Evgenia Medvedeva: I love to compete.
Translation of videoconference with Evgenia Medvedeva Part 2.
Part 1 you can find here.
by ROCTV.RU
How do you transport skates in a plane? Is this a carry-on, baggage? Are there any problems?
– Previously, it was allowed to take skates with you to the plain, but for several years it’s forbidden, so you have to put the skates into your luggage, because the blades considered as a cold weapon. There were such situations, when skates did not arrive, the luggage was lost. And I can say that I often worry because of it. Because recently at the European Championships, there was such a story with Daniel Samokhin, who represents Israel. His luggage with the skates simply did not arrive. And he had to skate on absolutely different skates, someone else’s skates, with the blades that he has never skated before. I should give him a dab of respect, because you need to have a great courage to go and skate on the skates you have never skated before. And he skated the short program. I think he did everything he could. It causes respect.
How much time do you spend on getting used to new skates? Thermoforming, corns etc.
– Honestly, it depends a lot on what the athelete has used to. Because there are a lot of skates. Someone likes to skate on heavy ones, someone on light ones. I skate on the skates I’ve used to, they’re pretty tough, but they’re light. Inside, they are pretty soft and I can wear them on the first training and do all my jumps. Perhaps they need to be somehow corrected, because there may have a slightly different level of slope. It happens, because not all skates are identical. Someone skates on those skates that are really very tough, you need to break into such skates, so for the first few practices you do only stroking. I skate with a silicone, these are such half socks, they helps not to rub my foot. I don’t have calluses. Blades are also completely different. I skate on everything light.
Do you have special people who do your make-up, hairstyle? Or do you do everything yourself?
– No, we do all this ourselves. There are some girls who take a makeup artist with them, but I like to do everything myself. I like the process: before the competitions I sit in front of the mirror, spread out all the makeup, turn on the music and start painting the face, make a hairdo. Feels like the beginning of the competitions. So for me competitions start not with an off-ice warm-up, no, it all starts in the hotel room when I sit in front of a mirror and start creating.
Turns out your fans don’t see all this interesting things, neither your dancing, nor….
– They don’t see how I do a make-up, it’s also a show I think, very funny. Maybe I should create a beauty-blog or something. (laughts)
https://www.instagram.com/p/BNUuSKhgzmD/?taken-by=jmedvedevaj
Fans are wondering, do you have a favorite place to walk with a bulldog? Do you have a dog?
– Yes, a bulldog, it’s a girl Jerry. For some reason it confuses people, for some reason for everyone Jerry is a name for a boy. But I have almost no time left, to go out, to go to the park …. But my dog does not particularly like to walk, she is a homebody. I take her out for 10 minutes and she already looks at me “Maybe we’ll go home?” Therefore, there are no favorite places and I do not go to parks very much, I like to sit comfortably somewhere. Continuing the theme of the dog, many people have dogs who wake up at six in the morning, “Let’s go for a walk, let’s play!” and go to bed late. Everything is diferent with my dog. At nine o’clock in the evening she already lays on a side and snores. Even if everyone gets up late at the weekend, at 10, 11, the dog is still asleep under the blanket. Somethimes I have to wake her up. Bulldogs are like that.
What is your favorite ice cream?
– I like ice cream. I used to eat Ice cream Bar, now I switched more to fruit ice. I can freeze the juice myself. Probably orange. So, it’s orange fruit ice.
Because it’s tastier or because it’s healthier?
– It’s delicious and healthy. My grandmother makes a very delicious ice cream. She grinds berries, freezes them in the freezer and it’s enough for the whole winter.
What musical instrument would you like to play?
– Guitar. But I tried to learn and no it’s not for me.
Have you ever regretted having started doing figure skating and not some other kind of sport?
– No, I have never regretted. I can admit that I do not know how to ride a bicycle or do rollerblading, I’ve never tried skiing or snowboarding. Actually I even don’t want to.
Well, this are high-injury sports.
– Yes, first it is high-injury. But as a child, I was not fond of anything except figure skating. No, I do not regret, I’m glad that I’m in this sport, I feel that it’s my element.
What is your favorite anime character?
– My favorite character … I even have a poster in my room. I brought the poster from Tokyo. The poster is half my height. My favorite character is Sakuya from the anime Norn9.
If you got a chance to do a pair program for gala whom you would take as a partner?
– I don’t know, no one even mationed it.Have you faced the problem which many girls have during puberty, when body changes and the weight jumps, many structures change and therefore the results fall sharply. Have you gone through this period without problems?
– Again, regarding the weight theme, yes, I control it. Yes, I understand when I have to restrain myself a little, because there are foods that are not useful, only harmful, which do not give either strength or energy, beauty also does not add. I try to control it. Sometimes it’s difficult, but it’s my life.
