Thank you as always. I really hope Anna will be motivated and also healthy to return to competitions next season..new interview (text version):
https://sport24.ru/figureskating/ar...ashcheniye-v-sport-poyezdka-vo-frantsiyu-shou
- Movies, series - according to mood. I like movies that make the brain work intensively, I don’t like to watch something light. I used to say that I don’t like watching movies because I sit and waste my time. I couldn't even concentrate on watching. Then I realized that I need movies in which I can’t be distracted by anything, where I constantly follow the smallest details. Such films are very hard to find: they are either detective stories or thrillers - something that will greatly overload the brain.
- Not so long ago there was an international Olympic day. After a year and a half, what are your emotions from the Games in Beijing: do you return to that Olympic day? How often do you get a medal? Do you look where you keep it?
- I keep it at home, on a shelf, it lies beautifully. In general, I don’t touch it, only if they ask for some kind of shooting. But these memories are one of the most important events in my life, definitely the most important in my sports career. Therefore, of course, I often remember, now only with positive emotions.
- Is there any competition that you often rewatch?
- I have a rather banal list of competitions that are my favorites. I can’t say that I often sit down and rewatch my skates, but if there is such a mood, then these are skates from three victorious Russian championships, the Olympics ...
- You did not name the World Championship.
- Because I don't watch it (laughs). Of course, I watched it a couple of times, but with less enthusiasm.
- Why?
- If I made some mistakes in the performance, then after the competition I will review this performance a million times in order to consider everything in detail. But in general, I want to remember more positive emotions. And my mistakes do not deliver such emotions, so I do not like to look at them. And when the free program started with a fall, there was no enthusiasm after watching it. I mean, I'm still proud of this performance. I perfectly understand in my head that to get together after the fall, to finish everything, to fight for the skating - I am still proud that I made the same Lz-Lo the last element. In principle, I am proud of the performance, but I will not say that I often review it at the same time. There are more emotions from victory. I sometimes come across how people make cuts with that moment. There was the most sincere reaction to the victory, I review it with pleasure.
- This year you have a new schedule, a lot of public events. Was it difficult to readjust?
— Already used to it. I think it's cool when there is a lot of work, when you are always busy with something. It’s more difficult for me to find a place when there is nothing to do, and when you are constantly doing something, then I’m more comfortable.
- Can it be compared in terms of tension with a complex competitive schedule?
- Slightly different loads. Naturally, physically you get more tired when preparing for a competition, when you train from morning to night and there is no time for anything else. But emotionally and mentally, you get more tired when you try to combine everything at once. Still, I get more tired from such media work, and from training, if they are good, I rather recharge. It happens to me that I go from some event to a workout - tired, squeezed out like a lemon, even a word is hard to say. Because I am generally an introvert and often give energy during communication. And now you go to training without strength, everything starts to work out for you, and as a result, I leave training - I have a lot of strength, I'm charged. I think: “Where do I get so much strength from?” In theory, I should have been tired, but on the contrary, I recharged.
- Recently you went to Murmansk for a good cause: to make the world a better and cleaner place, to help activists in the city to clean up the garbage. Please tell us about this experience. Did everything you planned succeed?
- Everything went exactly as planned. It was a very fast trip, literally one day, round trip. Firstly, I was in Murmansk for the first time - an incredibly beautiful city, nature is amazing at once. Secondly, there were polar day, not a bit dark at night. At the very least, it was very interesting for me to travel around our homeland, along the edges where I had not been. Although during the tour of our shows I traveled a lot of cities in Russia. And of course, there was a very important goal: we coped with it, cleared the river bank. Also, my task was to somehow cover it - we shot various videos there, so in general everything went as well as possible, as planned.
- Recently, many events have been held with the participation of figure skaters: the final of the Battle of Schools, the day of Moscow sports. Do you think they contribute to the popularization of figure skating?
- It seems to me that figure skating is, in principle, one of the most popular sports in Russia now, in particular figure skaters, girls, whom many people follow. Therefore, it's great that, despite the absence of international competitions, figure skating is so loved in our country, athletes are supported so much. It's cool that there are so many different activities
- You performed in the roles of the goddess in the show “Scheherazade Love Story” and Princess Leia in “Sleeping Beauty”. Which of the roles is closer to you?
- It seems to me that the beauty of figure skating and its specificity is that you can try yourself completely different. What I like most is to transform, to try something different. Perhaps the viewer may like some role more and think that I play it better, but for me this is one of the favorite aspects of figure skating, that you can be different.
- Is it difficult to get used to the role?
— No, I always love it very much. There are probably roles that are a little harder, but for me this is more of a favorite side, so I like it.
- In May and June, you actively shared beautiful photos from your vacation with fans. How did you spend time? Where did you like it better? Did you manage to recover before a series of sporting events and shows?
