Plushenko: "Back injury relapse only thing that can prevent me from achieving at Sochi" | Golden Skate

Plushenko: "Back injury relapse only thing that can prevent me from achieving at Sochi"

Mao88

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Mar 9, 2011
Plushenko: "Back injury relapse only thing that can prevent me from achieving at Sochi"

In this recent article, Plushenko states that: "A relapse of my back injury is the only thing that can prevent me from achieving a top-class result at Sochi”

Article reads:-

Plushenko said he’s already practicing quadruple jumps in training and only needs two or three warm-up events before the Olympics. Those could include the ISU Grand Prix event in Moscow (Nov. 22-24), the Russian National Championships (Dec. 22-27 in Sochi) and the European Championships (January in Budapest, Hungary).

Russia only qualified one male skater for the Sochi Olympics via Maxim Kovtun‘s 17th-place finish at the World Championships in March. There isn’t as much elite depth in the country’s program now as there was in the 1990s and early 2000s, a stretch where a Unified Team or Russia skater won five straight Olympic golds.

Plushenko seems confident of attaining the one berth available despite pulling out of the 2013 European Championships after the short program, where he placed sixth, citing a back injury. He had surgery in January and missed the World Championships.

“A relapse of my back injury is the only thing that can prevent me from achieving a top-class result at Sochi,” he said.

Plushenko said he will perform a free skate that’s a mix of his previous programs — a best of Plushenko, if you will. It was the idea of his coach, Alexei Mishin.

“We decided that it would be an original move and a spectacular finish to my career,” Plushenko said.

If Plushenko is going to be a genuine medal contender in Sochi, then he is probably going to need at least 3 warm up events to properly prepare. However, will his body withstand the strain of such a schedule? Moreover, with only 1 spot available, even if Plushenko is fit enough to compete, will he necessarily even be selected. At their best, Artur Gachinski, Sergei Voronov, Konstantin Menshov, Maxim Kovtun, etc, are a threat. Moreover, with so many doubts over Plushenko's fitness and whether he will physically break down again, will the Russian Fed want to risk selecting Plushenko for their home Olympics even if he does win Nationals, given that they only have 1 spot available?

Nevertheless, hope Plushy makes it to Sochi, that his back holds up, and that he is able to put in one final supreme effort and come away with a medal - a fitting end to his career.
 

karne

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Plushy has already said that he will not go to Sochi if he believes he can't make it through both events.
 

sky_fly20

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Nov 20, 2011
this all started after the screw up at Russian Nationals then came Kovtun who though of himself as the savior of Russian mens skating and the stupidity of the Russian fed with Kovtun mightily bombing at Worlds, anyways taht woudl have made a differnce a top 10 at Worlds was a toll order only Plushy was capable of that
 

thinspread

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Aug 8, 2013
this all started after the screw up at Russian Nationals then came Kovtun who though of himself as the savior of Russian mens skating and the stupidity of the Russian fed with Kovtun mightily bombing at Worlds, anyways taht woudl have made a differnce a top 10 at Worlds was a toll order only Plushy was capable of that

No use complaining about that now....

I just want to see him in good shape in his final journey. If he compete in Sochi, I would be more than happy to see him skate anywhere near the way he did in Vancouver. That would be a treat for me, regardless he medals or not. I don't want to see him struggle in the final stage of his career.
 

lcd

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Mar 11, 2007
If he is named to the Olympic team, will he be required to be Russia's entrant in the Team event as well? Apologies if this point has been addressed previously and probably for my lack of understanding of the rule details, but ... I understood that the Team event entrants can only include those athletes chosen for the individual events. As Russia has only qualified one place for the men's event, it would then be my understanding that whoever that one man is, he would be the only Russian skater eligible to compete in the team event (which precedes the Mens' event).

Is this correct? Or is there some loop hole? For example, could they name someone other than him for the team event. Have that guy skate the Team event performances. Announce that he has become "unable to compete" and then slide in their alternate, i.e., Plushy for the men's competition?
 

drivingmissdaisy

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Feb 17, 2010
Is this correct? Or is there some loop hole? For example, could they name someone other than him for the team event. Have that guy skate the Team event performances. Announce that he has become "unable to compete" and then slide in their alternate, i.e., Plushy for the men's competition?

I believe that you are correct that he must be the team entrant. However, I think he will want to skate in the team event because Russia has a great chance at a medal there and a bronze would give him all the medals.
 

lcd

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Mar 11, 2007
I believe that you are correct that he must be the team entrant. However, I think he will want to skate in the team event because Russia has a great chance at a medal there and a bronze would give him all the medals.

Fair point. And it's not like it would be a logistic issue for Russia to keep an alternate training and within proximity. I genuinely look forward to Russian Nationals.
 

whitebamboo

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Dec 7, 2012
Exactly! This is an old article. In last week he gave some new interviews.

Actually, I want to mention that the NBC article quoted by the OP here is probably in large part taken from the following interview, as far as I can tell:
http://www.team-russia2014.ru/article/figur/11164.html

And Plushy in fact said that he would not go to Sochi if he believes he won't make it through both events (which is what I think karne is referring to) in the same interview. The same paragraph, in fact. An excerpt (translation by Darina at Plushy's official forum):

- Do you take into account in your preparation, that, except for individual competitions, there will be team tournament at the Olympic Games in Sochi? Russia has only one spot in men's.

- Of course, I take it into account. Instead of two starts (competition programs) in Sochi will be - four. For nine days. This is a serious load. If the recovery goes well, I will be able to skate four times, and even more. But if for some reason I feel that I could not do it –I will report this in advance, and then the youth will be in Sochi. I do not want to let the Russian national team down, I won’t prevent the young athletes, and I’m not going to skate badly. I repeat: a relapse of my back injury is the only thing that can prevent me from speaking at the Olympics. I have had many operations - knees, groin injury, achilles, hands... None of that bothers me now. Still after the 12th operation - on the back - I have not yet fully recovered. But I hope and believe that I’ll recover, get in good shape and manage to end my career with dignity at home Olympics!
 

Skater Boy

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Feb 24, 2012
It is sad to hear Plushy's body is breaking down but he is a fighter. I am sure if he goes to Sochi he will put on a show. Though I think his injuries are serious he is morelikely to show than Evan Lycacek. TRhe Russian men are weak and inconsistent which helps Plushy's chances too. Though my guess he goes to the olympics and then retires before worlds.
 

sky_fly20

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Nov 20, 2011
It is sad to hear Plushy's body is breaking down but he is a fighter. I am sure if he goes to Sochi he will put on a show. Though I think his injuries are serious he is morelikely to show than Evan Lycacek. TRhe Russian men are weak and inconsistent which helps Plushy's chances too. Though my guess he goes to the olympics and then retires before worlds.

Worlds ? lol
he publicy stated many times Sochi will be his last and the closing of his skating career
 
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