Evgenia Medvedeva: A cold head and a hot heart

Translation of recent interview with Evgenia Medvedeva.

Evgenia, how was the previous season? Was it physically hard?

– For me it passed fleetingly, with every competition I was getting an unforgettable experience. I can’t say that it was hard, or vice versa – incredibly easy. It was a working season. In terms of physical fatigue … I always perfectly understand that there are times when you want to lie down and rest. But you can’t do that in figure skating, because the shape is immediately lost, so there was no rest during the season.

When did you start to train fully?

– We started to prepare seriously about three months ago. Now the programs are ready, we are preparing for test skates in Sochi.

Ilia Averbukh did your programs, as in the previous season. Decided not to risk with the change of choreographer?

– We already have a well-managed team, so we did not see any reason to change the choreographer.

How much do you participate in preparation of new programs?

– Of course, I trust all people from my team, we always work side by side, but if I don’t like the music, feel that I can’t skate to it, I always say about that. Whether I like this artistic image, music, whether I feel it or not. Of course, they help me to feel it, but if something is still wrong, how can I skate the program if I don’t feel the music? Then we change.

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Tell us about new programs.

– Content in the short program remained the same: everything in the second half, the jumps remained the same. The free program we changed technically – now in the first half I have only a double axel, all combination are in the second half, including a flip-toe loop. The content remained the same, we changed the layout, moved everything to the second half.

How conservative was the preparation for the Olympic season, did you deliberately refuse from any unusual ideas, risky combinations in order to provide a margin of stability?

– We didn’t remove anything much, but didn’t add anything, we followed the old path.

Tell us about your skates, did you have any problem breaking into them? What boots do you prefer, tougher, softer?

– Apparently, I have such a technique of jumping that the right boot constantly breaks down. I prefer light and tough boots, they make boot for me by a cast of foot. Usually, I need about a week to break into new boots, during this time I already get used to them and do all the elements just like in old ones.

Does the process of growing up affect the training process in recent years?

– Lately there has been a lot of talk about puberty, including that this also should affect me. I don’t think about it, I just do my job together with a team that supports me and helps in everything. While there are no problems.

How easy do you adapt to changing conditions – the quality of the ice, the temperature on the ice rink? How do you deal with colds?

– Yes, moving from competition to competition, changes in quality of ice and temperature happen, but it is important to understand that everyone is in equal conditions, you need to get used to it.  I haven’t got a cold for a very long time, but sometimes there are viral diseases at the skating rinks, when everyone falls ill. You can’t escape from this.

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How has your perception of music and artistic images in programs changed over the past three years?

– Artistic images have become more spiritual and deep, and the musical themes have become a little more serious.

According to rumors, next season we will have a new GOE scale, from -5 to +5. What do you think about it?

– Yesterday I read the news that men’s quads want to evaluate from -5 to +5. But about the girls’ triples no changes have been announced yet, don’t believe in rumors. But I am curious what changes we will have, If there will be any changes. Innovations are always interesting.

Usually, girls came to figure skating in unconscious age, parents bring them. Was there a moment, in 10-12 years, when it seemed that the choice of sport was wrong and it was necessary to go, for example, to jump on a trampoline?

– No, at the age of 12 there was such a turning point, when I realized that I was in the right place, doing the right thing, that I chose the right sport. Serious sport began when at the age of eight I came to Eteri Georgievna Tutberidze and for the first six months it was necessary to get used to the new pace of work. Somewhere from the age of nine, I already got used and began to work normally in such mode.

During your career were there some crises, when you wanted to go to another coach, change the choreographer, or maybe switch to pairs?

– No, for sure I’ve never wanted to do pairs! I’m not a person who can say: “I want like this!” I could not even think of going to another coach, changing the choreographer and something like this. For several years now we have a working team with coaches,  choreographer, dressmaker. No one even thinks about destroying this team.

Do bad costumes, in which you can’t skate, happen?

–  Yes, of course, failures with costumes happen, but Olga (Evgenia’s dressmaker) always takes into account any wishes and ready to make changes, even if she had to work all night before flying out for competitions. Therefore, even if a costume does not fit, then it is quickly refined.

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How do you mentally prepare at competitions? Do you get excited or calm down?

– You know, I do both. The most correct definition of this condition will be “a cold head and a hot heart.” Inside, everything must be with absolute concentration and tranquility. I need quite a lot time to gain such state. On the one hand, emotions are important to show the image and music, and on the other hand, you can not let them overwhelm you.

Uncontrollable jitters happens?

– I have never had such a panic “Oh my God, now I’m going on the ice, what to do!” Perhaps, I have such a character, but I think, it is mostly the merit of the coaches and parents who raised me so.

Didn’t you have such a feeling at competitions when the girls around are nervous, worried, and you are sitting and thinking: “Why am I so calm? Probably it isn’t normal!”?

– No, I hadn’t such. The fact is that I do not look at other people at competitions, I do not see anyone at all. Firstly, I’m constantly in headphones, listening to music, and secondly, before the start I talk only with my coach. If someone comes up to me, starts a conversation, I may not notice it, pass by. It happened more than once and then they told me: “Zhenya, I came to you, wished you luck and you did not answer at all, looked the other way and left!” I think: “When was it? I do not remember anything of that! “Absolute concentration, I close myself and I’m starting to set myself.

What sports do you watch besides figure skating? Did you watch World Championships in Athletics?

– I watch gymnastics. The athletics watched only when it was at our skating rink in Belyaevo. There were big TV, and when I walked I saw that the World Athletics Championships was going on, but I didn’t have a possibility to watch it.

And the fught of McGregor – Mayweather?

– The fact is that I do not even have a TV, or computer in my room, only a phone. I find out about the fight by accident, I was never interested in these sports, that’s not for me. So I was asleep.

by Sergei Lisin matchtv.ru

Related topics: Evgenia Medvedeva, interview