Elizaveta Tuktamysheva: with age head becomes heavier not body
Elizaveta Tuktamysheva starts her GP series at Skate Canada this weekends, so here’s an interview with Liza.
This season’s free program is very passionate, even fire. Tell us about it.
– Canadian Emanuel Sandhu did it, but the idea was mine. A year ago I suggested music from American movie of 60s “Cleopatra”. Then Alexei Mishin reacted skeptically. But this year, he said that this music may suit. I decided immediately, if the coach agrees, we’re doing this program.
Had you an image together with this music?
– Cleopatra inspires me. I really wanted to show exactly this character. I prefer not even music, but this idea og the program, it’s style. In the short program, I, on the contrary have a gentle look. I like that programs are so different.
What are your goals for the new season?
– Go out calmly and show my program. We haven’t set any particular goals for the European and World championships. One of the main tasks is to skate well at the Russian National championships.
You always strive not to the result, but for a good performance. The peak of the career judging by the result – an Olympic gold medal, but what’s your peak judging by performance?
– In my life only once I had a performance, I was satisfied with. This was at European Championships 2015, which I won. Then I skated very clean. To be honest, I do not know how I need to skate to be pleased. After every successfull performance the bar rises only higher. I’m very serious to myself.
Another is your permanent setting “calmly show what you can”. What is the source of peace of mind for you?
– I still can’t find it. Of course I want to keep a balance between the necessary adrenaline and nerves that can unsettle. You can’t relax completely. I need the energy of excitement for jumping. I don’t know how to calm down, but I try not to think about it too much, because sometimes there are moments when I’m nervous up to the nausea.
After an unsuccessful Olympic season, you have worked with a psychologist. What is the main lesson you learned?
– Enjoy what you’re doing.
And the main lesson you learned from your great coach?
– Do what you capable of and no to chase the place.
Does the creative component of figure skating help not to get tired of the monotony of training?
– It depends on the coach and the way he held his lessons. There are those who force to do the same thing every day: skate, jump. There are those who each time adjust to you. If you feel bad, jumps don’t turn out, you can switch and work on the steps, look for something new.
I was lucky, in our team the second approach is used. I don’t get tired of skating. Figure skating is creativity. If you take it simply as a sport, then nothing good will come. You need to put your heart and do the movements that come from within. My choreographer is teaching me: “Try youself, do as you feel, your natural movements will be the best.”
In the entry lists appear more and more girls born in 2000th. Don’t you feel aged lady in such a company?
– To be honest, it’s unusual. I still remember myself at that age. These 3-4 years passed very quickly. And now they look at me from the bottom up, and address formally. I have nothing against, young people should motivate or figure skating won’t progress. Rivals younger than you are one of those nuances that will always be. You need to accept it and work on yourself in order to beat them – young, light, who don’t think much about what is happening.
With age, are there more weight in the body or head?
– In my head, of course. Everything turns out at trainings, I got used to my body, I feel comfortable. I have a very interesting psychological background. I love to make mountains out of molehills.
Do you have a principal rival on the ice?
– The Russian team now has one leader – Evgenia Medvedeva. She’s invincible yet. In general, there are lot of strong competitors, I can’t point out just one.
Have the doping scandals somehow touched the Russian team?
– I don’t feel it. I just do my job. Of course, as an athlete, I was going through all my heart for our Olympians, who were suspended. I don’t understand how you can live with such verdict. It’s scary, it’s wrong and unfair.
Not once you was talking about quads. Do you try it?
– First it’s necessary to restore at least a triple axel. While we are focused on clean execution of the program. As a child, I tried quad couple of times, but fell from it. So I think that everything is possible. Although, quad is hard for the female body.
Related topics: Elizaveta Tuktamysheva, interview, ladies
Liza is very sensible. I like her as a person, even though her skating is not my favorite.