Alexander Zhulin: “I believe Malinin is 100 percent Russian. All the American men have Russian roots, so a lot becomes clear in this debate.”

Alexander Zhulin stated that American dominance in figure skating is debatable without direct competition against Russian skaters and emphasized that Ilia Malinin is “100 percent Russian” due to his heritage.

original source: Okko, text version Sport24

Russian coach and Olympic silver medalist Alexander Zhulin stressed that without direct head-to-head competition with Russian skaters, American leadership in figure skating remains questionable. He also explained why he considers three-time world champion Ilia Malinin to be entirely Russian. Here’s a translation of his comments.

“For Americans to be considered the best in figure skating, they need to beat our skaters at international competitions. Petr Gumennik looked excellent at the Olympics, while Malinin finished in eighth place. Yes, he’s out of reach, but in the end, Gumennik placed higher.

Is there no Malinin in Russia? We shouldn’t forget that Ilia has Russian parents. Both are talented athletes, so as the saying goes, ‘an aspen doesn’t bear oranges.’ The best conditions were created for Ilia, but he is also an extremely hardworking guy. I believe Malinin is 100 percent Russian. All the American men have Russian roots, so a lot becomes clear in this debate.”

Related topics: Alexander Zhoulin, Ilia Malinin