Aleksandr Galliamov: “After the news about Olympic team mdals, we had a conversation with our entire Olympic team. We all discussed how it happened and so on. Valieva was also there.”
Translation of Aleksandr Galliamov’s comments about post Olympic season, CAS decision on Valieva’s doping case and publicity in figure skating.
original source: MatchTV dd. 22d February 2024 by Pavel Levkovich
Translation of Aleksandr Galliamov’s comments made in the interview to MatchTV.
“Q: The competitive season has ended, during which your pair has won all the titles. What summary can you draw?
Aleksandr Galliamov: The last post-Olympic season, where many experience a decline, was not the most successful. We are very happy that we were able to prove ourselves. We did not dwell on failure, improved elements and skating. We are glad that we achieved high places this season.
Q: Many in the mix zone said they lacked personal motivation. Some even had to explain these words…
Aleksandr Galliamov: I have not been looking for motivation for a long time. I wake up in the morning, go to practice, and do my job. And I want to do it well, that’s all.
Q: No additional conversations with Tamara Nikolaevna (Moskvina. — Ed. “Match TV”) are needed?
Aleksandr Galliamov: We talk during training, of course, we are adults. But each of our team knows perfectly well why they go out on the ice.
Q: Nastya spoke about a decline after the Olympics, noting that you thought it would not affect your pair. What were these thoughts based on?
Aleksandr Galliamov: Nastya and I blindly hoped that everything would work out, but we needed to work to show ready program options. If we talk specifically about skating, the thought that the decline would not affect us in any way stuck. Everything was quite mixed up in my head.
Even if we take the Grand Prix Final of last year, we wanted to improve the jumping part of the program and included a lutz there. It was not perfectly executed and a fall occurred.
Q: Before this season, did you completely focus on any improvements?
Aleksandr Galliamov: And most importantly, we immediately threw the Olympics and that season out of our heads. We entered fully prepared, nothing more.
Q: The main thing that is visible – you have perfect consistency, no serious mistakes. What is the secret?
Aleksandr Galliamov: We always listen to each other, all three of us. We can always express suggestions, opinions, and so on. And after discussions, we all go towards the goal together. As for physical loads, elements, and so on – all the nuances are worked out before the start of the training. Dialogue is the main thing.
Q: Tamara Nikolaevna said that there will be some complicating of the content already in the new season.
Aleksandr Galliamov: We would like to add new elements to make the programs look brighter. We’ll see what we come up with, there’s still the “Russian Challenge” ahead, so it’s too early to switch to the new season. But ideas and thoughts on new content are present. I emphasize, we will discuss them after all the competitions of this season.
Q: It’s been seven years since you and Nastya teamed up. Do you remember how your joint career began?
Aleksandr Galliamov: It was nice to realize that our pair turned seven during the short program in Magnitogorsk. It lifted our spirits even more before the performance. We discussed it with her, we were both shocked that we had been together for seven years already. Time flies by very quickly. As for that day, we were already acquainted before teaming up. I remember coming from the Russian Cup final, went out for the evening ice and started skating with Nastya.
Q: Did they take you by the hand and say, “Now you skate together”?
Aleksandr Galliamov: Well, no. I was 17, Nastya was 15. She suggested we team up, and I agreed. I just had to go to the country’s Cup final. So we already knew in advance that we would skate together.
Q: In recent years, there have been a lot of news about pairs split up. Did you ever get tired of each other?
Aleksandr Galliamov: Every pair experiences this, it’s normal. We just distract ourselves after training, meet friends, and take a break from figure skating.
Q: Has your pair ever been on the brink of splitting up?
Aleksandr Galliamov: Never. I have my head on my shoulders, so does Nastya. We respect each other, understand what and why we are working for.
Q: Are you always in dialogue, and if there are any misunderstandings, do you discuss them?
Aleksandr Galliamov: Not always. We can talk, or we can even be silent for a couple of minutes. Sometimes a conversation is with looks; we understand each other without words.
Q: The story with the Olympic gold… Your emotions when it became known that the medal was revoked?
Aleksandr Galliamov: I have already said that I let go of the whole Olympic series. It has been going on for so many episodes that I stopped following. Seriously, I let it go and try not to follow.
Q: Do you consider yourself an Olympic champion?
Aleksandr Galliamov: It’s wrong to say that. A true athlete would not say that. We were on the podium, rejoiced — and that’s it. If I had fixated on this story and beyond, perhaps Nastya and I would not have had such a successful season as this one.
Whether I consider myself someone or not is not so important. I don’t live on past achievements; I try to work in the moment and to win any competition in which our pair participates.
Q: It seems that you were the only one who decided to support the heat of this story in your Telegram channel. In terms of support, motivation, and so on. Many just kept silent.
Aleksandr Galliamov: Not everyone chose to remain silent; some guys still said a few words. But I’ll say this, after the news, that evening, we had a conversation with our entire Olympic team. We all discussed how it happened and so on. Thanked each other for the time when we performed shoulder to shoulder, supported each other, and lived through every moment. We remembered and enjoyed that victory.
Q: Was the conversation positive, or maybe someone was depressed by the news?
Aleksandr Galliamov: Not at all, everything went well. No one felt terrible or depressed during the conversation. And even if someone did, we could support and cheer them up. Everyone’s reaction was absolutely normal.
Q: Was Kamila Valieva involved in this conversation?
Aleksandr Galliamov: She was. I’ll repeat, all the figure skaters from the team were present at this conversation.
You joked brightly about medals by mail, Americans, and Canadians.
Aleksandr Galliamov: Americans had their own view on this situation. I showed my vision. I showed how I personally see it. And honestly, I wanted to relieve all the tension that was in the space.
Q: Did you receive any reactions to your posts from figure skaters?
Aleksandr Galliamov: The guys came up and honestly said that this post was a complete hit. Sometimes we sit, have lunch, and someone starts to remember some joke.
Q: And from foreigners?
Aleksandr Galliamov: Telegram has more of a Russian audience, fewer foreigners, so I didn’t receive reactions from them. However, someone got my nickname in Telegram and added me to various chats. Not only me, but also Yagudin. Alexei even wrote to have himself removed from all chats with fans. Thank goodness they removed him from everywhere to avoid spam. Such a funny situation.
Thanks to the Russian Nationals, your popularity has grown. Do you feel increased interest in you?
Aleksandr Galliamov: The audience growth mainly occurs during competitions, of course, but yes, I feel much more popular.
Q: In the mix zone, you also became more confident, although some athletes are afraid of the press.
Aleksandr Galliamov: I have never felt weak. Every time I enter the mix zone, I know many people personally. I also interact with fans for quite some time; Nastya and I have a large fan base.
Some do not want to be in the media, talk to journalists, and the audience. It all depends on the person.
Q: You are posting more and more about things not related to figure skating.
Aleksandr Galliamov: Why not? I’m trying to attract a new audience. Plus, I want fans of figure skating to learn something new: about other sports, fields of activity.
Q: Don’t you afraid that some posts may not be understood?
Aleksandr Galliamov: They may not understand at first, but they catch on later. The audience needs to get used to it.
Q: Are you satisfied with what is happening to you in terms of media attention lately?
Aleksandr Galliamov: Yes, quite. Our kind of figure skating initially loses out in terms of media coverage to singles — both men and women. I try to raise its profile as best I can.”
Related topics: Anastasiia Mishina Alexander Galliamov
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