Alexei Zheleznyakov: “I think more than three quads it’s dangerous, and is it necessary?”

The choreographer of the group Eteri Tutberidze Alexei Zheleznyakov shared his opinion on the performance of Anna Shcherbakova at the 2021 World Championships in Stockholm.

source: matchtv.ru dd. 29th March 2021, by Elizaveta Samsonova

Alexei Zheleznyakov: We have been working with Anya in the dance class for a long time. This girl has always been distinguished by her coordination and some kind of natural grace. Things that don’t come easy to many, she usually learns very quickly. I call such people “the thinking athlete.” Well, everyone has already realized that she has a plus-start. Yes, it’s character. Behind such Princess and the Pea there is a knight in armour, without fear, without reproach.

I think what she went through in this very difficult season revealed her real strong character. You know, it’s like in war, strong qualities show up in extreme conditions: either you fight to the end, or run, throwing your weapon, or surrender. In this case, this girl is just a hero.

At the World Championships, Shcherbakova tried to make only one quadruple jump, and this did not prevent her from winning. So, in her case, the second mark is enough for a high result?

Alexei Zheleznyakov: We need a balance. If you jump only quads, you will have neither time nor energy for beauty, choreography, complex interpretation, gliding. In Anna’s case, everything is balanced. She needs to continue to do so, she just needs to fully recover. We all saw how hard it was for her, but she coped.

The future belongs to well-balanced skating, where there is a place for everything: both quads in moderate amount and wonderful emotional skating.

Anna said that she would like to do three quads in a free program. Is it really possible to combine them with the choreography you are talking about?

Alexei Zheleznyakov: You can’t do without ultra-c elements. If an athlete is ready to do three quads and the beauty of the program does not suffer, then, of course, she should do it. But I think more than three is dangerous, and is it necessary? The more quads, the greater risk of falling, and this is reflected in the scores. It is better to jump the most difficult combination, which Anna showed us.

Here, of course, the very competent work of Eteri Georgievna and the staff. Everything is thought out based on the condition of the athlete, serious risks are excluded, and as a result – victorious skating. Coaching ideas should never be neglected. From the outside the coach always knows better what his athlete can actually do in the end.

Related topics: Alexei Zheleznyakov, Anna Shcherbakova