-Yes, I had an absolutely wonderful holiday. And at the end of the holiday, we managed to get together with the whole family, which we had not been able to do for a long time, and travel a little. It rather reminded me a little of childhood - we traveled so often with the whole family. In the same Paris, I posted a photo “Nine years later” - they took a picture in the same place, so a lot of pleasant memories.
- You recently had a master class in France. Who invited and how did it go?
— I was invited by Florent Amodio. We met him a couple of years ago. Naturally, I've been following him for a long time. I watched his last European Championship live - I cried at the screen, it was very touching. I followed him like a skater since childhood, when I was very young and I didn’t have any special prospects. We were subscribed to each other in social networks, he congratulated me on some competitions. For me, of course, this is always a very indescribable feeling - this is an athlete that you followed in your childhood and who seemed inaccessible to you.
Then I began to participate in major competitions, and many skaters, whom I followed as a child, wrote to me, supported and congratulated me. It's all very empowering. The first reaction is that you are surprised that they know you. In the beginning, the conversation was like this. A couple of years ago we met in person: it was very interesting for us to communicate together, we found a common language and a lot of topics for conversation. One of them, by the way, is Novogorsk, where Florent trained a lot.
All this year, Florent very often called me to his place, saying: “It would be great if you had the opportunity to come to the academy.” That is, it is more of a friendly visit than some kind of official master class. Finally, there was an opportunity to combine a family trip and at the same time call on Florent. I arrived, I spent a very cool couple of days there. I came to them for training, at first I just watched how it all happened. It’s also a great experience for me to see how they train. I saw a lot of interesting things.
Then I went out on the ice. At first I was a little shy, Florent himself asked me: “What do you think about this and this?” Discussed with him, told my vision. It often happened that I looked at someone and said - not even comments, but simply sharing my experience: “I like this, you can do it like this here.” And Florent is like, “That's it! Wait, hold on". He calls the skater and says: "Now tell her the same thing." I repeated the same. He says: “That's how many times I told you. Now Anya will say, you will understand everything right away. ” There were situations when I would say something - and Florent said: "I told her this ten times, and you said - and she immediately corrected herself." Probably just a fresh look. I attended training sessions and shared my experience.
At the end, there was something like a press conference, when all the athletes asked me questions and we just talked to them. As a result, it was more like not a press conference, but a normal communication. We spent several hours, the guys had a lot of completely different questions. I just shared my opinion, experience, discussed.
-Did they ask something unexpected?
- No, for skaters such ordinary things. There were questions about the routine, about preparing for the competition, many were interested to know. In general, we discussed our urgent problems of figure skaters.
- Is the training process different in France and Russia?
- I can not say that I have something to compare. In the Russian school, I was only within the walls of Khrustalny, so I can compare with the approach of our coaches. Of course, there are differences, but I really liked the way Florent relates to work. He does not put pressure on athletes, but by his own example he shows with what dedication one must skate. I think his results show what can be achieved.
- Anna, now there is a lot of talk about your return - Ilya Averbukh said that you are thinking about it. Can we expect you to compete in the new season? Missing tournaments?
-To be honest, I don't like talking about something that hasn't been done yet. If this happens, then you and the fans will not miss it. Everyone will know about it, and there will be something to discuss. In the meantime, I would not like to comment and discuss it in any way.
— What are you working on in Novogorsk?
- I'm restore shape (smiles).
— What are your plans for the coming summer?
- Grandiose (laughs) - both trainings and work. So very rich plans.
Extremelythere are some highly concerning things in that interview.
part 2:
Anya, tell me, please, how to deal with stress. So you said: "I was a little nervous, and then everything is fine." And in general, listening to you, I understand that you do not think about all these psychological problems, for example, about how to overcome fear. Here's how to learn to be Anya Shcherbakova?
- It seems to me that thanks to figure skating, now I rarely get nervous at all. On the contrary, in life I am such a calm person who always takes care of his nerves and does not worry about trifles. And even if something negative happens, I don't react until it gets really bad.
You need to do master classes on this topic. Now this problem is being discussed everywhere, some kind of marathons are being held, but I would like to hear from you, the Olympic champion. How to cope with stress - please teach our viewers.
-It probably comes with experience. We have been competing since childhood, we start performing at about the age of five. And with every performance you learn a little… I had a moment when I was very nervous. That is, I could start to get nervous a month before the competition. I already wake up every morning - and my legs are shaking, and while I go to school, I always think that after a month will be competition, I'm already worried with might and main, and when I arrive at the tournament, everything goes wrong - five mistakes on seven elements. This is probably the most difficult year I have had, when one after another there were such unsuccessful tournaments.
That is, you said to yourself, like a smart girl: “stop winding yourself up.” It brought nothing, no fruit, you were afraid before it was necessary.
- Yes, and after the competition I thought: “Why was I so nervous - because of what happened? So why was I nervous then? And that year I had to get very nervous, spend a lot of my strength ...
