“I have a coaching trait, the ability to push”
The second competitive day of the Channel One Cup did not leave anyone indifferent: neither the fans gathered in the stands of the Megasport arena, nor the skaters.
But it seems that the team captains Evgenia Medvedeva and Alina Zagitova got the greatest pleasure from what was happening.
According to the results of short programs, the "Red Machine" of the Olympic champion was ahead of the "Time of the First" by almost 18.5 points.
Despite the fact that after three types of four, the team of the two-time world champion was at the top.
Despite the lag, the mentor thanked all her charges.
“I have an amazing team, a lot of guys with whom I communicate in everyday life.
Glad to be helping my close friends and try to have a good time.
Now the most important aspect of any competition is to enjoy what it is.
I would like to thank the boys, especially Misha Kolyada, who was not in the mood after the jump tournament.
I am proud of Sasha Samarin.
For more than half of the season, he was tormented by an injury, and the pain still has not gone away.
I would like to wish Liza Tuktamysheva's fortitude.
In the free program she will do two triple axels, and I think everything will be fine with us, ”Medvedeva said at a press conference.
She also admitted that she would not mind trying herself in the role of a coach in the future - after the end of her skating career.
“I've already had about five major seminars in my career.
I like working with people, I feel the impact of a few hours of interaction with athletes.
I have a coaching trait, the ability to push, to prompt a person to succeed.
Today - 80% for coaching, ”added the athlete.
She called the Channel One Cup itself a qualitative replacement for the European Championship for Russian figure skaters, who had an excellent opportunity to keep fit in a competition of a fairly high level.
“Each coach has his own tactics, perhaps during this time someone would overwork, someone took a rest ... It's hard for me to go to competitions after a long break, and the Russian and world championships are separated by more than two months - this is a long time for any skater ", - explained the two-time world champion.
Medvedeva also spoke about the formation of the teams in the tournament.
According to her, no one warned that the selection of skaters would not be carried out by drawing lots.
“I learned about it only at the very last moment from Alexei Yagudin.
At first I took it as a joke.
I have nothing against it, but I would like it to be decided by fortune, it would have been more honest, ”said the skater.
Finally, journalists could not help asking her about her health, since Medvedeva missed the entire previous year due to an injury, and also had a coronavirus.
“After the First Channel Cup, we will have to go to recovery.
How long it will last is not yet clear.
I would like to wish good health to all people who are sick with coronavirus.
Unfortunately, the consequences of COVID-19 can make themselves felt for a long time, ”Medvedeva summed up.
"You are worried about everyone ... I even have an allergy."
In turn, Zagitova admitted that it was much easier for her to perform than to lead her own team from the side and be responsible for other skaters.
“When you are alone, you are on your own, but here there is a whole team - 16 people, you worry about everyone.
I even got allergies, this rarely happens.
There are almost no forces.
I am glad that everyone was able to show good results.
Everyone on my team skated well.
The boys let the boys down a bit ... But I think they will come together on Sunday.
Their problem today was that they gave themselves completely and lost control somewhere.
I think everyone will draw conclusions, and I will continue to cheer up the team and charge the guys with positive emotions, ”the Olympic champion summed up the results of the short skates.
The captain of the Red Machine also told how she tried to support her charges so that they feel as comfortable as possible on the ice.
“Denis Khodykin said that their pair needs silence for us to get sick, but not very loudly - they are focused on the skates, so for some athletes they did not shout as much as they would like.
Before the start, I don't tell them anything - the coaches explain everything.
I only meet and support as best I can.
Today we managed to unite as a team well, everyone was satisfied and enjoyed it, ”said Zagitova.
As for the name that the Olympic champion chose for her team, in her opinion, it is a "symbol of victories."
She also admitted that Eteri Tutberidze gave her the idea.
“She said: you have a lot to do with hockey, and I agreed.
Initially, I wanted to do everything myself, but then I realized that nothing brings the team together like teamwork.
Everyone offered something different.
Daniil Markovich Gleichengauz helped us with the fireworks.
It was fun, ”said Zagitova.
The skaters themselves were delighted with the short programs.
Thus, Makar Ignatov noted the excellent atmosphere at the Megasport arena and called his team “friendly and combative”.
