed admiration for the work of Tutberidze.

“For the first time in my life, I personally observe these quadruple jumps. This is some kind of craziness! Bravo! This is an athlete who breaks records. Trusova is a phenomenon in figure skating. We say many thanks to the entire coaching team that worked on these records. Including Eteri Tutberidze - the captain of this non-sinking ship ”- Yagudin shared his opinion.

In turn, the Russian choreographer Ilya Averbukh suggested that the mistakes of the stage winner could be related to fatigue and excitement.

“Visually, Sasha made more mistakes, but you need to understand that she did it on the beyond ultra-jumps. She has the most difficult content, to include four quads in one program at once - units in men's single skating are capable of this, ”the TASS expert quotes.

The complexity of the Trusova program was also admired by the silver medalist of the 2012 World Cup Alyona Leonova. She did not rule out that in the near future the skater will be able to surpass her own result by adding new elements.

“I think she will not stop at four fours, perhaps we will see a triple axel in the short program of the Russian championship. Everyone knows that she is training him, wants to surprise him with something else, and has not yet shown everything. So Sasha’s points will grow, this is one hundred percent, ”Sport24 quotes Leonova.

“Medvedeva has something to say”

If Trusova’s leadership was not a big surprise to anyone, then Evgeny Medvedev pleasantly surprised not only her fans, but also experts. With the best result in her career, she took second place without making a single mistake in the free program. Russian mentor Brian Orser noted that he was pleased with the performance of the ward, who, in his opinion, managed to reach a new level for himself.

“Eugene showed that she is a personality, still young, but at the same time an adult girl. And she has something to say, she rides with a certain message. As for me, we saw it for the first time in her. We had a good rental at the World Cup last season. But here, I think, she performed better both in short and in free programs. And this is manifested in everything - in representation, interpretation, as elements. And further - more, ”the Canadian specialist assured.

Obviously, the lack of four jumps prevented Medvedeva from competing for the first line. Orser noted that she was working to remedy this situation.

“We do everything necessary outside the ice to prepare her body for this. And you know, I think that as soon as she begins to feel this element, it will be quite simple for her. Someday we will come to this. Now the main thing is to continue to work and try, try, try, ”the coach concluded.

Averbukh admitted that he was sincerely happy for Medvedev, who, after a series of failures, managed to show her previous level.

“Eugene found herself, calmed down and shows very good performances. The main problem is that to win is no longer enough to demonstrate what you already did several years ago. You need to go forward and learn difficult jumps as far as possible. And after all, everything is real, no one says that it is impossible, ”said the choreographer.

A similar position was expressed by Yagudin. He paid tribute to the ability to work and perseverance of the skater, who coped with her task despite serious psychological pressure.

“Emotions overwhelm us all. How much work it cost. This is a perfect tournament. The purest short and free program. It has been said a lot that she is in good shape. Now we saw the very Medvedev. The one you can trust, ”said Yagudin.

Tarasova also noted the personal qualities of the athlete and paid tribute to her many-year-old mentor Tutberidze, whose group Evgenia left in May 2018.

“Well, how not to respect her? Well, how not to love her? From such a bottom, from such a well, she climbed back. No quadruples yet, but that doesn’t mean that there will not be. There was a soul. Zhenya has a character, a belief that she did everything right, ”Tarasova summed up.

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In turn, the 1999 world champion Maria Butyrskaya suggested that at the Moscow stage of the Medvedev Grand Prix she showed her current maximum, adding that the progress of the student Orser would not stop there.

“Let's go gradually, to the national championship Zhenya will not be able to change or add anything, because it was necessary to show everything today or yesterday. Of course, there are young girls who are both smaller and lighter. But the Olympic Games are not tomorrow, there is still time. Maybe someone will recover or get away from it all, ”Butyrskaya shared her opinion.

Two-time Olympic champion Arthur Dmitriev even stated that the athlete can hardly be expected to complicate his program.

“Young girls with quadruple jumps away. Eugene has already lost to Alina Zagitova, although she does not have such elements, it is simply a more complicated program with triple ones. It is hardly worth expecting that all leaders will fall. But I treat her well, she is a professional and rides great, but it will be difficult for her, ”said Dmitriev.

“There seems to be glimpses”

A real sensation in Moscow was made by Russian loners, for the first time since 1998, occupying the entire podium. The tournament's triumph was Alexander Samarin, for whom the victory at the Grand Prix stage was the first in his career. Commenting on his performance, four-time medalist of the European Championships Victoria Butsaeva noted that the skater claims to be one of the main leaders of the season.

“It's hard to say about an arbitrary program. But, in principle, if the guys do what they can, they are able to fight. In any case, they will look worthy against the background of Nathan Chen and Yuzuru Hanyu, but these are all the same big names, it’s hard to compete with them. But if they make the set of elements that they already have, they will have good chances, ”RIA Novosti quotes Butsaev.

The second and third places were occupied by Dmitry Aliyev and Makar Ignatov, respectively. Trainer Alexei Mishin expressed the hope that such a result of the Russians means the beginning of progress in domestic men's skating.

“Samarin - well done, made a wonderful cascade. We always had problems with men, so it’s good that the Russian pedestal occupied the entire podium. There seem to be glimpses now. This result can be called encouraging, but hopes should come true, ”the specialist emphasized.

The 1994 Olympic champion Alexei Urmanov was in solidarity with Mishin.

“Of course, there is progress in Russian men's single skating. It just doesn’t happen that there are all three first places for Russian skaters, despite the fact that this is the home stage, it does not matter. There were strong competitors, but our guys did it, ”Urmanov said.

“The guys are ready to fight for the highest places”

In ice dancing, Victoria Sinitsina and Nikita Katsalapov won the second victory in a row. Duo's mentor Alexander Zhulin noted that his wards are progressing with each new hire. According to him, they themselves are the main competitors of the skaters.

“It's all right. We live, grow, grow. The rhythmic dance is generally bombic. And arbitrary improves, he was already much better than in China. We see where it is necessary to add what to change, ”said the coach.

In turn, Averbukh emphasized that a different result from Sinitsina and Katsalapov was not to be expected.

“The most important thing is that they rolled out stably and beautifully. This year I really like their dances. The second place in the free program, which they won at the Grand Prix in China, was associated only with a mistake, and in general the guys are ready to fight for the highest places, ”he said.

Former partner Sinitsina Roman Zhiganshin also praised the duet's competitiveness.

“Impressions from the performance of Sinitsina and Katsalapov in Moscow remained good. I think Vika and Nikita were the unconditional leaders, they stood out from the rest. Regarding the chances in the Grand Prix finals, I think it’s not worth making a guess. I hope they are very tall and I can only wish the guys good luck! ”Said Zhiganshin.

The winners of the sports couples competitions Alexander Boykov and Dmitry Kozlovsky made a good application for leadership. By the total number of points, they managed to beat the main contenders for first places this season, the Chinese Sui Wenjin and Han Kun.

“We do not expect progress, we just work. We set tasks and gradually solve them, although sometimes not everything succeeds. Today, Alexandra and Dmitry did what they should. Two elements did not work out on the fourth level - nothing, there will be something to finalize for the next start, ”said the mentor of the duo Tamara Moskvin.

According to the Olympic champion in 1984 Oleg Vasiliev, the duo will compete with rivals from China. He noted that the Russians by their work earned the current result and reached the final of the tournament.

“I think their two victories at the stages of the Grand Prix are more a working norm than a high jump. They deserved it with their skating and elements, plus the situation was that way, because the place depends on you and the opponent. Everyone here made mistakes both here and in Canada, and only Sasha and Dima rode unmistakably, ”said Vasiliev.