What year was it?
-It was... I was 12 or 13 years old then, I was recovering from a broken leg, and, probably, all this put pressure on me that I missed a whole year without competition...
What was the fracture?
- I am recovering very hard after the summer holidays. For me, always recovering from rest is a real torment, it was like that even when I was little. And so we were recovering in Novogorsk and at one of the training sessions I jumped the 3Lo-3T-3Lo combination, I still remember it. And so I do two triple jumps and there is no longer this third jump, I didn’t have to jump, but with the last of my strength I start this 3Lo - well, unsuccessfully. I received a severe fracture of the tibia, spent several months in a cast and missed, one might say, the entire season. And this was supposed to be my first international season.
Before that, I had learned the quadruple jump and, of course, I wanted to show it at competitions. Well, I was very offended that year, but it taught me a lot, I matured a lot then. And when I returned, for about half a year I had these very unsuccessful tournaments. But on the other hand, the next season I came out much stronger than I was before the fracture.
Anya, how did you recover, please tell us. And how to recover for an athlete who was about to have his first international season, and who, because of some stupidity, happens like this. Tell me, please. Because many people at some point lose their jobs, they get depressed, a real change in fate. Tell me what to do, you're a young talent ... So, we must pull out the pumpkin.
- The support helped me a lot. My parents supported me very much, my coaches supported me very much. They let me know that they were waiting for me on the ice, they said “come back”. I even once came in a cast for training. That is, I just sat on the side and watched everyone skate, I missed to ice. And, probably, all this gave me even more motivation to come back and become stronger, overcome it ...
Did you go there every day?
-No, it was literally twice, because it's also quite hard actually. So I really missed and came to see it, but it would probably be hard every day.
Anya, and at that time you closed your eyes, imagining how you perform without plaster, to what music, in what dress?
-Certainly. But I still always, all my life, have dreams about figure skating, so every time, as soon as I fall asleep, I immediately see training or performances. And with plaster, I also fell asleep, and at first I dreamed about how I was falling, and I trembled in my sleep. And then I began to dream that I was at the competition. And I did not have despair, because I knew for sure that this was not the end, I had no thoughts that it was all over.
Well, at 12, of course.
-I knew for sure that I would return, that I just needed to go through this recovery period.
We pour water.
-Yes.
Look, dear viewer. We stewed the onion, ginger and garlic. It all looks very cool, I really regret that the video does not convey smells. Great, now we pour water, wait a bit until it all boils - and add our pumpkin there, which has already acquired a wonderful aroma. You see, it's not all that difficult.
- What I like the most is that I didn't have the opportunity to mess things up.
You will do everything next. You don't spoil, you help...
(pause)
Was there a moment when you were afraid to go on the ice and perform that same jump? And how did you deal with this fear?
- Well, at first, probably, there was no fear. It seems to me that this was generally the very first jump that I restored after an injury. Well, there was no fear, but the more you grow, the more you mature - that's when some fears appear. Now, for example, it happens to me that if the landing is the same as then, I will not perform the next jump in the cascade. I’ll think about it, and at the same time, a memory of that moment will immediately arise in my head - and I stop myself: “So, you shouldn’t do this, I’ll make the element easier now.” Well, that is, in childhood we are not like that ...
Not so careful.
-Yes. You don't think about it and everything is fine. And when you get older, it gets harder. Already some kind of self-preservation instinct appears, which sometimes even interferes with training.
Anya, how did you go to the Olympics? I'm interested in the details - we have such a detailed program. You understood - it’s not enough just to say: “here I came and performed.” This is so understandable. The approach itself is interesting. It turns out that it was your approach - both in psychology and in training - that is what worked. And you became an Olympic champion. Therefore, everything that can be seen under a microscope is interesting. Teach, tell, show.
- Well, it seems to me that I was very well prepared for the Olympics, because it was already my third adult season. And somehow the responsibility grew gradually. At first there was a less important season, then you prepare for the World Championships, this is already an increased responsibility, and then the Olympic season comes. Somehow, everything went on growing, and I didn’t have any sharp ups or downs, life was preparing me gradually, and by the time I came to the Olympics I was completely ready. I knew myself, I knew my body, I knew how to train and tune in. I knew how to warm up, I knew what to do in order not to be nervous, how to cope with excitement.
What did you eat for breakfast [during the Olympics]
- Oh ... I almost didn’t eat there at all, as it seems to me.
Didn't eat at all? Is it from stress or some other reason?
- Well, at that moment I thought that the less I eat, the better I will train (laughs).
And where is the strength to take, Anya?
- Well, this moment, probably, is only now coming back to normal, I'm starting to understand how I eat, so that I have the strength, and not to overeat. To be honest, I don't remember what I ate...
How did you ride the bus, what music did you listen to in the player?
