The competition of sports couples at the Beijing Olympics left mixed impressions on Russian fans.
On the one hand, two domestic duets Evgenia Tarasova and Vladimir Morozov, as well as Anastasia Mishina and Alexander Gallyamov, climbed onto the podium at once.
On the other hand, it was not them who got the gold, but the Chinese Sui Wenjing and Han Cong.
First, they won the short program with a world record, and then held the lead in the free program, losing only to Mishina and Gallyamov in the technical component.
As a result, their gap from Evgenia and Vladimir was a meager 0.63 points, and from Anastasia and Alexander - 2.17.
To understand how fair the victory of the representatives of the Celestial Empire turned out to be and how objectively they were evaluated by the judges, RT talked to experts.
Most of them called the success of Wenjing and Cong deserved.
So, according to the famous choreographer Ilya Averbukh, the arbitrators did not try to artificially pull the couple to the first line.
“Although we all cheered for our guys and they were amazing, especially Tarasova and Morozov, I think the result is fair.
The Chinese turned out, despite a small mistake, to be fantastic in other elements.
And the judges also evaluate the road that people have traveled to their gold, ”Averbukh emphasized.
I did not see anything surprising in the assessments of the hosts and three-time Olympic champion Irina Rodnina.
In her opinion, they have been skating like a champion for more than a year.
The decisive factor that helped to achieve victory was the quadruple twist.
“Yes, Wenjing and Cong made a mistake, but they made up for it with other elements.
Their program is phenomenal, skating is wonderful.
Moreover, both in the short and in the free.
And so for the last three years, how long they went to this award.
Therefore, their victory is absolutely deserved, ”Rodnina emphasized.
The Olympic champion Roman Kostomarov also supported her.
He stressed that the Russians showed “awesome and brilliant” performances, but the Chinese coped with their task no worse and did not allow a single rough blot.
“Plus, an important advantage for them was, albeit small, but a touch on the results of the short program.
Questions may arise, but Wenjing and Cong have shown championship skating over the past few years.
Although the Chinese do not look as stately as our guys and not as tall, they are very artistic, plastic and perform elements cleanly: emissions, rotations, ”Kostomarov explained.
But according to the European champion Sergei Novitsky, the referees could really support the figure skaters from the Celestial Empire as the hosts of the Games.
“Justice and the Beijing Olympics are incomparable things.
Given what happened in the women's competition and how politics intervened in figure skating, we can not rule out the help of Wenjing and Cong in their native walls.
Some support for the Chinese could go.
Plus, we must not forget under what tremendous pressure the Russians have to perform in China.
And now I'm talking not only about figure skaters, but about all athletes in general.
I think our couples could well rise to first place, ”Novitsky said.
At the same time, RT interlocutors were delighted with the rental of Tarasova and Morozov.
Rodnina called the duet of two-time Olympic medalists the most beautiful and stressed that he has incredible inclinations.
According to her, the Russians could well have bypassed Wenjing and Cong in Beijing, if not for numerous problems.
“For Tarasova and Morozov, all four seasons after the Olympic Games in Pyeongchang turned out to be difficult.
They failed in Korea, and then problems began, changes of coaches, searches for programs ... At first they fought with technique, then internal contradictions began.
And in a couple it is of great importance how people feel each other and work together.
As a result, the search and torment gave a good result.
I have not seen such a stable and clean performance in both short and free programs in the last four years from them.
But still, we were waiting for this, because Tarasova and Morozov have a very beautiful duet.
Plus they feel the music.
Movement, elements - everything is on their side, ”the three-time Olympic champion emphasized.
In turn, Averbukh noted that the domestic couple also did a quadruple twist, but at the Olympics they refused it, thereby deciding themselves to be even higher rated.
The choreographer believes that it is not worth criticizing the athletes for this decision, because they know better in this situation.
“The guys have done a tremendous job this season and outperformed very strong Russian duets.
In many ways, this is the merit of Maxim Trankov and Alexei Tikhonov.
And, of course, Eteri Tutberidze was able to inspire confidence in them, create the working conditions that allowed us to see such an outstanding performance.
Evgenia and Vladimir gave their best rental, the rental of life, ”said Averbukh.
Kostomarov, on the other hand, was surprised by the fact that Tarasova and Morozov in Beijing overtook the usually stable Mishina and Gallyamov, who were invariably inferior in all major tournaments.
“For them, second place is a huge achievement, because for the last year or two they lost to Mishina and Gallyamov.
Anastasia and Alexander won all the main competitions.
And the fact that Evgenia and Vladimir took the lead in Beijing is incredible.
I don’t know if they will continue to ride, they need to resolve this issue with the coaches, ”summed up the Olympic champion.
The performance of Mishina and Gallyamov was also highly appreciated by the experts.
In their opinion, this young couple has everything ahead.
Rodnina noted that skaters need to "grow up in their skating" a little more, since the technical complexity of the programs does not always guarantee the quality of performance.
“In pair skating, in addition to pure elements, it is important whether a duet looks or not.
It's not just two people who were put side by side.
So far, we cannot say that Mishina and Gallyamov are the same couple as the Chinese or Tarasova and Morozov.
They have a good technical set and amazingly stable, but you need to grow up a little more in your skating.
I am sure that Anastasia and Alexander have everything ahead.
And the fact that we still have two very strong couples: Kozlovsky with Boikova and Mishina with Gallyamov gives hope for the next four years, since the competition between them will give results, ”said Rodnina.
He explained what needs to be added to the skaters, and Averbukh.
According to him, they should work on the artistic embodiment of programs and images.
“Mishina and Gallyamov outperformed everyone in terms of technique.
I think their four years are next... Anastasia and Alexander broke into the elite only this season and have not matured like the first two couples yet.
Four years later, they are able to take their gold.
So far, the results are absolutely correct, well-deserved.
What we saw, the judges staged, ”summed up the choreographer.
Supported by Averbukh and Kostomarov, who urged the athletes not to be upset.
“To win a medal at the debut Olympics is a great achievement.
I'm sure they still have a long way to go.
Mishina and Gallyamov are waiting for a new Olympic cycle, and they may well get their gold.
I would also like to congratulate Tamara Moskvina and Eteri Tutberidze.
To bring so many awards from one Olympic Games is a tremendous success, ”said Kostomarov.