Aleksandra Boikova and Dmitrii Kozlovskii: “Medals were important, not people. The harsh reality of Olympic sports.”
Interview with Aleksandra Boikova and Dmitrii Kozlovskii.
original source: “Free Skate” show on Channel 1 by Maxim Trankov. / text version Sports
In the interview with Maxim Trankov, Aleksandra Boikova and Dmitrii Kozlovskii told about not getting into the Olympic team event, not winning an Olympic medal, decision to change a coach and suspension of Russian athletes. Here’s a translation of their comments.
“Q: How did the team event at the Olympics affect you?
Dmitrii Kozlovskii: It was sadly uneventful for us. In fact, unfortunately, it didn’t involve us at all, and that was very disappointing for us. It was a bit tough because, at the moment, it wasn’t clear who was going to skate which program. I assume that the leaders knew they would be skating both programs, but this information had not been communicated to those of us who were potential substitutions. So, we were in anticipation, still counting on replacements to be made in women’s singles and pairs. We assumed that if Mishina-Galliamov skated the short program and a substitution was made, we would most likely skate the free skate.
Q: Absolutely, just the strategy was different, to let you know.
Aleksandra Boikova: We knew nothing.
Q: I’m deeply upset with the people who made, in my opinion, this inhumane decision. I was saying, take Tarasova and Morozov for the short program, it won’t make any difference. And for the free skate, let either Boikova-Kozlovskii or Mishina-Galliamov, who often perform it well and cleanly, skate. Tarasova and Morozov didn’t always skate the free skate well, but their short programs were always strong.
Dmitri Kozlovskii: You’re thinking logically, Maxim. But we were simply going by the logic that the first numbers of the team would skate the short program, as is usually the case. And we understood that if a free skate was up, it would probably be us, not Tarasova-Morozov.
Q: Of course. We didn’t even think about the free skate, there wasn’t even a discussion. I asked for the short program, went around pleading, advocating, stating all the reasons. But I was told that medals were important, not people. I will forever remember that phrase.
Dmitrii Kozlovskii: The harsh reality of Olympic sports.
Aleksandra Boikova: Yes. But it was disappointing because everyone was preparing and training for the team event. Zhenya and Vova, us, Nastya and Sasha. Until the last moment, we skated in hopes that we would be skating the free skate. As far as I remember, literally on the day of the free skate or the evening before it, they told everyone that those who skated the short program would skate the free skate too. And it was a shock for the girls and for the pairs. The dance pairs knew this and counted on it.”
Kozlovskii told that he believes that the pair’s status could have influenced the judging at the Olympics. Aleksandra Boikova and Dmitrii Kozlovskii finished fourth at the 2022 Beijing Games.
“Dmitrii Kozlovskii: The fourth place at the Olympics was a failure for us. It was very sad, very disappointing, but personally, I was able to move past it relatively easily because after the short program, I already realized that we would not be in the top three unless the other athletes who were ahead of us made serious mistakes.
The Olympics evolved very specifically when we were in Beijing. Because along the way, we began to learn certain surprises, receive certain information which contradicted what we had known before. For example, the technical panel that judged us at the World Championships in Stockholm and throughout the season, throughout our career, gave us a level four lift all season long. But when we arrive at the Olympic Games, we find out that this same lift has somehow become level three.
I don’t know whom to blame in this context, but still, probably the position of being the third pair played a part. We arrived at the Olympics as the third pair, as we were in the third position in the country after the European Championships that preceded the Games. Apparently, this factor played a role, allowing them to give us such scores. It’s important to say that we earned our place with our performances.
How we performed, how all our main competitors from Russia and China performed… we took our place. Because the guys skated cleanly, except for the Chinese — they are the only ones who made a serious mistake and won. It is important to say that I still consider the Olympic champions to be Tarasova and Morozov.
I’ll tell you an interesting story: at the pre-Olympic European Championships, we were well-prepared. I felt that our training was going well. Short program, we skated last among the Russian pairs. I was confident, I was charged up. We started skating the program, everything went as we’d practiced, with emotion, with passion. First element — I make a beautiful salchow, I look — Sasha is standing. And I hear some feeble applause. Sasha confidently glides on her skate, I think everything is great.
We continue — the twist, the throw, the lift. I’m skating down the rink, thinking: Go Dima, let all the emotions out. We do the spin, I strike the final pose, think: we did so well! And at that moment, Sasha whispers to me: ‘I did a double Salchow.’ I just fell apart. I realize all our competitors skated cleanly, Sasha skated with a double salchow. And I realize: that’s it. And why did we perform so brilliantly at the Russian Nationals?
In a figure skater’s career, many aspects are decided by the specific moment. And this moment was very pivotal. From this moment, the avalanche began which led to the fourth place at the Olympic Games.”
Boikova and Kozlovskii also explained why they left Tamara Moskvina and joined Tutberidze’s coaching staff.