- I think everything was so calm. I listened at that time to uplifting music...
What is this music?
-I like to listen to Imagine Dragons especially before competitions. It seems to me that they have "charging" and motivating songs. It seems to me that the whole day I went strictly according to the schedule. Here everything was good. Everything is on schedule - here I had a training session, exactly as it was necessary ...
Was the training in full force, or just to warm up?
-I always practice worse than the performance. I always “catch myself” in the morning, but at competitions everything is already in full force, because my evening training always goes better, plus all the efforts are on the start. Therefore, the morning workout is more of a warm-up. Well, if you take those days in which I performed, then everything was strictly according to plan. Nothing was out of schedule, except for the fact that I missed the bus somewhere.
Late?!
-I came to the free skating later than necessary.
Wait, how was it?
- Well, in principle, I am always so very concentrated on the ice, I always have everything strictly in its place, but in ordinary life I am often kind of absent-minded. I constantly lose something, I forget, I'm late. Well, I'm late precisely because I forgot or lost something somewhere and came back to find it. And so, as I remember, I did not carefully look at the bus schedule, I was a little late and then I stood and waited for the next flight. And I usually come right before the warm-up. And on the next bus it happened about 15 minutes later.
How much time left before did to get on the ice?
-I arrived 40 minutes before going out on the ice.
And usually?
-And usually I arrive an hour before going out on the ice. That is, my warm-up in the gym was reduced by about half. But I pretended that everything was as it should be. I ran into the warm-up room looking very confident. The coaches, of course, are already sitting there, all the athletes are warming up ...
Did the coaches feel something at that moment, did they say something to you?
-They didn't say anything - I think, because I was very confident in pretending that everything was as it should be. I very confidently ran into the gym and began to warm up, as if everything was fine. But, of course, I was a little nervous myself.
And what is the highest mark in figure skating now?
-Oh, everything is very complicated there ... Well, let's talk about the components, it's 10.
For the components - 10 ... Anya, do you agree with the statement that your sport is very subjective.
- Well, I agree that our sport is subjective. In principle, any sport that is somehow connected with art is just that. Art is always subjective. It is impossible to objectively evaluate art. Each person will always have his own vision of what he likes and what he does not like. Let's just say - there is a human factor. But we have clearly defined rules, under which we always adapt. That is, our coaches always clearly know every point of the rules, we know every point clearly. We know what we get marks for, we are given protocols printed on paper, in which every hundredth of a point is described. Therefore, it is very important to know the rules well and adapt to them - then you will understand why you were given such a mark.
Anya, please tell me - have you watched your rivals? Here you performed, here you were given score, you naturally remembered this. And then they rate your competitors. You calculate it mathematically and already understand how much you win or lose, what you need to do.
-Before my performance, I never look at how the girls perform, and I try not to listen to how the score is announced. But of course, you usually hear it anyway. And I had such that ... I try not to do this, but it often happens that I find out the score of other skaters. You just happen to look somewhere and see there, for example, how many points you need to get in order to become a leader. And then you start to calculate something in your head. But in general, I tried never to be distracted by it.
But after the performance - here, of course, you watch at the performances of other girls, but you usually don’t calculate mathematically: “such a jump will bring so many points.” No, you just intuitively understand that with such a skating, this person will get ahead of you, and in another case, perhaps this will not happen, this moment is debatable, but this one does not cause controversy ...
After whom did you go on the ice at the Olympics?
-I went out on the ice… now I remember… it seems to me, after Kaori Sakamoto, a Japanese figure skater. Yes exactly.
Did you watch her performance?
- No, before myself, I never watch skates at all.
That is, at the moment when it seems to us, the audience, that you are looking, are you actually looking inside yourself? There you turn to the ice like this, then like this ...
- Yes, at this moment you are completely in yourself. That is, before my performance, I’m not even very interested in how others skate, because I’m so in myself, in my program - I know what I need to do. Plus nerves, excitement - that is, I have absolutely no time to watch at the performances of other athletes. Therefore, before your own skating, all thoughts are only about yourself. But after - you are already looking at everyone else, you are somehow more calm.
Share with me, please - that's exactly the moment when you see the decisive score and understand that you are an Olympic champion ... Did it happen all at once? Or did you understand that there would be two or three more skaters after you, and you were waiting for their marks?
- At first I saw my score ...
What was this score?
- That was a good score...
How much, do you remember?
-So, probably 255, but I could be wrong, that is, I don’t remember it that well, but ...
We'll turn on the credits, don't worry.
-Fine. Well, the bottom line is, when I got into Kiss & Cry, I figured out roughly how much I should be getting for my performance. And I got exactly what I expected. And I had a restrained reaction, I was pleased when I saw exactly what I expected. I completed my task the way I wanted, and I got what I wanted.
Did you do your quad lutz there?
