May someone translate this article?

http://www.cosmo.ru/in_focus/cosmostars/230990/

It is an interview by Alexander Zhulin with Natalia Mikhailova & Andrei Maximishin.

It doesn't make much sense to introduce the readers to Alexander Zhulin, the trainer of Olympic champions. But the new pairs team whom he is staking his hopes upon is only known in a small circle of sports professionals. Zhulin sat down to talk with his protégées and Olympic hopefuls.

Zhulin: Tell me who first brought you to the skating ring or did you possibly come by yourself

Natalia Mikhailova: My grandmother brought me there when I was four

Andrei Maksimishin: In my case it was my mother who wanted me to become a figure skater. Before I got to my first training session, she promised me that she wouldn't insist on me going through with it if I didn't like it. Having done it, I said "I don't like it"" - but she replied "Too bad, but you are going to keep at it." Me and my dad wanted me to sign up for soccer or hockey, but mom was adamant - nope and that was it. By the way, me and Natalia started out skating at the same rink

N.M: I don't remember that.
A.M: But I do. I even remember your grandma and mom


A.Z: So I take it your parents forced you to skate.

N.M: But almost everybody was forced into it
A.M: Only as a 16 year old did I think that I needed and liked skating.
N.M: The good thing is that skating instills willpower. Tough days weren't tough when something came out well and when the trainers offered praise.


A.Z: Your peers were probably jealous of you

A.M Yeah, well, in school they jokingly called me a ballerina.
N.M: In my case, they were proud of me.

A.Z: It's especially tough for boys, because they get teased as kids and have to learn to stick up for themselves. Figure skater - what kinda career is that for a man?!

A.M: Yes, but now my classmates who come to my training sessions proudly declare that they studied together with Andrei Maksimimishin

A.Z: Which of your qualities attracted you both to each other as skating partners?

N.M: Thankfully, our relations are great so far.
A.M: Yes, it's really fun. Training and socializing with with Natasha has brought me nothing but joy. That's contrary to my experience with my previous partner: our personalities were not a good match.


A.Z: Yeah, that's like a husband and wife relationship. Constant bickering doesn't create a happy life together, is probably tolerable for a certain period of time, but in the long run brings about a sad, sad situation.

N.M: (turns to Andrei I respect you.
A.M: And I respect you.

A.Z: What side of your couple is strong and which one is weak?

N.M: Well, with me, the artistic side is probably stronger, but the weakness lies with the technical. With Andrei, it's the opposite

A.Z: But what about the beautiful lines and good looks - are these a plus for figure skating?

N.M: Well I am gonna gush about myself!

A.Z: What's your favorite dance?

N.M: Latin American dances
A.M: I agree
N.M: You liar, you don't like tango!
A.M: No I like it, but I have to portray a macho guy and that doesn't always come across well.

A.Z: Every actor draws on himself, Andrei, so you too have got a macho guy within you.

A.M: Yes somewhere deep within me, sure. Well, not in my depths, but..

A.Z: What kind of a routine do you like working in the best: do you need to be irritated and exhausted or calmed and supported.

N.M: Exhausted and angered.
A.M: No, better both the carrot and the stick (literal Russian metaphor: better both the whip and the pastry.)

A.Z: Do you want to offer any wishes to your coach?

A.M: Maybe it's best if the coach offered us some wishes.

A.Z: That's simple! Work harder, follow my directions. You really have to put pressure on the athletes so that they wouldn't stop working.... Even though I know athletes who don't work that much, that is their dancing on ice isn't the main preoccupation of their life, but still achieve impressive results. For example, two-time Olympic champion Arthur Dimitriev started doing serious training only a week before the competition and didn't even do any full run-throughs. An exceptionally gifted man!

A.Z: What kind of accomplishments do you dream about?

N.M: Of course, the Olympic games. But the more immediate goal: the August test competition of the Russian team and well, hopefully also, the Russian Cup in November.

A.Z: What do you do for fun?

A.M: Thankfully, we have only one long training sessions from 8:30 to 16:00 and not two, like before: that way the day was broken up in two parts, it was train train train all the time and we forgot about life outside of skating. So, in the second half of our day, we've got quite a bit of free time. I, for example, love Remarque (Erich Maria Remarque) and went to see his play "The Three Comrades" at the Sovremennik (a theater in Moscow.)
N.M: Recently I was at the comedy. "Ladies Night. Only for women." Marat Basharov is amazing!

A.Z: Yes, Marat is very talented. By the way, if you were offered a part in "Dancing on Ice," who would you choose for partner.

A.M: Oh wow! Angelina Joli! Or maybe Kate Beckinsale? Oh what am I saying! Of course I'd choose Yulia.

A.Z: I was thinking it was going to be Chulan Hamatova - we invited her to join Dances on Ice, but Chulan has a very filled-up schedule.

N.M: Well, as for me... No, Brat Pitt isn't quite right... Brad Willis? Yes!!! Maybe Pierce Brosnan!

A.Z: What do you tell each other before you get on the ice.

N.M: Let's get going, the competition is about to begin! Or something-like "I am the strongest and the most beautiful."
A.M: In three minutes, I'll be free!

A.Z: Once when I came out on Olympic Ice, I looked at the audience and thought: "There are 150 million people that are watching this competition. I am gonna fall smack down on the ice." The important thing is to stay in control and not panic, because it's just not right to let yourself make mistakes at such an important competition.

Thank you, krenseby

Krenseby thank you for the translation.