Evgenia Medvedeva: Sometimes burgundy robe is just a burgundy robe
Another interview with Evgenia Medvedeva. About attention in media her role as an ambassador of the national team at the Summer Olympics, new programs, shows and shopping.
by Maria Markova for teamrussia.pro dd.4th September, 2019
You are the ambassador of the Olympic team at the Olympic Games in Tokyo. What does this mean for you, and what will you do in this role?
– For me it’s important that I will have the opportunity to attend the Games with our athletes. I know firsthand how difficult it is to perform at the Olympics. In Pyeongchang, it was hard for all of us because of the story with suspension, neutral status and so on. To a great extent we had to prepare ourselves not for the performance and the fact that we represent our country, but for the fact that we perform without a flag. It was almost impossible to to make peace with this. Every night, lying down in bed, you convinced yourself: that’s just how it should be at the moment. I’m extremely glad that everything is in the past, and now at the Games we will be full participants. I hope that it will be easier for the guys at the Summer Olympics than it was for us.
Do you have a favorite summer sport?
– Gymnastics. I know a lot of guys from the national team, we are friends, sometimes we meet in Moscow. We even went to the same school, although I’m a little younger. I follow their successes.
It’s more or less clear how the summer of 2020 will pass. And how does summer usually pass for Evgenia Medvedeva?
– I changed my lifestyle – this year I didn’t have a classic rest at the beach. And I’m even glad that it happened. Almost all the time I spent in Japan and on a tour in Canada, during which we visited 11 cities. At the same time it’s relaxation and you don’t lose shape. I had time to relax and go to a cafe with friends, but at the same time I was actively training.
Doesn’t such amount of ice all year round tire you?
– No. This is my element, so I feel comfortable.
In the offseason, many of our skaters skated in shows in South Korea, in Japan. What is the reason? Do they like figure skating there so much?
– Yes. And this is not for the first year, just this time it is very actively covered in media. Every summer I spend about a month in Japan, almost four years in a row. This is a unique country! People enjoy figure skating like art, come to shows like to museum to look at paintings. And they support all athletes – no matter what level you have and what country you come from. Even if you made many mistakes, they will never blame, on the contrary, they will support and say “Don’t worry, next time it will be better.”
I know that you like the country itself very much. Why?
– When I came there for the first time, I had the feeling that I was on another planet. Starting with language, food and architecture and ending with different traffic. Me, a 14-year-old girl, it simply amazed then. I returned home and told mom and grandmother about it. Plus there are absolutely incredible people. Somehow Japan immediately falls into your heart and stays there.
What are the most frequently asked questions about Russia in Canada and Japan?
– In Canada, they once asked whether it is true that in Russia bears walk the streets.
Is this tale still alive?
– Yes! So I replied “Is there really someone who still believes in this?” And in Japan they don’t ask about Russia. You need to understand the mentality of the Japanese, that’s not because they’re not interested, just they are insanely tactful in every sense people.
This year you have chosen Muse Exogenesis for the short program. Did you decide to stay in a dramatic artistic image?
– I can’t say that this is a dramatic image, I’ll call it light.
At the same time, the music is serious almost apocalyptic.
– I got the image of something cosmic, unknown, but at the same time very light, I would even say crystal clear.
“Memoirs of a Geisha” were chosen for the free program, taking into account your love for Japan?
– Not at all. I’ve been listening this music for several years, and all the time I was preparing myself mentally for the program. I said to myself “Now is the time!” And every time understood that I couldn’t fully express it. Next time again “Maybe now?” And again, no, not yet matured. This continued about two years. Now I think that the time has come.
After the program in a pink costume, many fans were expecting something frivolous and fun, at least in one of the programs.
– No. For my main programs, I usually choose music that is full of energy. For example, listening Exogenesis, I have a feeling that the air is thickening, as if you are under water – the music is very dense. And the melody from “Memoirs of a Geisha” is one of the few that brings goosebumps. Which is very rare for me.
Tell the story about exhibition program in a pink costume that has been discussed so much.Was that your idea?
– Last season, when we decided to change our short program from “Orange colored sky” to “Tosca”, we invited choreographer Misha Ge. One evening we were sitting and thinking that I needed a gala program. Misha suggested Ariana Grande’s Seven rings, this song was in the top then and sounded from everywhere. As a result, the choreographic beginning was born in one evening.
With that costume and artistic image the program seems to be choreographed exactly for Japan.
– Yes, people in Japan really liked it, even despite the fact that I was skating this program injured, and therefore just moved beautifully to the music. I hurt my hip at Worlds and I could neither jump nor spin. But this didn’t affect the reaction of the audience, only in social networks people started battles.
By the way, how do you react to different emotional comments?
– Each person, has his own degree of emotionality. And sometimes it’s off the scale. But I don’t take it seriously. It’s important for me to hear the opinions of people with whom I can discuss it in person. But believe me, no one has ever said me those words that are written incognito on the Internet.