-There I did two 4Fs. That is, it just happened like this - maybe it’s strange, but at the Olympics I didn’t have very violent emotions, because we arrived there long before the performances. And now all the nerves seemed to have been spent.
That's why I ask so many questions about the Olympics. You know, I thought when I rewatched it, you were so just… [calm].
-Well, at this point you're already a little...
As if it were the championship of Moscow
-When we arrived in Beijing, the first training was a hundred times more nervous than all subsequent competitions. That is, the first training session is everything, it seems to be the most important thing in life, everything was lined with cameras, everyone is filming, everyone is photographing, every step is being discussed, every jump is being discussed. And so many nerves were spent in two weeks of our training, so much happened there that I went to the competitions themselves so calmly that ...
Are you so tired of everything?
- Yes, I was so tired that I thought: “well, now I need to go out, do my job well, and…”
Anya, were your parents with you at that moment?
-No, my parents weren't with me. We were alone in the Olympic village. In addition, there was also quarantine, that is, it was impossible ... It seems to me that three minutes are coming to an end.
Yes, friends, everything is already boiling here, and we are finally adding pumpkin here. Pumpkin should boil for about five minutes. I'm telling you this so you remember. And then you will do for the first time in your life these “toeloops”. Or what would you call it?
Anya, you have an Olympic medal (Anna nods). You have a World Championship medal (Anna nods again). Well, yes, two more silver medals at the European Championships. You are a three-time champion of Russia. What other goals could there be? You have already achieved everything.
-Maybe yes. This year was partly in search, partly in misunderstanding, because ...
Everyone is confused right now.
-Yes, firstly, everyone has a misunderstanding, and secondly - of course, when you achieve the biggest goal in sports, then there comes a moment when you don’t understand a little - what next, what to do?
Doesn't it seem to you that everything happened so quickly that you have not yet realized your own size in figure skating?
-I don't think so. It seems to me that everything was somehow timely. Somehow, gradually, I was moving towards this, and I did not have an unexpected take-off, everything went on as usual. But, probably, there was a year of misunderstanding of what I need to do. Well, I also had an operation due to an old injury. And this to some extent simplified the task for me, because in any case I needed it.
Are you talking about surgery?
- Yes, my knee was restored. It turned out that this was a very old injury, connected in some way with the old fracture that I had at the age of 12 ...
That is, everything has accumulated?
-Yes, it accumulated and accumulated, and it took now, finally, to deal with it. And this operation gave me time to think about what to do. This choice was no longer in front of me this year - in any case, I had to be treated. And just like that, I had a year of respite from professional sports. And I needed that break.
Did you miss the competition?
-To be honest, I really miss for competition now… It was written “three minutes” and I think three minutes have already passed. Do we need to move it there?
Not yet, we need to mix it up. You can put it over there. Well done - look, you did it yourself the first time. How do you feel?
- Well, I pretend to be very confident in my actions (laughs).
You know I believed you.
- So, what did I say? .. I said that I really missed for competition very much. Now I come to training and I feel that the athlete still lives in me. And this athlete wants more and more. That is, I have this motivation and desire to do something else in training, and ... It is still difficult, of course, to foresee what will happen next, but I can say that I still have this sports passion in me.
That is, you are already coming to the gym, on the ice, are you slowly starting to get in shape?
-Yes, I am gradually getting into shape, I have restored all the triple jumps, the cascades are gradually improving - that is, there is progress.
(pause)
In figure skating, girls end their careers so early - what is the reason for this?
- Well, it seems to me that this is a sport in which the athlete has the peak of opportunities in the period from 15 to 17 years. And if at this age you won everything that you could win, then I don’t see anything wrong with the fact that you can do it at all ... Well, I don’t know, here you are 18 years old, you have already achieved a lot, and you still have your whole life ahead of you, all the doors are open in front of you, and you can really do whatever you want: if you want to skate - do it, if you want to do something else - please. Therefore, what happens next is the choice of the individual himself. And I don’t see anything wrong with the fact that you have the opportunity to achieve everything in sports and live a whole life further.
No one sees it as a bad thing, we just don't want to let go of the champions we love, that's all. And even more so if you have already begun to slowly, as you say, return to shape and feel like an athlete, and not an artist on ice - these are two different things for you, right? That is, you can perform on the show, as I understand it, up to the age of 50, judging by your senior colleagues.
-Maybe yes.
And you can do it great. But if we talk specifically about sports, do I understand you correctly that you haven’t finished yet? Or do you still need to put an ellipsis?
- Well, I ... Yes, for now we put ellipsis. Well, if I enter the competition, then no one will miss it, so let's wait and see.
Well, take a blender, please. At that moment, I would take ... Give us an apron, please. The apron is needed so that Anechka does not get dirty now. Add salt and pepper… Do you like salt? Should I add more or less salt?
-Slightly less.
