Daniil Gleikhengauz: “The situation feels strange: while some coaches and athletes have been granted access, the applications for certain teams weren’t even reviewed because one staff member was denied.”
Daniil Gleikhengauz reflects on exclusion from Olympic qualification and prepares Petrosian’s performances
original source: RSport / RSport
Daniil Gleikhengauz, coach and choreographer for Eteri Tutberidze’s group, expressed disappointment over his exclusion from accompanying Adeliia Petrosian to the Olympic qualifying competition in Beijing. Despite this setback, Petrosian will perform her acclaimed “Tango” free skate and short program to Michael Jackson’s music as part of their meticulous Olympic season strategy. Here’s a translation of his comments.
The Olympic qualifying event for the 2026 Winter Games is set to take place in Beijing from September 19 to 21. Russian figure skater Adeliia Petrosian will compete under neutral status. However, her coach and choreographer Daniil Gleikhengauz has been denied permission to accompany her to the competition, a decision he described as “painful.”
Commenting on the news, Gleikhengauz shared the emotional toll of the decision: “The first couple of days were very difficult. Honestly, it felt demoralizing because we’ve traveled such a long road together, and I wanted to see it through to the end with our athlete.
Unfortunately, it’s a decision that cannot be contested or even explained. The situation feels strange: while some coaches and athletes have been granted access, the applications for certain teams weren’t even reviewed because one staff member was denied. In our case, the athlete was approved, but the coach’s application was not.
For us, this was particularly painful as we function as a unified team. We had prepared together, and this decision disrupts that.”
In Beijing, Adeliia Petrosian will present her short program set to Michael Jackson’s music and her free skate program from last season, “Tango.” Gleikhengauz explained the reasoning behind the choices, which were made collaboratively with Eteri Tutberidze and Petrosian herself.
“We discussed the best programs Adeliia has performed, and there was no question that the ‘Tango’ is her strongest free skate. It’s an outstanding program – visually and technically – and was her most recent, which aligns with our tradition of carrying successful free skates into the Olympic season.
As for the short program, we had a broader range of options. Ultimately, we chose Michael Jackson because it’s a program where Adeliia really shines. It suits her perfectly – it’s vibrant and full of unique, standout elements.
Additionally, international judges and audiences have never seen either of these programs live. It’s a common approach for Olympic seasons; many skaters choose to revisit tried-and-true programs rather than unveil entirely new ones. For example, Yuzuru Hanyu and Nathan Chen have both done this.”
Related topics: Adeliia Petrosian, Daniil Gleikhengauz
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