Evgeni Plushenko:”I’m for longevity in sports, not for one-time success – when someone made a splash and ran away.”
Evgeni Plushenko, Inna Goncharenko, Alexei Urmanov and Alexei Mishin about the proposal of the Norwegian Skating Association to raise the age minimum in figure skating.
Let’s call it the other opinion)
Evgeni Plushenko: Let it be discussed. We have a leadership for that. I don’t want to get involved in this story. Will this affect many of my students? Well, this means that they will continue to train and perform in juniors.
Sports life does not end there. They should skate for a long time. I am for longevity in sports, not for one-time success – when someone made a splash and ran away. We have a leadership, let them make a decision – this is my position.
source: russian.rt.com
Inna Goncharenko: It is quite unexpected for me that the initiative comes precisely from the Norwegians. I don’t remember the Norwegian figure skaters who actively participate in the competitions. This sounds a little unexpected.
But the topic itself is not unexpected, it has been discussed over the past few years. Psychologically, everyone is ready that the age minimum will be raised. Previously, no specific figure was voiced, now we hear it. Everything is twofold, how many people, so many opinions.
Will the technical level decrease after rising the age minimum?
Inna Goncharenko: I don’t think this will happen. A technical breakthrough has already taken place in women’s single skating, and in pair skating is also at a very high level. Before pairs performed a triple toe loop at best, rarely – salchow, now we see triple-triple combinations, pairs try loops and triple lutzes. Technical leap happened everywhere, and rise of the age minimum is inevitable.
How will raising the age minimum affect the results of Russian ladies?
Inna Goncharenko: We still have girls who prove that you can be competitive not only at the age of 17, but also at an older age. And not just compete at a high level, but win and be on the podium at the most important competitions of the season. This is proved by Elizaveta Tuktamysheva.
Therefore, we should not be afraid of raising the age minimum. If this happens, then we will live, work and compete in the conditions we will be put in. Our girls will be definitely fine. They will certainly remain the leaders. We will not give up our leadership.
If they raise the age minimum, it means there will be a longer and tougher competition in junior sports. Junior sports will be more interesting. I hope there will be more attention and interest to it. It’s just that now junior competitions are not as widely covered as senior, they are not so popular. Maybe something will happen in this matter for the better.
source: matchtv.ru dd. 1st December, 2021, by Ildar Satdinov
Alexei Urmanov: The only thing I can tell you is that I am personally interested in watching athlete who spends season after season. That is, 5 years, 7 years, 10 … It’s interesting. Because an athlete, as he becomes, goes through ups and downs, and so on. I would like to watch the growth of the skater, his maturation. When the athlete appeared and disappeared, well … I don’t know, maybe it’s interesting for someone … Today life is kind of fleeting, different – probably people like some kind of action. Today the fans cheer for Ivanova, but tomorrow they switched to Petrova, the day after tomorrow to Sidorova.
For me, for example, it is very interesting to watch Elizaveta Tuktamysheva, who is now a fairly mature athlete, but continues to show excellent skating. She is so mature, so understanding, so different … And I like it more. Therefore, draw your own conclusion whether I agree with the Norwegians or not.
Well, I probably more agree that disagree. But all the same it’s more like conversations in the kitchen, and this, probably, is useless. Who listens? Will it finally come to the deeds? Instead of making statements, the Norwegians should have better created some kind of coalition, got some support from other countries, other associations. If people really want to change something.
source: matchtv.ru dd. 1st December, 2021, by Nadezhda Gyshina
Alexei Mishin: I am not commenting on these questions. Ask something interesting, we’ll talk. We are friends, but the truth is worth more to me.
source: matchtv.ru
Related topics: Alexei Mishin, Alexei Urmanov, Evgeni Plushenko, Inna Goncharenko
Raise the age minimum- I would like to have this just now. Russia will have no problems with it and we can see longer careers of sportsmen of all over the world and their developements. They have now Liza- if Russia is smart, they will take this beautiful young Lady with them to the Olympics. Everyone will and can see- that the age problem there does not exist. I want to see a mature sport and not only an excellent childrens jumping sport with hyperflexity. It is art and sport of talented women. The age minmum should be 18 yaears and not less. Otherwise this sport will worldwide go down.