Okay… In general, tell me, how is your diet? Did you take care of yourself, or did God kiss you and you had no weight problems at all?
- Well, before the Olympic season, everything was very good for me in this area. That is, either my genetics are good, or it’s just that my age was still childish, and I didn’t have any problems with this, I ate everything I wanted. And in the Olympic season, I began a transitional age, and it became more difficult for me to keep track of weight. And in order to maintain an optimal weight for training, I had to mock myself a little that year. I tried all possible and impossible diets and within a year I survived - I kept myself at the optimal weight. And then, when I started letting myself go… Well, I want to relax, somehow let go of myself, the Olympic season is over. I started eating normally - and, naturally, immediately gained weight ...
How much weight have you gained?
- Well, I don't like to name the exact amount of this increase.
Okay, what is your ideal weight? How much, for example, did you weigh at the Olympics?
- Oh… I don't think I ever talked about my weight anywhere. But at the Olympics...
Tell me make an exception for me
-During that season, 42 kilograms was considered a good weight for me.
Forty two? Yes, you are just a fluff ...
-Yes, forty-two. But for the Olympics, I lost even more weight. Well, things are slowly getting back to normal. I have already learned to more or less balance - to eat so as not to starve and at the same time not to gain weight. After the Olympics, I was busy looking for this balance, and now, I think, I have almost found it.
Well, which one do you choose - black or red apron?
-Black.
A blender is such a device ... You know, I'm afraid that your jacket will get dirty. Will you be using a blender for the first time?
- Well, when I made all sorts of special cookies for myself, then, of course, I used a blender.
So you have experience?
-It was a long time ago and it's not true...
Okay, here we have everything already cooked, we need to make the final touches.
-So ... (takes a blender)
I'll go further. So, let's you work as a blender, and I'll ask you different funny questions. So - what unites a cow and a coconut?
- "Co" (laughs)
That's right, well done ... What did the wolf got during sharing the orange? It was in the cartoon.
-Wolf during sharing an orange? (thinking)
Peel!
- (laughs) I didn't prepare for such questions!
How does the theatrical performance end?
-A curtain?
Well done! Right. Mary Poppins vehicle?
-Umbrella.
Well done! Where can you get a tan in cloudy weather?
- In the solarium?
Well done! Who was Thumbelina's amphibian fiancé?
-Thumbelina's amphibious fiancé? It seems to me that there was some kind of Maybug, but it ...
It was a toad! Fruit, denoting an exact hit on the target?
-Apple.
Yes! What did the postman Pechkin need in order to find peace of mind?
- Postman Pechkin ... To be honest, I don’t remember. Sandwich? (laughs)
Bike! Why a sandwich
- (laughs) I remember that there you had to eat sandwiches with sausage down.
Fuel for Carlson?
- Fuel for Carlson? .. Ah, this one ... (shows the rotation of the propeller with his fingers)
Jam! What is Pavel Volya's catchphrase? (showman, Utyasheva's husband)
(Anna is completely bewildered)
You want to say: “I don’t watch Comedy Club. Who is Pavel Volya? ?
- Probably (laughs). Catchphrase? (shakes head)
For the last 10 years, he has been saying this phrase on television.
(Anna shakes her head)
I suggest - it stands in front of you.
(Anna starts looking around)
It's me!
-Ah, "Laysan, I love you!" (laughs)
Bravo, you said it! So, what's the name of the ceiling in the circus?
- A tent?
Dome! Well done, you almost guessed everything.
(pause)
This is coconut milk. We add here.
-Yes, we add.
Look, you've made soup. Anya, now all your fans are stunned. Will you continue? How is cooking for you – was it easy?
-I like. Although I used to always think that if it takes more time to prepare a dish than to eat it, then it is no longer so delicious.
Yes, Anya. Now there will be more blitz questions, answer quickly.
-Fine.
What are you listening now?
-I listen to the noise of the blender.
(Utyasheva looks at Anna in a moment of shock)
Wonderful! What's your playlist?
- Absolutely different music. It seems to me that I am a music lover, I listen to everything.
Then name the composer whose music or song you would take for your performance.
(Anna thinks)
- I don't even know... It seems to me...
Are you doing gala programs for yourself?
-No. No, coaches always prepare programs for me. In my opinion, I never offered any ideas, the coaches always did it.
Have you ever had this: you listen to some music, and you want to make a performance to this music?
-It seems to me that ... I listen to music, on the contrary, in order to distract myself from figure skating and it doesn’t happen that I listen to something for the purpose of choice ... Although not quite like that, there are a couple of songs that I decided to leave for the future . But I wouldn't like to call it. There is a track that I really like and I would like to do a gala performance with it, but ... later.
That is, if you say this now, then they can steal this idea from you?
- Well, maybe (laughs).
OK. Let's assume that this was an announcement, dear fans. Waiting, waiting, waiting...