“Aleksandra Boikova: Probably, it all had a cumulative effect. The fourth place at the Olympics was a sign: guys, if you want to move somewhere, you need to radically change your life. We were in doubt for a year, after all, we stayed with Tamara Nikolaevna after the Olympic Games. We choreographed new programs, went through the whole season – it went well. But inside us, there was dissatisfaction, we understood that we could do more, wanted more, but somehow it was not possible to show this more, to make it happen.
Q: You spent the whole season winning, competing against the world champions, who at that point were also Olympic champions – and still you felt dissatisfaction?
Dmiti Kozlovskii: Even during the Olympic season, we absolutely understood that our aspiration for development was not supported. And the best example of this was the Channel One Cup, which took place after the Olympics. At the Olympic Games, Boikova and Kozlovskii skated with a triple salchow and a 3-2-2 combo. A month later, Boikova and Kozlovskii skated with a 3-euler-3 combo and performed excellently in the free program. Question: why?
Q: You tell me. Maybe you made the element consistent within a month?
Aleksandra Boikova: As a figure skater yourself, you understand that jumps are not mastered in a month. We really wanted to skate with a 3-euler-3 combo in the Olympic year. But circumstances unfolded such that our idea was not supported, let’s say.
Dmiti Kozlovskii: To put it mildly, I don’t want to dwell on the bad memories, because talking about Tamara Nikolaevna Moskvina, there was a lot of good. Unfortunately, the end of our work together was not the most successful, I think.
It’s in the past now. Yes, we did not have a great Olympics, and the Olympic season didn’t go well, but the life experience we gained… Now Sasha will continue about that season when we won all the competitions, and the strength with which we won. It really toughened us as athletes and changed us as people.
Aleksandra Boikova: This experience was necessary to understand that everything needs to change. The last season we spent with Tamara Nikolaevna, probably we won exclusively because of our character. Because everything was going wrong and not the way it should. We had injuries, and the preparation was not going well. And we gathered our strength solely for competitions. Probably, thanks to each other, believing in each other. It was very exhausting for us. Because when you intensely focus on competitions and do it on your own, by your own efforts, it leads to burnout.
By the end of the season, we fully understood that we couldn’t keep it up for another year. So we quickly decided that we needed to switch to another coach. We then observed how Evgenia and Vova, as a team with Eteri Georgievna, helped them at their time, and thought that we could approach, ask if such a path – working with us – was possible. We did this. Eteri Georgievna thought about it for a while, and then our collaboration happened. And we are grateful that they accepted us and are now working with us.
Dmitri Kozlovskii: Having worked in a new city, new club, with new coaches for over a year now, I can say that, probably, Sasha and I have found our coaches.”
Dmitry Kozlovskii also expressed his feelings about the suspension of the Russian team.
“Dmitri Kozlovskii: It’s very sad, very distressing, and extremely unfair. This is my personal pain. I will speak exclusively for myself; maybe Sasha doesn’t feel the same. It must be understood that Sasha and I are currently one of the strongest pairs in the world, with tremendous prospects. But because of our absolutely unjustified, unfair, and treacherous exclusion from sports, we risk being forgotten in the history of figure skating. Because at this point, Sasha and I lack significant victories.
In the history of figure skating, I am convinced, one can only be remembered by having major international victories. And by this, I would refer exclusively to two competitions – the World Championships and the Olympic Games.
With all due respect to our federation and other institutions trying to support athletes at the Russian level, changing this in a matter of days, months, or even years is likely impossible. What are we fighting for? We say: this is Olympus, here are the gods. This is the central competition in our sport.
If we talk about our direct competitors, who are currently training in Tamara Moskvina’s group, they have significant victories, they have notable medals. They are world champions, they have the third place at the Olympic Games. They have already made their mark in history. We had our chances, but we didn’t use them. It would be very sad and disappointing if we don’t get such chances.
Q: Suppose we are allowed tomorrow but in a neutral status – what will be your decision?
Dmitrii Kozlovskii: To go, definitely. I see no provocative question here. To go, definitely. I believe that to go and win under the toughest conditions – even without a flag and anthem, under certain pressure – is a demonstration of strength and character. To raise hands and say “we won’t go”, I think, shows a position of certain weakness. I speak exclusively for myself.
Aleksandra Boikova: I support Dima in the sense that an athlete’s career is short. We’ve tried competing on the international stage. It’s incomparable to the Russian stage, even though it’s one of the strongest. There would be a chance.
Q: World Championship, we are allowed – one spot. Does one need to be a head and shoulders above than the main competitors?
Dmitri Kozlovskii: We will compete. We are working on it. There are worthy opponents. For me, the main motivation right now is to be above our main rivals who train in St. Petersburg. On the Russian level, Sasha and I have won everything. But we haven’t won the World Championships, nor the Olympics. At the Russian level, the motivation is to be better than specific people I know.”
Related topics: Alexandra Boikova Dmitri Kozlovski, Tatiana Volosozhar Maxim Trankov
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