Eteri Tutberidze: “Adeliia was filled with doubt, saying, ‘I’m not ready. I can’t go in this condition.’ We told her, ‘Are you planning to give up your place to the alternate? You will regret this for the rest of your life.’”
Eteri Tutberidze on Adeliia Petrosian’s Journey to Olympic Qualification
original source: OKKO
Eteri Tutberidze shared insights on Adeliia Petrosian’s journey and performance at the Olympic qualification event in Beijing. Here’s a translation of her comments.
Russian figure skater Adeliia Petrosian, competing under neutral status, won first place at the Olympic qualification tournament in Beijing, earning her spot at the 2026 Winter Olympics. Tutberidze, who coaches Petrosyan, revealed the difficulties the skater endured leading up to the competition and reflected on her achievements, mindset, and the unique challenges her athletes face.
Tutberidze revealed that Petrosian had serious doubts about participating in the qualification event due to an injury sustained during preseason preparations.
“Adeliia was filled with doubt, saying, ‘No, this is it; I’m not ready. I can’t go in this condition.’
We told her, ‘Why are you giving up? Are you planning to give up your place to the alternate (Alina Gorbacheva)?’ She replied, ‘If she’s more deserving, then let her go.’ I told her, ‘What are you saying? You will regret this for the rest of your life.’
It turned out that even the alternate wasn’t in better shape – she was also dealing with an injury and had even less preparation time. In that situation, I’ll agree that Adeliia was better prepared.”
Tutberidze acknowledged that Petrosian’s season did not begin as planned due to a severe injury that kept her out of training for three to four weeks – a significant setback.
“The season didn’t start as any of us had envisioned. The injury was quite serious. Initially, she tried to train and recover simultaneously, but eventually, the correct diagnosis was made, and it became clear that rest was the only solution. Unfortunately, by the time she resumed training, only two weeks remained before her departure for the qualifiers.
Her boots caused severe pain when she returned to the ice, so much so that her skin was worn raw down to the flesh.”
Despite the difficulties, Tutberidze reflected on the challenges all her athletes have faced en route to the Olympics, referencing cases like Alina Zagitova, Evgenia Medvedeva, Alexandra Trusova, and Anna Shcherbakova:
“It seems that the path to the Olympics is never supposed to be easy. Every athlete, except one, has struggled. Zagitova skated with injuries that left her legs raw. Medvedeva and Trusova competed with broken bones. Shcherbakova endured severe pneumonia and a high fever for six months leading up to the Games. Perhaps it truly needs to be difficult for it to turn out well. We must think positively – these challenges are here so everything can align in the future.”
Asked to evaluate Petrosian’s performances in Beijing, Tutberidze praised her ability to adapt despite not being in peak condition.
“I told her, ‘Act within the circumstances given to you. There are no other options, so you need to do your best with what you have.’
She went to Beijing without ultra-C elements and wasn’t in the shape she’s accustomed to for competitions, but she fought with the program content she had. She delivered the best she could at this stage. The result was enough for today – it was a level that needed to be passed. Whether it was good or not doesn’t matter, because the Olympics will be even harder – and that’s still ahead of her.”
Tutberidze also addressed criticisms of Petrosian’s program component scores:
“Everyone is talking about her supposedly low component scores, but they’re actually quite fair for entering international competitions. To earn higher components, you need serious arguments like ultra-C jumps. It’s difficult to compete on equal footing without such elements.”
When asked whether they considered creating new programs for Petrosyan, Tutberidze explained:
“There was no desire to create new programs. The goal was to refine and elevate the ones she already had. Both programs were made more complex by adding transitions, cleaning them up, and bringing everything into balance.
Her short program stands out – it truly highlights how she differs from other skaters. On the ice, she’s full of energy, and her charisma shines through in this program. It’s her uniqueness that we wanted to showcase.”
Regarding costumes, Tutberidze explained that Petrosian now has new costumes due to her growth:
“Yes, we replaced the costumes – these are new. She wouldn’t have fit into the old ones because she’s grown, which is entirely natural. The new costumes align with the original concept, which is why you may not have noticed the change.”
Tutberidze ended by emphasizing the importance of focusing on the challenges ahead:
“This is just one level in the journey. To reach the next, one must overcome this one first. Petrosian has passed this stage, and now we prepare for what’s next – because reaching the Olympics and competing there will be much more difficult.”
Related topics: Adeliia Petrosian, Eteri Tutberidze
It seems like every athlete, regardless of sport, will combat stress, extreme injury, self doubt. But a lot push through to win. It’s not because someone makes them, but because they expect height standards for themselves. No athlete would put themselves through this, if they didn’t want the end goal, the medal. I find the idea absurd that one would purposely endure meaningless pain for nothing. Ultimately, the decision is theirs.