- I think I've already mixed it all up.
That's it, you coped with it, you did well ... So, now there will be very important questions for all of us for all of us. What was your first fee? How old were you then?
- So, I received my first fee when I was 13 years old.
And how much money did you get?
-Then we were paid 13 thousand rubles a month, but the peculiarity of the story is that we signed an agreement that I would be paid wages, and ...
So!
- And then that year didn’t go very well for me, because it was then that I had a fracture, and everyone forgot about it, and remembered only at the end of the year. And here I have accumulated this salary for the whole year.
Got a big amount?
-Yes, and at the end of the year I was very proud of myself.
What did you spend this money on?
-I saved up my money and until the age of 18 I hardly spent anything, I didn’t buy anything. I just collected all the fees. And now I am on self-sufficiency.
That is, you saved up in order to provide for yourself after the age of 18?
-Well, yes.
Will you put a shrimp?
-Yes, I love shrimp. I'll take two.
You are a sports star. You've even already led... No, I said it wrong, they don't say that. You have worked in television. Tell me please, is there a difference between television and big sport?
- Of course, the difference is huge, but ...
You said at the beginning of our conversation that on television, and in general in all areas not related to figure skating, it was even harder for you.
- Yes, it was harder, because I have been in figure skating since childhood. I know exactly what I do on the ice, how I do it, what I do well. In other words, this is my professional activity...
What was the most difficult part of Ice Age for you?
- Work there, one might say, consisted of two parts. The first part is the recording of "introductory" videos. We were given a pre-prepared text through an earpiece, and we voiced it. And the second part is to ask questions after the speeches. That is, here it was already necessary to speak impromptu, the questions were not prepared in advance, and I had to come up with these questions myself. In principle, both the first and second parts had their own difficulties. I had to come up with a question on my own and not be shy, not get confused in front of the actors and show business stars ...
But are you ready?
- Well, I tried to prepare myself, but it was impossible to come up with it in advance, because basically you have to ask questions about each performance. Here they have a skating, and during this skating you sit and rack your brains over what question is best to ask them. Sometimes you have a lot of questions at once and you can't choose the best one. And sometimes you just sit and have a white sheet in front of your eyes - you just don't know what to ask. But in general, you need to ask several dozen such questions in one day.
I know what you mean!
- Well, yes. And besides, I'm a rather shy person by nature and I'm not very sociable. More precisely, I am very sociable with those whom I know well, with my friends. In this case, I can talk without stopping at all. And with those I don't know, I'm usually so shy and reserved.
I have a feeling that I am your friend, because today I did not notice that you were shy, you were very open
- Thank you, I am very pleased, but in general, in life, I am not one of those who can calmly approach a stranger and freely communicate, ask some questions. So I had to literally step over myself. All the time it seemed to me that I was standing and annoying with all my questions, that I was bothering everyone there. In general, at first I was shy, I was squeezed, and only then, towards the end of the show cycle, I adapted a little and realized that this is my job, that there is no need to be shy, and that I am really on an equal footing with others, and I don’t need to feel lower than the contestants...
Who was the most terrifying to approach and ask questions? Who is this? You can give his first name, last name, don't be shy.
-I think everyone was very friendly to me…
Listen - it's them, all these artists, guests in your studio, and you are also the queen of figure skating - they just couldnt talk rudely to you.
- They were all very friendly, they all supported me very much ...
Well, to whom [it was scary to approach]?
- On the contrary, I want to single out Alla Mikheeva for the better, because she supported me most consistently. Now she often performs with us on the show and always supports me after each rental, and in this activity. Well, after all, in figure skating I feel confident, and there, in that area, she saw when I was worried and nervous, and she helped me, prompted, gave advice. Therefore, I want to highlight her in the best way.
(pause)
Okay, let's pretend that after all this cooking, you and I now have three questions for me. Right from scratch - what would you like to ask me? I will speak as frankly as you.
- Well, let's first question about this show: you cook so many different kinds of food - what is your favorite dish from those that you did during the show?
My favorite dish that I cooked at this show is probably lasagna. Yes, I did it for the first time in my life, I was very scared. Besides, the guest was a really great artist, and I did not know how successful this conversation would become. So I was really worried. I worry every time, because it is a big responsibility. In the kitchen, people behave differently than usual, they reveal themselves from a new side. And, you know, using this form of interview imposes certain obligations on you - for example, I am obliged to help. How can I help you prepare lasagna that I don't know how to cook myself? In general, it was difficult for us, and we were proud of ourselves when we succeeded. Next question?
-Did you have a guest with whom you were more worried than with all the others? Or maybe before the show with his participation, you were more nervous than ever?
