Evgenia Medvedeva: “Figure skaters always envy swimmers, gymnasts. For us, there’s just one single chance at the Olympics and no room for mistake, no other distance.”
Evgenia Medvedeva about the significance of the main competitions for figure skaters.
original source: Sport24
Evgenia Medvedeva spoke about the significance of the main competitions of the season for figure skaters. Here’s a translation of her comments.
“Throughout the season, you are continuously trying to qualify somewhere, and it’s nerve-wracking: what if I mess up here, fall there, and don’t qualify. It’s a constant tension that doesn’t let you peacefully enjoy how you go out there and skate beautifully, cleanly, wonderfully, and win.
The World Championships and the Olympic Games are the competitions where everyone arrives in a wonderful mood, because these are the final competitions of the season. Everyone has qualified, they know all that remains is to do their job and then rest.
Everyone ais happy, kind. They are waiting for the World Championships to end so they can rest. These are two competitions that for me were truly celebrations of sports. The atmosphere is so festive — it’s like coming to a festival where, in addition to everything else, you have the opportunity to win a World Championship.
The Olympic Games are held every four years, and for me, it was a once-in-a-lifetime event. When you have just a single chance… Figure skaters always envy swimmers, and athletes like gymnasts.
When you have the opportunity to go on bars, win, and take a gold medal. Jump on the vault, win, and get another gold medal. Swimmers can swim 100 meters, 400 meters, longer distances. For every distance, there’s a separate medal. That’s why we have Michael Phelps, a 23-time Olympic champion.
But for figure skaters, there’s just one single chance. That’s why we fought hard for the team event. It’s a second chance to get a medal. That’s why, I think, figure skating is so valued.
Firstly, it’s a beautiful and spectacular sport. And secondly, there’s just one chance. When you realize there’s no room for mistake, no other distance.
“Today it didn’t work, tomorrow it will. Legs got tired, today didn’t work out. Tomorrow I’ll recover, have a good meal, swim 400 meters – and there’ll be gold.” We don’t have that luxury.”
Related topics: Evgenia Medvedeva
Yeah… not to mention that figure skating routines are not very long either. Everything boils down to the few minutes when you’re on the ice.
I like how they are awarding now the small medals for short programs and sometimes pewter medals for 4th place. It gives more skaters a chance to win something, to be recognized, because like Zhenya says, there is only one chance, one competition where everyone enters.