Anna Shcherbakova: “After the fall in the short program I had a feeling that I had failed everything, didn’t cope with anything and everything was lost, self-confidence was lost.”
Anna Shcherbakova about her performance at the European Championships 2022 where she took silver.
source: sports.ru by Maiia Bagryantseva
Anna Shcherbakova: After the final pose, these bright and positive emotions always overlap everything that happened before – all the worries and anxiety. Before the performance, it seemed to me that these two days were one of the worst in my life, that it was impossible to overcome and there were a lot of unnecessary thoughts. But after the performance, I understand that it’s not that scary and that positive emotions overlap everything.
After the fall in the short program, it was morally difficult. Even before the competitions, I was very nervous, but after the short program, I had the feeling that I had failed everything, didn’t cope with anything, everything was lost – and self-confidence was also lost. It seems as if the time before the free program you just live waiting for the next failure. Perhaps the day of break helped me, and all thoughts remained in yesterday. I went to the warm-up already very charged and tuned for a good skating.
The task of each athlete is to get together at the right time and show the best, the question is how much the nerves affects you. I also had this after the short program – after which I wanted to regain confidence. The skating was nervous, I didn’t lose concentration for a second, I understood that If I got distracted, lose control there could be a mistake on any element. And until the very last pose, I controlled everything to the smallest detail – every jump, every step, so that stupidity would not happen, for which I would reproach myself.
I came here in normal shape, I was just knocked out by a short program, yesterday it was all kind of blurry, I was coming to my senses. And there are no problems with the shape. Such performance is not an accident and not something out of the ordinary.
By the time of the European Championships, everything was quite tense, to be honest, for the first time I didn’t read any news about myself, perhaps this also comes with experience. With each competitions, you understand something new for yourself, but here for the first time I was so upset after the short program.
Content for the Olympics? My content does not depend on the importance of the competitions, but on my shape. I always need a clean skate, if I’m ready to perform clean a more difficult content, I will definitely go for it.
But in such conditions, I understood that I could skate only such a content. And I did it. Today I’m satisfied with myself, but of course, if I’m ready to show something more complex, I will show it.
We are trying different options, I do not forget about the lutz, it is there, but for now the final version is determined by my shape.
Lately, a lot of people have been asking me about the Olympics. But I have a feeling like it will be not with me, in the next life. I don’t believe it myself, so when we get there, everything will be incredible for me, all emotions will go off scale. Everyone says that the Olympics are something special.
If we talk about China, then I was there at the Grand Prix two years ago. I liked it very much, different culture, everything is different, this year I wanted to come there, it’s a pity that the Grand Prix was postponed. Fans from China give me a lot of gifts, recently they handed over the symbols of the Games – such support is pleasant.
Related topics: Anna Shcherbakova, European Championships
Agreed with Peter. Anna is a fantastic girl, she never gives up. She has the grace, technique and she has the iron will that turns athletes to champions. Ánd she also has the heart of gold.
Anna’s free skate was spectacular, leaving no doubts about why she is the world champion and three times national champion. All the best for the olympics!
Anna, you are so good, so spectacular, so graceful, so beautiful, athletic, so strong, so talented, so special, so determined and hard working, you are a treasure to millions of people, no matter how you perform during one event. Your value shines forth 24 hours a day, every day, because you are lovely and your heart is pure and you are loved.
You can disagree, but millions of us know just how precious you are. If you were never to skate again, you would remain just as wonderful.