Tuktamysheva: first two places will be ours

I think it’s so sad that we won’t see 2015 World Champion Elizaveta Tuktamysheva at this Worlds. Women’s figure skating is so unpredictable. Today you’re on the top, tomorrow you’re out.

Elizaveta shares her prediction for the ladies event at World Championships 2016, talks about Team Challenge Cup and plans for the future.

Liza, at the European Championships Russian girls occupied the whole podium. Can we repeat this result in the World Championships?

Elizaveta: If all goes well, the chances are good. At least, the first two places will definitely be ours. This season’s statistics of performances of Evgenia Medvedeva and Elena Radionova make it possible to count on this. And if Anna Pogorilaya, who not always consistent, is able to brace up, in Boston everything will be exactly as at the European Championships in Bratislava. Let’s hope that our girls will perform well. Then they can be not afraid of any competitors, neither American Ashley Wagner and Gracie Gold or Japanese Mao Asada, Rika Hongo and Satoko Miyahara.

Russian primes of the rhythmic gymnastics know that if one makes a mistake, then the other won’t give the victory, some kind of backup. How is it in figure skating? 

Elizaveta: Everything is different in figure skating. Every man for himself. Nobody thinks how will perform the other, who will fill his shoulder. Still, it’s an individual sport.

The Team Challenge Cup, where you will participate together with Sergei Voronov and Ksenia Stolbova – Fedor Klimov is an exception?

Elizaveta: For me it will be a special competition. On the one hand, I have missed a lot, haven’t competed for a long time, so it will be a serious start for me. At the same time I understand that there won’t be such a tense atmosphere on the rink as at the championships. Therefore, I am waiting for this start, with a smile in my heart. Last time I was tormented by injuries, because of which could not train fully. Always something interfered. At the show dedicated to Alexei Mishin’s anniversary I was skating through the pain. I understood then that it is necessary to heel the leg completely. But I will try to get in shape by the end of April.

Compared with the triumphant 2015 season, this didn’t go well. In you career were lots of ups and downs. Is it hard to overcome and survive the periods of failures?

Elizaveta: It is always difficult to endure these setbacks, you can’t get used to this. Actually, you shouldn’t get used to the fact that you constantly have to get out “of the pit”. But you also should not consider it as tragedy. No need to drive yourself into a corner, call it a day, saying I am useless. You just need to practice more. Career is long. I will definitely skate for another five years. No one knows what will happen during this time and how the life will turn. But my motto is tomorrow will be better than yesterday.

What is your goal, your incentive? Maybe the Olympics 2018? 

Elizaveta: I will say just this: I want to go to the Olympics, but not more. With my coach we came to the conclusion that you shouldn’t prepare for some particular competition. It’s better to move gradually, step by step. But I know that I still can do something for figure skating. I haven’t revealed my full potential yet. That’s not all, what I can do. At least, I feel so. I would like to make the dreams come true.

You are one of the few skaters who jump triple axel. Quads in women’s figure skating – it’s real?

Elizaveta: For those, who is jumping high – yes. For some, maybe quadruple will be even easier then triple axel. Many figure skaters does it not quite stable and correctly. But I hope that in the future quads will be performed not only in men’s but also in women’s figure skating. I think it will add entertainment, the attractiveness to your discipline. There is a complication of elements in pairs: combinations of two triple jumps, quad throws and twists. In ice dance every year they skate more virtuosity. And women are at a standstill. Girls perform triple jumps, doing combinations “triple-triple”. A couple of people are doing a triple axel. The progress is everywhere. I would like to see it in women’s skating too.

the source: rg.ru

Previous interview with Elizaveta Tuktamysheva

Related topics: Elizaveta Tuktamysheva, ladies, Team Challenge Cup, Team Russia, world championship