Alina Zagitova: Probably I’ll never forget this World Championships
Interview with Alina Zagitova after her unsuccessful performance at the World Championships 2018.
Your defeat in the final did not leave indifferent any person at the arena. Have all this settled down a little bit in your soul?
– Well, a little bit, but not quite yet. I try very hard to forget everything, but some moments are still flashing around in my head. Probably I’ll never forget this championships, but it’s also an experience. I am glad that this championship has finally ended, this season, I will rest a little and it’ll be necessary to start preparing for the new season.
Who helped to get out of this state?
– On Saturday we walked a bit in the center of Milan with coaches, it helped to distract. Parents and all the relatives constantly write that I shouldn’t be upset that there will be a lot of competitions in my career. Fans also wrote a lot of words of support.
It’s true that after your performance, the Minister of Sports called from Moscow and said: “Alina, throw it out of your head, you are in the capital of world fashion. Go on shopping”?
– True. I really went, relaxed, bought some masks for the face-care. And I realized that I really began to feel much better. It became even better after I skated the program at gala and did it well. I approached gala very seriously, to do everything and finish the season on a high note.
Was you allowed to eat an ice-cream?
– No.
In Milan, you, like at the Olympics, having failed first lutz, tried to make a combination with the second lutz. What for? After all, you certainly understood that the speed is already lost and combination can not work out?
– You know, I had a lot of situations in my childhood when I failed the first jumps, but then skated the program to the end without making mistakes. Why did not it happen in Milan? I guess I’m too tired emotionally. I skated heavily, heavier than it was at the Olympics.
After the Games in Sochi Adelina Sotnikova said that after a brief euphoria she suddenly felt a complete devastation, all emotions disappeared. That’s why she had to decline the trip to the World Championships. What did you feel when you came back from Pyeongchang?
– Probably the same. Just Adelina did not compete at Worlds, but I had many reasons why I wanted to come to Milan. Firstly, I have not competed at the World Championships yet. I wanted to get this experience, to feel what it’s like. Let the experience turned out to be unsuccessful, but I hope to become stronger from this.
How difficult was it to make up your mind to perform? Probably, you wanted so the championship and season have quickly ended?
– I have such a feeling at every competition: to perform as soon as possible and go home. On the other hand, I love this adrenaline. When you go out on the ice alone and you feel that everyone is looking only at you. I really like this feeling.
Before the World Championships you said that you understand the state in which Evgenia Medvedeva has stayed for a long time. Now this understanding has become deeper?
– Yes. I think that many athletes who will compete in single skating after me will also experience the same emotions. Before the World Championships I tried not to pay attention at what they write to me, for example in Instagram. But it did not work out. Too many things were written and all about the same thing: that I am the team leader, that I’m going to the championships as a leader. Probably, that’s why I really wanted to perform well. Better than I can. And this is really an experience. I realized that you should never strive to do something that you can’t do yet. You just need to do everything that you do in trainings.
Maybe it was necessary to reduce the activity on the Internet?
– The fact is that Instagram helps me to distract. And then it turned out that I just did not expect all that I faced with.
Don’t you have any other activities that help you to distract yourself? Julia Lipnitskaya and Evgenia Medvedeva said, for example, that they like to draw.
– I tried. But, to be honest, I can’t draw at all.
World champion Nathan Chen once admitted that he felt very uncomfortable when he first beat the Olympic champion Yuzuru Hanyu. Do you know this feeling?
– When I first placed ahead of Zhenya Medvedeva at the European Championships, it was a bit embarrassing to look at her after the performance. But I’m sure that Zhenya is a very strong person and will continue going to her goal.
Tell us honestly, what are you thinking about now – about the next season or the dog you will get from Japan in May?
– About the dog. Then, when the trainings are over and the holidays begin, I’ll think about the next season.
Do you plan to keep your crazy jump content for the next season?
– In general, yes, but maybe there will be some changes in the rules. Then we will make a decision in accordance with the rules. I have not thought about it yet, to be honest.
Have you thought about new programs?
– Coaches have already chosen for me both programs, but I have not been told about them yet. It will be surprise.
Is it always like this in your group?
– Yes, always.
Is it interesting for you to know what kind of programs?
– Very. I terribly want to find out. Probably, they will tell me this when I return to Moscow.
Do you plan to change the boots for the next season?
– Yes. The fact is that I started the Olympic season in new boots, but then I started having problems with feet. So, I had to switch to old boots, in which I skated in the junior season. At the Olympic Games, I skated in them.
How difficult is for you the process of breaking into new boots?
– Usually it’s a long process. Now for the first time I got a chance to order boots by the mould of my feet. I hope this will greatly facilitate the process.
You said that when you return home, you will study. From which subject will you begin?
– From all. I almost did not go to school this season.
Have you decided where will you go on vacation?
-The best vacation for me is to come to Izhevsk (Alina’s native town) to my parents, lie down on the sofa and do nothing.
by Elena Vaitsekhovskata for rsport.ria.ru
Related topics: Alina Zagitova, interview
So sad Alina missed her chance to win everything during one season.
But she will always remain Alina “The Red Czarina” Zagitova.
Best of luck to you, Zagi!!!
I can’t wait to see what programs she has for next year. Will she continue with the ballet theme?
Maybe, because most ballets has codes with lots of musical accents, so they can use it for the “second half with jumps”. Le corsaire is first that came to my mind.
It’s a shame she didn’t have ice cream. Ice cream always makes things better! :) Good luck to her next season, can’t wait to see her new programs!