About a year has passed since you moved to Canada, what has become the most memorable for you during this time?
– Everything. Life there is completely different. Something was difficult, something was easy. As you know, you get used to something good quickly, to a completely new one – not always. But now I can say that I have fully adapted.
In one of the interviews, you noted that you don’t like pity and said: “If you want to pity someone, just help him.” Over this year, who, besides mom and close relatives, approached you like this and just helped?
– Brian. Athletes are people who always look for flaws in themselves. They are often feel bad mentally. And if something not very good happens, you’re not in good shape or worried, Brian fences you off from everyone and just silently stands near. When he sees that it has become a little easier for you, he simply asks: “Are we working further?” And the rest of the practice stays close, helps with jumps. It is very important.
And were there those who tried to put spokes into your wheel?
– Of course.
In such cases, do you try to protect yourself somehow?
– I’m a person who adapts to the situation. And I have such a character that if a person puts spokes into my wheel, pretending that it’s not him, I just silently look into his eyes, step over these spokes and move on.
There are a lot of jogging videos, videoa in a gym on your Instagram. Do you really have more physical training?
– Yes. I really have a lot more activities outside the ice. I actively strengthen my muscles, my body.
What does it give?
– It gives strength on ice, jump height, sharpness, endurance.
In addition, you have changed your approach to nutrition and stopped eating meat. Is this an ethical issue?
– Speaking specifically about red meat, this is precisely the ethical approach. I haven’t eat it for about six months. My diet is changing. Now it contains fish, seafood, very rarely milk products – I just don’t like them.
One of the most popular stories of this summer related to you and music happened this summer. In one of the interviews you said that you love Billie Eilish’s song “Bad Guy”, then Alina Zagitova’s gala program to this song appeared. All this received a loud publicity. What was you reaction?
– We all remember how the story ended. I really had plans for this music, but there are a lot of cool songs and artists in the world, so it didn’t hurt me.
In the world of figure skating, music often coincides. How do athletes usually react to this?
– It all depends on whether you know the inner kitchen. Sometimes there are such incredible coincidences that you just don’t understand how this is possible?!
Tell some fresh example.
– I come to training now at the Moscow rink, turn on the music. One of the coaches says: “You must be kidding, is this Muse, Exogenesis?” Turns out that her student performs to the same music.
How do you feel about the fact that they are constantly trying to pit you against someone?
– They are trying to do that, ever since I entered the international junior level. So I’m used to it, in such situations I feel like a fish in water.
Do you usually react peacefully or do you try to prove your case?
– Two natures always fight in me. One wants peace in the world and, when conflicts occur, sits and thinks: “Why are you doing this? Are you bored or lack adrenaline? ” It also happens that something flares up inside me, I want to prove something. But I always try to extinguish this fire and calm down this second nature, because I understand that all conflicts are thought up in order to make you angry.
One of the most popular opinions is that you have nothing to do in ladies’ figure skating without a quadruple jump now…
– That is why I learn the quadruple salchow (laughs). Now in figure skating there is a technical leap. And you have to adapt to it. By and large, if you are technically weak – go ahead, work on. But I’m not one of those people who give up just like that. Therefore, I will still fight.
You said that you remember Anna Shcherbakova as a 6-year-old girl, and Sasha Trusova repeatedly called you her idol. Is it hard to realize that now you have to compete with them?
– I really know girls from a very young age, and for me they remain babies. Especially Anya Shcherbakova, because she is so tiny. Dear figure skating viewers, believe me, they are much smaller than you see on TV (laughs)!
I’m always very pleased when girls say that I’m an example for them, despite the fact that technically they do twice as much as I do. It gives me strength and confidence that I still can do something.
How hard is it when any of your Instagram posts – lunch with a friend, a dance with a guinea pig, a pink costume is being discussed? Do you somehow select the content for your post?
– Of course. Although sometimes people still discuss what I post. My Instagram page is official, but still personal. And there appears what I want to share with fans or friends. If I don’t post anything, it does not mean that something happened, I just work. If I’m active, then I’m in a good mood and I want to share it with everyone. But, sometimes, you post a photo in a burgundy robe, and people write: “Hmm, burgundy robe! Is this a hint of a new program? This is probably the color of your new dress. ” No, it’s just a burgundy bathrobe!
What classic girlish entertainment do you like: beauty salons, shopping?
– I’m a girl, I love such things, including expensive ones. But usually, when I stand and hold some expensive bag in my hands, the scales turn on in my head: spend money on a purchase or on sports or on good accessories for house? Therefore, usually everything happens like this: I come to the store, I see a cool thing, enthusiastically photograph it, send it to friends, put it in its place and leave. Even if I decide for myself that, for example, I’ll go on a weekend and buy myself something one and expensive. Usually I go and do not buy.
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