At the same time, the role of Zagitova, according to him, is by no means nominal, since she sets up the athletes before going on the ice.
In turn, Mark Kondratyuk, representing the Time of the First, admitted that he skated in the Channel One Cup with the same maximum dedication as in the official competitions.
“Valieva's rental is incredible.
It seems that no one has performed this yet "
The well-known trainer Alexander Zhulin also agreed with the participants.
He noted not only the good atmosphere at the stadium, but also the work of the hosts.
He was especially impressed by the skating of Kamila Valieva, who performed the triple axel for the first time in the competition and received 90.25 points - almost five points more than the official world record in the short program.
“Gorgeous rental!
I do not detract from the merits of either Anna Shcherbakova, or Alexandra Trusova, or Daria Usacheva, or Maya Khromykh, they all skated great.
But Valieva, when everything grows together, gives away sport and art, ”quotes the R-Sport specialist.
At the same time, he urged not to take seriously the record marks that some skaters received on Saturday in Moscow.
“It's still a show.
Plus, the judging team consists of Russians, they sympathized with the skaters.
Despite the elements of the show, everyone is doing their best.
I saw that Samarin was walking on a quad.
Dmitry Aliev tried to perform a quadruple lutz and, thank God, realized, opened up in time and then made a gorgeous quadruple toe loop.
Here people go to the most difficult elements.
They understand that the selection for the World Cup is coming soon.
I think the federation is not asleep and will hold part of the qualification within the framework of this tournament, and part - in the final of the Cup of Russia, ”Zhulin added.
In turn, Tutberidze, live on Channel One, called the tournament a show on the eve of the Olympics.
“This is a team competition.
We will be happy when the whole team skates well.
We did have mistakes today.
In the other team, Mayechka Khromykh did everything today, but there was one "deduction" (fine -
RT
), offensive.
It is also a review of nerves on the eve of the Olympic Games, the ability of such team unity, ”the specialist emphasized.
And the two-time Olympic champion and coach Maxim Trankov spoke about the composition of the teams.
In his opinion, they are approximately equal in strength.
“In some forms, we can say that there is an advantage in one direction or another, but others equalize it.
Everything will depend only on the skating of the athletes, on the guys themselves.
I hope that each of the skaters will bring the maximum to his team, and there will not be such a gap as in the jump tournament, "TASS quoted Trankova as saying.
The mentor of Evgenia Tarasova and Vladimir Morozov, who took first place in the short program in the sports pairs competition and also exceeded the official world record, explained why they needed to participate in the Channel One Cup.
“For Zhenya and Volodya, this tournament is important from the point of view of competitive experience, this season there is very little of it.
We need good and clean skates, and we try to concentrate on this, ”added Trankov.
World champion Maria Butyrskaya called the competition taking place in Moscow "a holiday of figure skating" and also separately noted Valieva's performance.
“You don't need to have a professional opinion to understand that it was a great rental.
Awesome, the maximum was done in the elements.
Just bravo.
In general, all the girls are great.
Tuktamysheva skated well.
It's a pity the triple axel didn't work out.
I was finishing the short program of Usachev, and it was a quality point.
There are a lot of emotions from the girls ”, - quotes Butyrskaya“ Sport-Express ”.
She called the idea of holding a team figure skating tournament, although unusual for an inherently individual sport, but quite a successful find.
“There is a certain team spirit and it energizes.
In any case, we root for everyone, these are all our skaters.
It seems to me that only Russian figure skating will become the winner of the tournament, ”stressed Butyrskaya.
I liked this format and the bronze medalist of the 2015 World Cup Elena Radionova.
“It's extremely interesting and exciting.
I think everyone is already looking forward to the free skate.
I really liked the rental of Valieva, this is an incredible level, it seems that no one has ever performed this.
Each element has been executed accurately.
She merged with the music.
This is really a mini-performance on ice, ”said Radionova.
And the silver medalist of the 2012 World Cup Alena Leonova suggested that Medvedeva's team on Sunday was able to win back the gap from the "Red Machine".
“I liked everything, it's great that they came up with such a tournament.
It is interesting to watch this, I personally was sick and worried about absolutely everyone.
Because all participants are worthy and strong.
I think those who could not get together in the short program and show good skating will definitely do it in the free program, ”Sport24 quoted Leonova as saying.