Elizaveta Tuktamysheva: I’m not one of those people who will be very worried about things they cannot change
Interview with Elizaveta Tuktamysheva in Fukuoka at World Team Trophy.
by Tatjana Flade for fsrussia.ru dd. 18th April, 2019.
Liza, this season is over. What it was like for you?
– This season is like a blast. It was so bright and will remain in my memory, because it started brightly and ended brightly. There were some difficulties at the end of the season, as I didn’t get to the world championships. But now I’m here in Fukuoka, at the team competitions (the interview was made at WTT), before that I participated in a show in Japan and I’m in a great mood. In spite of everything, this season was good for me. Together with Alexei Mishin and Tatiana Prokofieva we made a big step forward, therefore we are satisfied and want to continue this way.
What do you consider your main progress this season?
– The restoration of the triple axel in the programs. This is the biggest progress. Now in trainings I do two triple axels in combination with a double one. It was a big step forward, and it gave me confidence that I can compete with the strongest girls at the same level.
Will you continue? Perhaps there will be two axels in a free program?
– Yes, I’m training it now. I make two triple axels. Maybe next season we will do it.
Any thoughts on trying other new elements?
– I like to set real goals. Ttwo axels are real. I focus on it, I will work and invest strength in what is needed, I don’t want to spread myself too thin.
Let’s go back to the season. After the Grand Prix Final, you didn’t go to the Russian Nationals because of pneumonia. How did you cope with the situation?
– From the very beginning I was preparing for the World Championships, I knew my goal, but since I didn’t get into the main team due to my illness, I experienced difficult days, a difficult time. The show in Japan helped me a lot. I went there right after the World Championships ended, switched, got into a different atmosphere – other cities, country, people … I was so into all this that now I feel very well. I don’t care about the past, happened what happened. I’m not one of those people who will be very worried about things they cannot change.
Did you got sick in Vancouver?
– Yes, I flew from Vancouver with a temperature of 38. It was the most terrible flight in my life. Right after the gala in Canada, I felt that something was wrong with me.
And then you spent two weeks in the hospital?
– Yes. I was back on the ice only after the New Year. When I was released from the hospital, I didn’t start skating immediately. Gain a physical shape a little, so not to put the body in a stressful situation.
I was in the hospital near Novogorsk, because from Vancouver we came to Novogorsk – we had a training camp there before the Russian Nationals. And since I returned in a terrible state, I was immediately taken to the hospital. And it was not at home, not in St. Petersburg. But it’s good that I have a lot of friends. They visited, supported, so this whole hospital story did not seem to me as gloomy as it could have.
How did you recover from the illness?
– At first it was very hard indeed, because I had never been so seriously ill, and my body was exhausted. It was necessary to start everything from scratch. For me it became an overcoming of myself. But I was able to prepare in 2 months. At the Russian Cup Final I was already in a good shape. Now I have experience how to recover from an illness. Now I know that in 2 months you can get a good shape from scratch.
Of course, at first I was a little confused when I trained alone in St. Petersburg — Aleksei Nikolayevich went to the World Championships with the group. But now I’m glad that I’m participating in a team competitions, that I’m here. Anyway, I think everything that happens leads to something. So it was necessary.
Before the World Team Trophy, you came to Japan in advance for the show, and it was a different preparation for the competitions.
– Completely different preparation. When I found out that I was going to the World Team Trophy, I immediately began to include a triple axel in the trainings, 3 – 3 combinations. I was preparing myself. Plus participation in the show. I skated in public. Everyday. Relaxed and with positive. Probably, when there are so many positive emotions, they help a lot. I think that my good skating in Fukuoka happened due to the fact that I had a very good time doing shows.
At WTT you got season best for the free program. This is a great ending of the season!
– Yes, a very pleasant end of the season. I’m so glad that I did everything that depended on me, I got good scores. I will try to keep it and start the next season with the same positive emotions.
You had a gorgeous triple axel in the free program.
– Now, when the triple axel has become a “working element” I’m not in such euphoria as before. I made an axel and – continue to work, because there is still the rest of the program. In Japan, the axel was turning out well, so for me it’s successful execution wasn’t a surprise. I went there, worked and enjoyed.
After the World Team Trophy you will have a training camp, rest, show in Japan, then another training camp. Are there any ideas for new programs?
– There is one music that I really like, for a short program. I think that AlexeI Nikolayevich will also like it. I don’t know about the free program. So far we haven’t listened something specifically, because the coaches had a very busy season, and in general there was no time for this. Alexei Nikolaevich and I sent a couple of tracks to each other, but we didn’t come to something definite.
At the World Team Trophy, you and Andrei Lazukin were in the same team. Before this they have never participated together at such big competitions. Was it hard for you?
– This was a little strange, because it happened for the first time. But at the same time, it is nice to have the support of your boyfriend. Perhaps because of this, I wasn’t nervous that much, because we were together and there were a feeling that this was not exactly a competitions, like we were at home, Andrei is here, that means everything is fine.
Did you worry when he skated his programs?
– A little, because I needed to watch the performance and cheer for our guys. I was less worried for myself.
Now in Russia, figure skating is at its peak of popularity, much is written about figure skaters and not always objectively and truthfully. Mostly about girls, they are constantly compared and opposed to each other. What do you think about it and how do you react to all this?
– When there is a flow of negativity, I try to use social networks less. But what can be done if it’s interesting for people? The main thing is that there’s nothing like that between us in the real life. We know how we communicate with each other, know each other’s situation in sport. But if people like to read about “battles”, then reporters will write that. Everything is connected. I also want the articles to be more positive, because we have such a beautiful sport. I want as little dirt as possible about it.
When you read such articles where they are trying to pit the girls against each other, what do you do: write to each other, laugh at this?
– We laugh. Here at the show after the team competitions, we talked a lot with Zhenya Medvedeva, became good buddies. And it is good that we are so open to each other.
Is it possible to be friends with rivals?
– Sure. Especially when the season is over. This is, of course, a joke. But just when you’re out of the ice, it’s hard to be in yourself all the time, concentrated only on yourself. At least I can not. It’s much easier for me to be open with everyone than to be sullen. For me it’s better to communicate with everyone. On the ice it is on the ice, and outside the ice everything is calm.
Sofia Samodurova told that you have a good relationship, you often live in the same hotel room.
– In our group we all try to communicate, we support each other.
And Sofia, you can say, grew up before your eyes.
– She grew up quickly. Sofia really improved lately, has become more feminine in skating. Apparently, something happened in her, because she has changed over the past two years.
Do you give her advices?
– It happens, at trainings or at training camps, when the coaches can’t pay attention to everyone, Sofia asks me: “Liza, look!” And I can tell her some mistakes.
It’s great that you are in the triple axel club of girls: Japanese Rika Kihira and others. Do you watch how they do it?
– Of course. Kihira has a slightly different technique for this jump. I would say Japanese technique. I saw Satoko doing a triple axel on the show. Kaori Sakamoto … They all make this jump with the same technique. I even helped Satoko a little with the triple axel during the show. I like to prompt and help.
Maybe you will try yourself as a coach?
– Maybe. Only first I need to read all the books of Alexei Mishin.
Related topics: Elizaveta Tuktamysheva
Love Liza!!