Evgeni Plushenko is to coach Serafima Sakhanovich
Evgeni Plushenko got a new student. Serafima Sakhanovich announced that now she trains with Evgeni Plushenko in his academy.
Serafima about her decision:
I was going to finish my career, but I can say that Evgeni (Plushenko) persuade me. It was my initiative (to change a coach). He has his show, and I thought that maybe there could be a place for me. But first I said about the idea to finish with the sport, and Evgeni answered me: “It’s too early to finish, you are 17, you do not have to finish, but to work. You will always have time to finish.” Now I’m completely ready to work, not ready to give up. And I do love to work.
About her former coach Evgeni Rukavitsin:
Everything was good, they worked with me, and I worked, I tried. But I did not show any progress. There was no result. Then I thought that maybe it’s time to finish? I spent a lot of moral strength, also the school was abandoned. Of course, I studied, passed the exams, but an impact wasn’t as it should be. It turned out that both on the ice and in life, I have been standing still for these two or three years. – Serafima told
Evgeni Plushenko also gave an interview about Serafima.
Evgeni, do you understand that now you have a two-time world junior vice-champion whom three qualified coaches failed to bring to a serious senior level?
– I don’t have my head in the clouds. We started to work just three days ago. I see that Serafima wants to return to the elite of figure skating. And to prove – above all, to herself, that she can fight at a high level. I see how she works, and it’s nice to see it. She doesn’t get out of our academy, she works hard from morning till night. She came to us with her mother and expressed a desire to skate. Now we’re restoring her technique. Actually, we started to break it down, because I don’t like her technique of some jumps.
Which ones?
– She has a big problem with axel, and there is a difficulty with her air position which is too wide. She also began to lose weight, because she has a little overweight.
You have already seen enough of junior skating in Russia, and follow seniors. In the current season, is it real to return Seraphima to list of skaters who can be counted on?
– Now I assess the situation gradually. Her closest start is Russian Cup in Yoshkar-Ola, then the “Challenger” in Minsk. We are preparing for these competitions. You see, the girl wanted to finish her career at all. But now she wants to skate. I believe that any athlete has a chance, and we can’t take away this chance from Serafima.
But is there a task to get to the Russian Nationals?
– Of course. Then following goals are set. She will represent St. Petersburg, as before. I do not see any problems for Serafima to fulfill herself with a proper work. She has already become a girl, you can not compare her with 13- and 14-year-olds, because her skating is already mature. It is a powerful skating. And, seeing her mindset, all our team gladly took this skater.
She told me that she has been standing still for two or three years with no progress. Is it solely due to technical nuances?
– I want to look forward. With former coaches Serafima did a great job, and soon let’s see what she will do with us. Former coaches know better why her progress stopped. Today we are dealing with a new page, a new stage in life. Let’s start with this, and then we’ll see if we are good specialists or bad. Maybe we will not get anywhere either … But I’m sure that we will (smiles).
Sakhanovich admitted that you persuaded her not to finish her career.
– She and her mother came to me and said: “We want to finish.” I answered Seraphima: “Let’s see how you skate.” She did not train, but immediately did all the triple jumps, skated decently, and I told her: “It’s nonsense to finish your career. If you want to train, then train.” The next day she came to Novogorsk, where I brought my children before the competition. And Sahanovich skated just great. I told them again: ‘Make a decision. If you want then skate.’ The conversation was like this.
I noticed that right now, before our conversation, she was the first one to go to the gym.
– She has a goal to fulfill what the abilities she has. When she was little, she stepped on one step. Then the girls tend to change, someone becomes wider, someone taller, someone does not change. With her abilities it’s ridiculous to quit in 17. After restoring her technique, we will work on quadruple salchow, she says, she trained it. We will also qork on quad toe.
She had a very beautiful combination triple flip- half loop – triple flip. Will you keep it?
– Will see. After three days of work it is difficult to talk about this. So far I can say that the previous choreographers and coaches made a very good programs for her. She skates beautifully. I want to say that not one athlete, even among the top-ranked figure skaters, has such powerful skating as Serafima. It is really very powerful.
Even among our senior girls?
– Yes, even among seniors, nobody skates like this and no one skates with such speed.
Evgenia Medvedeva?
– Yes, I’m talking about her.
Sakhanovich skates more powerful than two-time world champion?
– Of course. By one order of magnitude. You will see for yourself at training. But we need to add technique to this skating. And her jumps are high. It’s great that she decided to stay in figure skating.
Serafima in life is a very non-standard philosophizing person.
She is very modest and positive girl. From what I saw. I re-watched all her competitions, she is a good athlete.
And she seems adult beyond her years.
– I agree. Seventeen – this is quite an adult age in figure skating.
by Anatoli Samokhvalov for rsport.ru
Related topics: Evgeni Plushenko, ladies, Serafima Sakhanovich, Team Russia
Wishing Sima all the best! She’s a beautiful skater and hope to see her again :)
I’m curious what does “very non-standard philosophizing person” actually mean :) but I’m so happy Sima keeps fighting. She was indeed a powerful skater with a wonderful style.
And does it possibly mean that her awkward theatrical programs will finally come to an end?
Oh, I guess he meant that he is very thoughtful and analyzing person, with mature way of thinking) But who knows what they actually meant, maybe that she has a philosophical view of life.
As I understood they kept both programs that she did with her former coaches/choreographers for this season. We haven’t seen them yet.
Yes, yes, this season yes, I guess they are focused more on her technique than new choreos but hopefully she will have more mature program in the future. Wish her all the best!
Her FP for this season is En Aranjuez, Con Tu Amor by Joaquin Rodrigo, don’t know about her SP.