“Only Alena herself will beat such numbers in the short program”
Alena Kostornaya won the short program at the Grand Prix stage in Sapporo with a world record. The skater scored 85.04 points for her triple axel hire, beating Ricky Kihira's previous achievement, set at the team world championship. After the performance, Kostornaya said that she had long gone to this goal and was waiting for the opportunity to perform in Japan.
“Since the junior season, I wanted to beat the result of Dani Samsonov (87.33 points. - RT ), and I'm moving towards this. At all competitions it’s nice to play, but especially here. I counted the days before departure left before the training competition. I really looked forward to this tournament, because here is a special attitude to the athletes. After the warm-up today I was a bit unhappy because the cascade didn’t really work out, I went for a very long time and tuned in to the triple axel, time was running out. I wanted to do a better workout, but in general I just had to tune in, ”said Kostornaya TASS.
The skater admitted that she was helped by the presence of coach Eteri Tutberidze at the competition, and also said that she plans to further complicate her programs.
“With Eteri Georgievna it’s always a lot easier for us, because this is the head coach, you feel it and you want to show it even better. Plus, she is able to direct her rent by her own methods. I will not refuse the triple axel in the future, I will only learn something new. I learned the triple axel after my first junior season, but then I went to the training camp and reassembled the triple ones, I just did not have enough time. And in the middle of the season there were competitions and I didn’t want to get injured, ”Kostornaya told the story of her triple axel.
On Saturday, the Russian skater will continue to fight with Kihira, who intends to fulfill the quadruple salchow. Kostornaya noted that she respects her desire to perform such a difficult jump.
“If a person knows how to jump quadruple, then this is very cool and worthy of respect. Rika is a very strong athlete, if she turned out to be a quadruple, then I am very glad that she was able to do it. But I don’t think about it, just do my own, and then let the judges decide, ”the world record holder added.
Kostornaya's performance delighted Tatyana Tarasova, a famous figure skating coach. She considered that the skater was worthy of even greater points.
“Outstanding performance. What an axel, half a roll! Beautiful, tall, easy-easy! Cascade flip - sheepskin coat - excellent. As good as it gets. And Lutz was, as they say, in one touch. Absolutely does and does not worry. How she began to ride! All the ligaments, the skating is beautiful, everything is absolutely musical. This is a very big achievement in the short program. Lutz amazed me, it was made so simply and technically. I don’t understand why you can’t put ten points here and who saw better, ”Tarasova said on Channel One.
Choreographer Ilya Averbukh expressed confidence that Kostornaya's world record would remain unbroken in the near future.
“Brilliant performance! She showed herself to be the best. I think that today was a plus or minus reference rental, it is difficult to perform better. It is unlikely that anyone will be able to beat such numbers in a short program, if only Alena herself, ”said Averbuh Sport24.
The trainer of the dance couples, Alexander Zhulin, called the reason for the success of Kostorny the combination of several strengths that are necessary for high-level skaters.
“I immediately said that I like Kostornaya most of the current figure skaters Eteri Tutberidze. I mean by this that she has everything connected - and skating, and charisma, and complex elements. So far, does not own a quad. Maybe learn. For me, its result in the short is completely natural. I wish her the same skating in the free program, ”Zhulin said in a conversation with RIA Novosti.
“Calmness prevented me; there wasn’t enough adrenaline”
At the same time, for Alina Zagitova, the short program ended in failure. The Olympic champion took fourth place, gaining only 66.84 points - she had not had such low marks for two years now. The disruption of the Lutz – Rittberger cascade, which Zagitova used to do, usually led to this result. The athlete said that she did not have enough adrenaline for a better performance.
“I’ll try to show clean rental in any program, I was too calm, and this calm prevented me, there wasn’t enough adrenaline. I had such a rental in the Olympic season, when I was very short fail. So I have experience how to tune in to arbitrary. Alyona’s record didn’t break me, ”said Zagitova.
According to Tarasova, Kostornaya’s record could still affect the condition of the skater, as well as changes in her figure. The coach cited Zagitova as an example to Yevgeny Medvedev, who was able to return to a high level.
“A very good program. Too bad I ruined it. After such assessments, Kostornaya is probably hard for her. At one time it was not difficult for me, but it was apparently difficult for her. Nothing wrong. She began to take shape. I won, I won, but these are changes in the figure, in the center of gravity, and so on. It was necessary to jump the sheepskin coat, it is easier for her and is not difficult. But she did what she did, and counted on herself. No need to be upset. We must always wait, as we waited for a great rental Zhenya Medvedeva. Don’t be upset, my dear! Be patient! ”Said Tarasova.
Averbukh noted the character of Zagitova, who was trying to save the program after an unsuccessful cascade, and urged not to look for problems with psychology in the skater.
“I think it’s nerves after the first cascade is broken. Alina is a great fellow, she wanted to pull out the program, complicated the next jump, but failed. She fought, fought, which always causes respect. Honestly, I don’t want to go around the third circle and again look for psychological overtones. We were looking for psychological problems with Medvedeva, now we are looking for Zagitova. All reasons are understandable, they are afloat, I don’t want to repeat myself again, ”said the choreographer.