Alina Zagitova: Grandma “made friends” with computer to watch my performances
Translation of an interview with Alina Zagitova. About preparing for Olympic season, new programs and vacations.
Alina, last season was a real breakthrough for you. How are you going to surprize this season?
– We decided not to change the free program “Don Quixote”, I will play Kitri again. The program turned out great, everyone liked it. I also really like it. The program is difficult. We have changed some jumps’ entries, we’ll improve the program a bit. I need to skate this program confidently, to do everything cleanly, without mistakes, it will be my first senior season and I need to skate confidently. The short program is done by Daniil Gleichengauz. It’s called the Black Swan.
The plot is taken from the movie?
– No, we came up with our own story. An innocent white swan appears in the world, but facing with the cruelty and reality of our world, gradually becomes what it is necessary to be in this world to achieve results and to know the perfection.
Philosophical theme.
-Yes.
When did you start to work on the program?
– At the end of last season, back in April. We decided on music in advance. This is Clint Mansell “Black Swan” Ost, Nicholas Britell “The Middle of the World” (Moonlight). We almost did the full program before my vacations. Now at the training camp in Novogorsk we do the full run-throughs of the program. The jumping content remains the same as I showed at the Russian Nationals.
If it’s not a secret, where did you spend your vacation?
– We flew to the Dominican Republic. Perhaps, this was my first vacation for the last 3-4 years, which we spent with the whole family. I was very happy to be with my parents, my sister, because I rarely see my relatives: I live with my grandmother in Moscow, they are in Izhevsk.
On vacation, I have been catching my breath for three days. And, to be honest, I just did not do anything. Then I went to the gym, the hotel had a fitness center. I began to train, do the exercises that we were told, ran, jumped. In the summer, you can not actually relax, even on vacations.
How long did you stay in the Dominican Republic?
-10 days.
Probably it’s a little?
– Then we went to Izhevsk and it was great. At home I met with friends whom I had not seen for a long time, went to a skating rink, talked with my relatives, grandmothers and grandfathers. They congratulated me, rejoiced. It was so nice.
My grandmother surprised me. In order to follow my performances on the ice she “made friends” with computer. Now she “sits” in my group in VKontakte, reads, watches – knows everything. She told me that if she does not have a good mood, she turns on the volume to maximum, searches for my performances on YouTube and starts to review them. After that, everything changes for the better.
Tell me, how did they meet you at the rink?
– I went there to watch the practice of my younger sister, she is also engaged in figure skating. Honestly, I did not expect that kids will meet me! They surrounded me, snuggled and almost knocked me down. They had a training session, and because of me everyone was distracted. So I told them: “Let’s go back to work.” You should appreciate training time. I clearly understood it for myself.
Your dad is a hockey coach, surely, he is proud of your successes?
– Of course. And at the same time he says: “Of course, well done. But you must go on, do not relax.” We have such conversation after each competition. At home, my father immediately started to train me. A coach is a coach.
Now you are at the training camp in Novogorsk, the sports weekdays continue?
– I try to add some colors to my life. Recently I had a friend – a little chinchilla. I called her Dymka (Smoke). Now I’m talking to you on the phone and she looks at me with her eyes as if she understands everything. Grandmother brought her for a short time from home, because I really miss her. Such a warmth comes from this nice little animal, I think Dymka will be my favorite and most devoted fan.
by Olga Ermolina for fsrussia.ru
Related topics: Alina Zagitova, ladies, Team Russia
Love her Free Skate and can’t wait to see her new Short Program! LOL her Grandma “making friends” with a computer but she does the same thing I do when in a bad mood! :)
Love the interview! Thanks so much for the translation.
Yeah, it was a good motivation for her grandma)