You are invincible for over a year now. Did it put any pressure on you? Because when you come to the next tournament, no expects defeat. Everyone can lose, but not Zhenya Medvedeva. Does this pressure on you? Or you do not even think about such things?
– I have never thought about it, I feel only support from my fans, I feel that they believe in me and it gives me strength.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BHcVctDgz22/?taken-by=jmedvedevaj
There are a lot of questions about Sailor Moon. Why did you choose this character for an exhibition program? Did you participate in choreographing?
– This was my idea. When we found out that I will skate in the show in Japan, I have already watched Sailor Moon, sang a song in Japanese after the World Cup, so I approached our choreographer and asked “Maybe Sailor Moon?” It was half a joke. And he said “Ok. Why not.”
Has it ever happened that you did not like the music that your team offered and you changed it in the process of preparation?
– When there is a selection of the programs, and this process is not easy, not fast, there can be some disagreements. Someone likes it, someone does not, someone sees the image, some does not, someone feels, some does not feel. Someone is fascinated by music, someone is excited. It is important to agree in order for this team work to produce the desired result. We always try to choose the music that everybody likes.
Have you had to force yourself to go out on the ice, or you always want to go to trainings?
– We are all people, we all sometimes feel bad, we periodically get sick and there are times when you realize that you need to go out on the ice, but your head may aches and you just need to overcome this moment. Honestly, when you are on the ice and in work, you do not feel what is happening with you, because there must be a strong concentration. When you are on the ice with a lot of people and if you turn off your attention, then there may be some unfortunate crashes. All the time you need to be alert and somehow it distractes you from the fact that something hurts, something worries you. When you are in the work, you forget about it.
https://www.instagram.com/p/_xICTdoa0w/?taken-by=jmedvedevaj
What do you do with toys and flowers, which you get in large numbers after performances?
– I view all the toys. I always come to the hotel room after the competitions, untying the package, I get in there with my head and look what’s there.
But most often, what toys do you get?
– At the Russian Nationals, I get only teddy-bears. Abroad, people I think do not know that Medvedeva means a bear. Sometimes it is very sad that the toys do not fit in the suitcase. There are situations when I have to leave them, because there are so many of them that I can not take all and there’s nowhere to put them in my apartment. I assort and choose what I really-really liked, something very-very cute.
And what do you do with the rest?
– I have to leave them.
What is the motto of your life?
– There are several mottos. And each suits a certain period of life.
What motto do you have now?
– If it’s difficult, get up and do more.
What was the most unexpected gift you received from the fans?
– At the Russian Nationals after the short program I was given a box straight from the stands, because it was very fragile and it was impossible to throw on the ice. There were two statuetts from the sugar mastic of characters from the anime Yuri on ice. There was a note where the girl said that she had spent 28 hours on these statuettes. And the characters were so cool! One hand fell off, but I glued it with water.
Do you like to cook? If so, what is your best dish?
– Yes, I like to cook very much when I have a free minute. I can lay and look, as always in my phone and then oh it is necessary to go and cook something! Completely different things. I can bake something, I can make noodles, cook shrimps. I do not have a best dish, it is a gust of inspiration. For example, I sit, sit and then “Ah, I want to draw!” Such happens.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BKOZ7qsg2uz/?taken-by=jmedvedevaj
Your favorite spin?
– I-spin.
Can you swim?
– Yes, think I swim well.
Does it happen that you go with friends to public skating rinks and you are not recognized there?
– I don’t go with friends to public skating rinks.
How do you fight with excitement before the performances?
– Music. I think I’m always seen with headphones when I’m out of the ice arena.
Do you care about a large number of spectators on the stands? Do you hear applause? Do you see posters?
– Yes, I do not hear applause that much, but I feel the attention and I like it. I understand that I go on the ice and these three or four minutes are given only to me and everyone is looking only at me. And when I think about the fact that there are about 4,000-5,000 spectators on the stands, I understand that people are sitting with phones, computers in different parts of the world and watching the broadcast and they are also looking only at me, it inspires me.
Have you ever had a desire to dye or cut your hair?
– I always liked long hair. I somehow thought about a fringe, but I think it won’t suit me. No, I’m not going to do anything with my hair and I’m not going to dye it either, I like my natural color.
What do you like more on the ice, drama or programs with a smile on the face?
– Depending on who and how skates. There are situations where a person may not have completely feels the image. That’s why you need to skate so that it captures both you and the audience. Because if the program touches you to the depth of your soul, then you will drag the audience along with you. It is very important to feel what you skate. If you are skating with a drive, then the viewers want to follow you. If you’re skating drama, then the viewers also pass this emotions through themselves. These are absolutely different emotions and can not be compared. I like our sport figure skating.
