Alena Kostornaia: “I had a fear to get lower scores because of my transfer to Plushenko”

European champion Alena Kostornaia commented on her performance in the short program at the Russian Cup stage in Kazan, which she won with a score of 78.15 points. Alena also told about her worries about the judgement.

Alena Kostornaia: The coaches explained the mistakes, some jokes were told, but this is personal, that’s only between the coach and the athlete. Mistakes are no reason to be sad, but a reason to laugh.

I assess these competitions as common one: I had to go on the ice, feel what it is, recall the feeling of competition. But it hasn’t been recalled yet.

I don’t know why, but there is no feeling of competitions. Previously, I had competition jitters – perhaps that’s because I did not jump triple axel now. Just to do triples and that’s it …

I will not try the triple axel in the short program for now. At the Grand Prix, I hope I’ll try with two, maybe with three triple axels in the programs. But at the moment the jump is in work.

We talked with the coaches and decided that we shouldn’t try it in the short program for now. Because there are not many elements, and if a mistake happens, it can greatly affect the scores and presentation of the program.

Such a small gap does not give any guarantee, given the fact that the girls will have quads and more than one. In the meantime, I focused on recalling of how to compete.

Kostornaia said on the air Channel 1, text version sports.ru

Kostornaia also told that she was worried about her scores after leaving Eteri Tutberidze and switching to Evgeni Plushenko.

Alena Kostornaia: For a long time I had this fear (to get lower scores), from the moment of my transfer (from Tutberidze to Plushenko), because, well, they say “traitor”, but if there are conflicts, then probably any person is looking for what is better for him. And the point is not even that I am (they say) not grateful to the previous coaches, I was not obliged to … Yes, maybe it did not turn out very nicely, because I was given programs (in the Tutberidze’s group), but this’s life. It happens. There’s not my fault, I didn’t do this deliberately: like, give me the programs, and then I’ll take them and leave. Of course not. It wasn’t like that.

Well that’s how it happened. After reading some reviews, I thought that maybe it will somehow affect this competitions, at the test skates the judges were harsh and I made mistakes. I was very worried about this, so I was very surprised when I got such high scores here (in Kazan – ed.)

by rsport.ria.ru

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