Evgenia Medvedeva: I’m a Russian skater and will always represent Russian flag!

Interview with Evgenia Medvedeva.

Zhenya, six months before the Olympics you were injured. But still you performed at the Games and showed yourself in all splendor. How do you feel now? Did you manage to heal your leg properly?

– It’s strange and not very pleasant to think about it. But I have almost forgotten both pain and moral feelings. Now everything is well. Injury has passed, the leg doesn’t hurt. I was treated in European clinic and at home.

Is it true that your former coach Eteri Tutberidze advised you to retire?

– We have never talked about this, neither before nor after the Olympics, I heard about it for the first time in a dubious interview.

You decided to move to Canada and train with Brian Orser. Did you worry before the trip?

– Worried? That’s putting it mildly. After all, before that I have been to Canada only once, this country was completely unfamiliar to me. The decision wasn’t easy and took a long time. I’ve already told you about this many times – we will not go into details. In general, everything related to this move was very hard for me emotionally. Apparently, that’s why there were failures and tears.

What did you have to change in your life first of all?

– The language of communication. But since I already had a little experience in communication in English, everything went more or less smoothly. I hope my English have improved. My coaches and I began to understand each other better. While I’m not very fluent, but I try to improve.

Have any slang words already appeared?

– No, I’m not good in slang (laughs). I try to speak correctly.

After the test skates in Moscow, you said that now in Russian you talk only with your mother and grandmother?

– Mainly with mom and grandmother! There are many Russian-speaking people here, and I don’t forget the language, so it’s not true! In general, in this regard, I would like to say to respected journalists that they should be a little more attentive to the words of athletes and coaches. After all, even small misstatement can cause serious harm and cast a shadow of mistrust on the person.

Unfortunately, we have faced such situation several times, the facts were distorted to make a confrontation between two coaches. There are strange articles that are not confirmed, which are not true. I would like to take this opportunity and address to the journalists – please be careful and cautious with unverified information, because it can harm the reputation of both Russian and Canadian coaches and their skaters. Thank you in advance for your understanding.

Zhenya, who supports you now? Who are you friends with? Do you have anyone there, in Canada, to support you except your mother? After all, the coach is a coach, but a person always wants to talk with peers.

– In Canada, I’m friends with many guys. It happened so that we have been communicating for a long time, and after moving to Canada I didn’t lose, but only got more communication and new friends. Of course, every day I’m in touch with relatives and friends from Moscow. In fact, nothing has changed in our communication, since we always had a shortage of time and talked on the phone. So nothing has changed.

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Tell us about training with Brian.

– Training is completely different than before. It can’t be said that this is better or worse than it was – just in a different way.

What did you start with?

– The first steps, as usual, was skating skills – there is nothing new. So I immediately joined the work. It passes basically positive and I hope productive.

What is Orser’s mindset?

– Brian is set to work, and I hope he likes where we’re going in terms of preparation.

If you could describe him in three words, which would you choose? Strict? Can swear? Is able to motivate? Can he talk heart to heart?

– Professional. Demanding. Calm. And he really knows how to motivate!

I know that you have a wonderful relationship with Yuzuru Hanyu. You were like two genius on different sides of the globe – he is there, you in Russia. Do you communicate often?

– Well, I don’t think I’m genius. (Laughs) This is not modest to say such things about me. We are in the same group, we skate on the same ice. Therefore, of course, we communicate.

We started to love Jason Brown even more when we found out that he was helping you in Canada. Did he also become your friend?

– Jason is the first person I saw in Canada. He met us at the airport and then helped with the local infrastructure. On the first day off he took me to show the shopping mall in Toronto! He is a very positive and hardworking person. I’m glad that he is here and that we began to communicate more.

A little bit about food. The cuisine in Canada differs significantly from Russian. Have you already used to it? Many our compatriots, who live abroad, sometimes ask me to bring Borodinsky bread or chocolate “Alenka”.

– You will laugh! But they have here Borodinsky bread, chocolate “Alenka”, buckwheat, water “Essentuki” and even Siberian dumplings! In Toronto, there is a large Russian diaspora and many Russian grocery stores. So I don’t even try to get used to local food. Although there is something to try, and they cook well.

Tell us about your house. Do you and your mother feel comfortable? As i understand your grandma is in Russia?

– We have a bright and spacious house. I like it. We are comfortable here. Grandma is now in Russia – her summer season ends and very soon she with Jary (the French bulldog), will go home to Moscow from a country house. Every day we are in touch several times – everything is fine!

Is the skating rink far from home? I ask, because I remember how you once told me about your trips on the subway for training. Nobody recognized you then, I think it’s different now.

– The skating rink is in walking distance – it can be seen from the window. But I need to get driving license. Not to move around Toronto, just to have such a skill. But while I do not drive very well.

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Where do you like to spend your free time?

– We often go to the botanical garden to feed the various animals. Basically it’s marmots and huge black squirrels – in Russia we don’t have such. They’re very funny.

Did you manage to get to know your neighbors?

– Yes, and there are a lot of skaters among them.

When can we wait you home? Do you think Canada is for long?

– I plan to visit Russia very often. Now I must say that Canada is the place of my training, the training base. I’m not going to leave Russia. I don’t understand why some people might think that changing of the training base is a change of country or citizenship. I’m a Russian skater and will always represent Russian flag!

What did you feel in Moscow, on the ice of “Megasport” during the test skates? When you came out and saw the full stands that supported you? It seemed that when you came to the ice, we all saw a completely happy person. You laughed and joked. And it seemed that you even missed journalists.

– Of course, I was completely amazed that so many people came to see the test skates! Previously, this was not like that! I thought that there would be less public. The support of the audience always affect me positively, so I was really happy! It’s true! Now I’m a little afraid of journalists because of the wave of negativity, which they brought down on me. But I assure you, it does not bother me, but only encourages me to work further.

How did you react to the idea of a short program to the voice of Natalie Cole?

– I love it! In general, it is difficult to skate to what you do not like, and I really like this music. I haven’t heard it earlier. I had such a program only once, long time ago, when I was very small. So this is a little experiment – I hope good and everyone will like my new image.

And what about tango for the free program? After all, one thing is tango performed by a pair – man and woman, the other – in single skating. What did you want to say with your tango?

– Tango is quite popular music, exactly for single skating. Everyone who takes this music has something to say with “their” tango.

Many noted your new skating skills. My personal observation – you really have changed in the style of skating. Have your feelings changed on the ice?

– I now work a lot on this. And, if the changes are visible from the outside, I’m happy about it. Thank you!

Zhenya, how did you react to the “zeroing” of all the records in figure skating because of new rules? Yours, including?

– I must say that the records, including mine, have not been nullified, but have become historical. They are fixed, excuse me for being indiscreet. In connection with the new scale of marks, the scores will change and of course new records will appear which can’t be compared with the old ones. The scale of marks has now been changed, but not the judging system. All that is accepted by the international union of skaters is the law! And it can not be discussed.

And a little more about changes. We all used to your image and suddenly you got bangs! If I’m not mistaken you had such in childhood.

– I wanted to! Just wanted! I’m a girl and I want bangs!

by Veronika Sovetova and Denis Rozov for tass.ru

Related topics: Evgenia Medvedeva, interview