How do you feel about hockey? Hockey players don’t interfere your trainings?
– I don’t communicate with hockey players and I do not follow hockey, it just happened so. I have never had a relation to hockey, maybe everything is still ahead.
If you had the opportunity to talk with someone living or living before, with whom would you like to talk?
– Michael Jackson.
Why him?
– When I was 11 years old I listened only his music, I knew all his songs by heart, I was a fan. If there was such an opportunity, I would like to talk with this person. To see him, see how he behaves and learn from him.
Have you ever shirk trainings? Maybe in childhood.
– Well, if you’re sick, you naturally do not go to training. And like “Well today I don’t want go to training” such has never happened.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BMLNv2_ATGZ/?taken-by=jmedvedevaj
Considering that you are a world champion, will you go to this championships with a different feeling? Because millions of people will look differently at you.
– Probably, last year I did not fully understand the importance of this event. The fact that this is the World Championships. Then I just moved from juniors to seniors. But now I have something to compare. Now I’m just dying to go there! Can’t wait! Because there will be a lot of guys with whom I would like to meet, because I communicate with many people from different countries. I will be very glad to see them all. The scale of this competition, that the whole world follows this event and it’s great. It seems that for these three or four days the world is connected.
It seems you do not worry at all.
– It’s interesting for me. I love to compete.
I’ve never been Evgenia fan, but this interview really impressed me! Actually now I understand why she’s winning. First her “Sport it is a discipline”. I think this phrase a lot of skater should print and hang on in their rooms. Because it’s so true. I’m impressed with her attitude to work, that she clearly knows what he wants and ready to sacrifise a lot for that. Yeah, that’s how sport works. And her desire to be in the centre of attention, that she likes to compete…well it explaines a lot!
Related topics: Evgenia Medvedeva, interview, ladies
Really big thanks for this translation ! It was very interesting.
It makes me smile as she is excited to go to Worlds :) She is an happy girl and she’s not afraid to show it.
I also liked a lot to read about her training schedule and work discipline. It was interesting and explains a lot of things.
Thanks again :)
Yeah, I’ve never been her fan, but her attitude towards figure skating and trainings causes respect and actually explains a lot.
Well, this was a honest interview and my deep respect for her. But what is most important to understand out of this interview are the training conditions of her like many other supported russian professional athletes. Her training schedule Monday till Friday is 7 hours a day, 8 trainings sections a day with two hours break!! what is so important for the body to relax. It is a fulltime schedule and Saturday a half day training 4 training sections and Sunday off. Then Saturday half day private individual school and Sunday whole day school. That means this girl never needs to go to school full time during the 5 days week and doing homework every day as she explained. So her mind is free only for her sport during the 5 days week. And starting training 10:30 am each day, ending around 7:30 pm means she can sleep 8 full hours each day can start relaxed training each day not tired not to early. She choose professional sport and so she is able to train 44 trainings sections a week; 38,5 hours a week… no school during the week only weekends… this is a situation many many other athletes in other countries never have! They have to absolve school fulltime Monday till Friday and training is only possible around the school schedule. So from the psychological side there is a enormes difference between the training conditions of professional athlete as Medvedeva and other skaters. They have school from 8am till 5pm with lots of homework as she sad and only the rest is possible for training. And in figure skating the most important training years of age are between 6 and 16… so the whole first and second school education periode. Most athletes in other countries could start with the needed school schedule for figure skating in the age of 18, if they finished school, but thats far to late for professional skating. And with individual private school lessons all these years as she sad, of course she is also ready for university. Skating Girls I know have 30 to 38 hours school a week plus homework and they wish to be like Medvedeva… the difference???… what they spend with school lessons Medvedeva trains during the week in training sections… so answer to the skating girls is clear… beside the sport talent of course… but I know many parents they would say my kid has to be good at school because on skating it’s only for 1% to make a living out of it… that is true… watch Lipnitskaja she is gone after Olympics 2014… nobody talks about her 4 years later… but it is interesting that Medvedeva tells the people the truth. May be this is the reason why often the russian skaters have no dates about training schedule low and high season in her ISU sheets. It would be almost 40 hours a week compared to many others with 20 – 25 hours a week ;-)
Yes, the main difference: for Medvedeva skating is her profession, her job, not hobby. Well, if I had a possibility not to go to work and devote all my time to skating, not to worry about payments for ice, coach, equipment…..I think even I in my 26 would have a significant progress!
But it turns out that then a little skater is 6 years old his/her parents need to take a desicion and bet everything on possibility that one day their child will become a successful athlete. Say goodbye to school. Well, almost all skaters in Russia don’t go to school, pass somehow exams and enter univercities of Physical culture to become a coach. Rare exeptions have some other education.