Eteri Tutberidze: “I’ve grown accustomed to relying solely on myself. Even if there are men around, I still take matters into my own hands because I know I’ll do it well.”
Eteri Tutberidze shares insights on ambition, personal life, and self-reliance.
original source: Sports / Sports / Sports / Sports / Sports / Sports
Eteri Tutberidze discussed various aspects of her life and philosophy in a series of interviews with Editorial Opinion. From her relentless drive to achieve results in sports to her reflections on family, friendship, and independence, Tutberidze offered a candid glimpse into her mindset and personal experiences. Here are a translation.
Love for Herself as Motivation to Achieve Victories
Tutberidze denied that vanity is her driving force behind success, emphasizing that her passion stems from self-respect and a determination to achieve extraordinary results.
“For me, this isn’t about vanity. I didn’t reach Olympic medals overnight – it was a long journey. Initially, my skaters weren’t even recognized, even when they were competing at the same level. That’s when I realized: to win, you have to outclass your competitors completely,” she explained.
She spoke of strategic innovations such as placing jumps in the latter half of programs for scoring advantages and introducing high-risk elements (ultra-C) when regulations changed.
“Of course, after working for so many years in figure skating, you want your athletes to succeed. You want to see them standing on the top of the podium. That’s normal. It’s not vanity – it’s love for yourself. Everything you accomplish, you do it for yourself,” Tutberidze concluded.
Friendship as Practical Support
Addressing the common sentiment that sports lack room for friendship, she reflected on her minimalist approach to relationships:
“Many athletes say there are no friends in sports. I skated until I was 18, and I didn’t have friends. I grew up accustomed to this. I have a very small circle of people I communicate with, and that suits me perfectly – any interaction drains energy. What is friendship, anyway? Is it when you call someone for support and they show up? That’s not something I have.”
Yet, she acknowledged: “I’ve surrounded myself with good people who make me comfortable. If something happens, like my car breaking down, I know I can call people for help, as I did with Sergei Dudakov recently. I’m fortunate to have such people in my circle.”
Not a Public Figure: Results Speak Louder Than Fame
Tutberidze described herself as someone who stays outside the spotlight despite her profession’s visibility.
“I don’t consider myself a public figure. My profession doesn’t require it. I prove my work through the achievements of my athletes. What would change if I appeared on magazine covers or billboards? Nothing. No amount of PR can be more convincing than victories achieved by my skaters,” she emphasized.
Eteri Tutberidze Shares Insights on Ambition, Personal Life, and Self-Reliance
Renowned figure skating coach Eteri Tutberidze discussed various aspects of her life and philosophy in a series of interviews with Editorial Opinion. From her relentless drive to achieve results in sports to her reflections on family, friendship, and independence, Tutberidze offered a candid glimpse into her mindset and personal experiences.
Love for Herself as Motivation to Achieve Victories
Tutberidze denied that vanity is her driving force behind success, emphasizing that her passion stems from self-respect and a determination to achieve extraordinary results.
“For me, this isn’t about vanity. I didn’t reach Olympic medals overnight—it was a long journey. Initially, my skaters weren’t even recognized, even when they were competing at the same level. That’s when I realized: to win, you have to outclass your competitors completely,” she explained.
She spoke of strategic innovations such as placing jumps in the latter half of programs for scoring advantages and introducing high-risk elements (ultra-C) when regulations changed.
“Of course, after working for so many years in figure skating, you want your athletes to succeed. You want to see them standing on the top of the podium. That’s normal. It’s not vanity—it’s love for yourself. Everything you accomplish, you do it for yourself,” Tutberidze concluded.
Friendship as Practical Support
Addressing the common sentiment that sports lack room for friendship, she reflected on her minimalist approach to relationships:
“Many athletes say there are no friends in sports. I skated until I was 18, and I didn’t have friends. I grew up accustomed to this. I have a very small circle of people I communicate with, and that suits me perfectly—any interaction drains energy. What is friendship, anyway? Is it when you call someone for support and they show up? That’s not something I have.”
Yet, she acknowledged:
“I’ve surrounded myself with good people who make me comfortable. If something happens, like my car breaking down, I know I can call people for help, as I did with Sergei Dudakov recently. I’m fortunate to have such people in my circle.”
Not a Public Figure: Results Speak Louder Than Fame
Tutberidze described herself as someone who stays outside the spotlight despite her profession’s visibility.
“I don’t consider myself a public figure. My profession doesn’t require it. I prove my work through the achievements of my athletes. What would change if I appeared on magazine covers or billboards? Nothing. No amount of PR can be more convincing than victories achieved by my skaters,” she emphasized.
Facing Discrimination and Proving Her Worth
Revealing challenges from her youth, Tutberidze spoke about growing up in a Georgian-Armenian family in the Soviet Union.
“As a child, I often felt prejudiced against because of my ethnicity. Even in school or at the rink, I was singled out as ‘the Georgian girl,’ not ‘Eteri.’ It wasn’t easy – teachers graded me harder, and I always felt like I had to fight for my worth.”
On Marriage and Family: Relationships Are a Daily Effort
Tutberidze shared her pragmatic views on relationships and balancing personal and professional life: “Family is also a profession – a commitment as a wife or mother, and relationships require daily effort. For me, it’s always been a choice: am I dedicated to family or work?”
She described how women often envision fairy-tale relationships when younger, but reality often leads to becoming single mothers.
“I don’t feel like I’ve forsaken personal happiness for my work. I simply live this way, enjoying the results of my efforts. If circumstances mean I don’t have a partner, I’m content embracing life as it is.”
Tutberidze emphasized the advantages of marrying earlier: “Creating a family before 30 is ideal since, as we grow older, we become more demanding of life. It’s harder to compromise. For me now, bringing someone into my life would likely cause discomfort – why would I willingly choose that?”
On Independence and Self-Reliance
Reflecting on being a single mother and her approach to life, Tutberidze shared: “I’ve grown accustomed to relying solely on myself. Even if there are men around, I still take matters into my own hands because I know I’ll do it well. It gives me peace of mind.”
She joked about addressing the gaps when others fail at tasks: “When things aren’t done properly, I often say, ‘Why do we even need these men?’ But it’s just a reaction to situations I see often in life and work.”
Related topics: Eteri Tutberidze
You are the best skating coach in the WORLD and always will be
Amazing Eteri and we do know you get the job done continue ICE QUEEN ignore the hate those are just jealous people who will never achieve your status.
You are the best skating coach in the WORLD and always will be
Good Job Eteri and we do know you get the job done continue ICE QUEEN ignore the hate those are just jealous people who will never achieve your status.
I’ll admit, there is systematic doping, particularly in Russia, but, I’d stress the fact the fact that none of her students (that I know of), except for Valivea, have tested positive for doping. I think we’re missing the forest for the trees. Once you become successful, there will be those who want to work for and with you, and those who want to take you down. I believe Tutberidze’s success has made her a target for jabs and accusations.
As a coach, achieving the results, she is genius- no doubts. But Valieva-case bothers me.. There are adult(s) who have given substances to the child. Who are these people?