Tatiana Tarasova: I don’t see fire in Zagitova’s eyes that was last season

Tatiana Tarasova about ladies at the Russian test skates 2018.

Alina Zagitova has grown up. How much can the process of adapting to new body can take?

– She grew up last season. Now I don’t see that she is taller. I don’t know her today anthropometric data, I wasn’t interested in this, but it seems to me she is the same. I noticed how she grew up before the World Championships.

Then what was the reason for her falls? Nerves?

– I can’t answer this question, because I’m not her coach. But I can say that I don’t see there programs yet. Of course she will hit the music, but her accents don’t reform figure skating. This season I was expecting a bomb from her, but so far this didn’t happen.

Most importantly, where she didn’t improve is basic work on skating skills, and this is evident. I have a feeling that she didn’t get better in skating. True, the girl is growing up, she is still in autumn shape. Probably, she isn’t ready yet. It’s just we haven’t seen her like that before, we have seen only her victory at the junior world championshisp and victory at the Olympic Games. Let’s see how her career will develop. Alina is definitely a talented person. But I don’t see fire in her eyes. That’s very sad. Last year, her eyes was full of fire – and this is one of the most important qualities when you want to win. It is a question of energy, desire and maximum pleasure from what you do.

Is it possible to improve in skating during the season?

– This is a very large monotonous work, which is usually held in May, June, July, August. And then – all life. This basic work is necessary, this is the foundation without which the house will fall.

Do you like Mevedeva’s new artistic image and her program?

– I liked her short program. I think it will be very good. I noticed how they work with the coach and the choreographer, how they treat each other – very carefully. She cares about coaches and they care about the skater.

I think that her free program is just not ready yet. Why? There was no time, she came to Canada very late. They have been working together with the coach for only a month and a half. But there are some improvements in skating, in basic work, I see it, like everyone else do. Maybe this work hasn’t resulted in the program yet, but it for sure will, because Medvedev really wants it. God blesses …

So Medvedeva is the main favorite of the upcoming season?

– I don’t want to answer this question in September, because it is tactless in relation to other girls. But I will draw your attention to the fact that Medvedeva hasn’t lost to anyone yet.

They say that Medvedeva can skip the Russian Nationals?

– If I were her I’d also skip it.

Why?

– Firstly, her coach can’t go with her. Secondly, acclimatization. The fact that they came to the test skates in Moscow, took a lot of energy. Just on Sunday she got under acclimatization, she had the fifth day. This is a very big load on the body, coordination disorder is taking place. Why does she need Russian Nationals? Don’t we know her or trust her? She will have competitions prior to this, she will take part in the “Grand Prix”, we’ll see everything on the screen. At the Grand Prix she will receive certain points. And in case of coming to Saransk, she will lose 15 days, because she needs to get here and return back to prepare. It’s impossible. Such schedule is exhausting. It is necessary to give them time to work, and not to have acclimatization every 12-15 days.

I once withdrew Yagudin from the National championships. I, however, was threatened that he would not be sent to the Olympic Games, where he eventually won. Before that we won 11 competitions, and it was impossible to send him to the Russian Nationals, because also could get under acclimatization. In addition, I didn’t want to put stress on myself and Alexei. If we see Medvedeva only at the international competitions there’s nothing bad about that.

It is clear that Medvedeva and Zagitova are the first two numbers of the Russian national team. Who, in your opinion, will be the third? Tuktamysheva?

– I repeat: I don’t want to talk about this now. We will have competitions where everything will fall into place. Each athlete will be at the “Grand Prix” and score certain points. In principle, there are girls who will try to be the third. But to become the third they need to skate better than the first. For this we have national championship.

But did the performance of Tuktamysheva impress you?

– I was very happy for Alexei Mishin and for Lisa, because I support long skating. Not the situation when at the age of 15 someone shined and then tears, like in the story with Lipnitskaya. Tuktamysheva found the strength to continue. Of course, she has her own problems, which she needs to work on. I think the coach and athlete will include triple axel in a short program. And when they do that she will be competitive. In general, everyone has his own way to victory.

But there are more girls. For example, Sotskova, who changed her “face”. If not the fall, then everything would be very good. It is impossible not to mention Polina Tsurskaya, who made an impression and showed the elements better than anyone else, but in the second half of the program she failed one element. That is, while she doesn’t have enough strength to avoid these mistakes.

Do these tow have good programs?

– They have very difficule programs. They improved speed, skatng skills which are required by the new rules.

Radionova has no chance to break into the national team?

– Elena is not in a sports shape. She has a good program, but she is experiencing a difficult growing up. Her weight prevents her from working, she can’t cope with this yet, because she eats.

She says that at the test skates she had problems with boots…

– Boots have nothing to do with weight. What she has showed recently it’s actually a decent result of her inactivity.

This season it is unlikely for her to correct the situation?

– I will not predict her future. Like for any other athlete, it depends on her. Because we, coaches, can help them to become good athletes, but become great they mush themselves. So here all the questions to the athlete herself. Although I know that they talk endlessly with her …

But speaking in general, everyone needs to work further. I wish everyone good health and live up to juniors!

by Andrei Sizyakin for sport-express.ru

Related topics: Alina Zagitova, Elena Radionova, Elizaveta Tuktamysheva, Evgenia Medvedeva, interview, Maria Sotskova, Polina Tsurskaya, Tatiana Tarasova