It was my husband, Pavel Alekseevich Volya. He very rarely gives interviews to anyone. He suggests that what he says during his stand-ups is quite enough - what new can he say in an interview? And I had a huge responsibility before him - I had to not just talk to each other in the kitchen, like at home, but show people this great artist with a huge soul, and show him not only as a person whom I love madly, but as an artist. It was a big responsibility, it's twice as hard. I was a fan of you when I just saw Anna Shcherbakova on the screen, but I didn’t know you as a person. And today I was so interested and so easy with you, because you answer all my questions very sincerely. And with him - every now and then there is a reaction "why does she constantly ask this question." And all the time I had to weigh something. In general, I worked especially carefully on that show.
What's your last question? You are doing well, you can be a good journalist. Let's eat, let's try what we have prepared.
(Anna and Leysan try the soup)
I don't have enough salt. And the rest is perfect.
- I don't like salt.
You don't like salt, but I'm constantly in a state of love. Do I understand correctly that everything is closed on your love front and you don’t discuss these topics?
-Yes!
But do you have many potential grooms? Well tell me.
(Anna shakes her head meaningfully)
That is, there are enough them, as I understand it, right?
(Anna laughs)
Subscribers fell in love with you, didn't they?
-Yes, it happens.
And are you embarrassed to talk about it?
- Well, probably, yes, I'm basically a shy person. Delicious.
Delicious! And you did it. And I helped a little - I stood nearby and, like the eldest, looked after your actions. This is another victory for you. Come on with the shrimp... Well, are you going to cook some more?
- I'll try, yes.
I love, love this girl, just fell in love with her. Come on, while you think about the third question, I will say quotes. Look, we have such a rubric here - I’ll pronounce a phrase for you, said by a very famous athlete. Here we have both athletes and coaches. Naturally, I understand that you could hear them somewhere or read them in an interview. You guess who could say this and say whether you agree with this statement and why, and if you don’t agree, then you also explain why. And you offer your choice.
-Fine.
“It all depends on me only,” said the Olympic champion in figure skating. Who is this?
(Anna thought for a long time)
It was you!
-It was me? (laughs)
This is a quote from your interview: "It all depends on me only"
-Good start - I didn't even guess my own words! (laughs)
Do you agree with your statement?
-Yes, I agree with my statement! Well, the moment when you perform on the ice - it all depends on you only. It seems to me that this was said when I said that I do not believe in omens ...
Don't you believe in omens?
-I don't believe in any superstitions.
And you don't believe in wishing marathons?
-No, I don't believe in anything like that.
And have you ever made a board that says "I want to be an Olympic champion"?
-No, I didn't do it, but I somehow believe that everything depends on us and everything is in our hands. For example, with which foot you go on the ice, with which foot you tie your laces on your skates - all this will not help and will not prevent you from performing well or badly, if you yourself are tuned in, you yourself are ready for skating, if you had a good workout if you're in the right mood. That is, everything depends on you.
That is, you do not shift your own luck to someone or to some rituals?
- Yes, I know that if I did everything well on the ice, then this is my merit. If I'm wrong somewhere, then it's ...
It's the coach's fault!
- (laughs) No, it's my fault. That is, full responsibility is on me.
Bravo! So, the following quote: "if a person does not believe in something, then there will be no result - a waste of time." Hint: This is your second favorite sport, and that said...
-Irina Viner?
Yes! Well done! It looks like her, doesn't it? So, do you agree with this phrase: “if a person does not believe in something, then there will be no result - a waste of time”
-Probably yes, I agree with this, because there must be some goal that you strive for, and you must believe in this goal and, first of all, believe in yourself, believe that you will be able to achieve this goal . Otherwise, it will really be just fruitless training.
So, the next quote is: "Never think that you have lost a competition if you still have the last exercise left."
-I agree 100% here.
This is what the great gymnast said. Larisa Latynina. Did you recognize her or not?
- No (laughs). But I agree with this, because we, too, should never give up if some elements did not work out - you always need to go to the end. I had skates, for example, at the World Championships, when my first jump didn’t work out, and I understood that I needed to get up off the ice, as if there were no mistakes and bring the program to the end, without making a single mistake again, fight for every hundredth of a point. Therefore, I agree.
Well done. I have a final quote: "Any overcoming should bring pleasure." That's what the figure skating coach said.
- Eteri Georgievna?
Eteri Tutberidze. Do you agree with her?
-Yes!
Well, really, how could you disagree with her. Is she the same character as Irina Viner?
- Well, I don’t know Irina Alexandrovna, but it seems to me that she, too ...
Strong woman?
-Yes, I think they have exactly the same thing in common.
(pause)
So, we have a third question from you to me.
-And I hoped that you forgot about it (laughs)
No, I remember everything, my friends! Soup is great. Any question. I will answer any question. You have such an opportunity! I didn’t tell any of the journalists that I would answer any question, but I’m telling you. I will answer any question, even the most tricky one.
- Do you have any dream or goal that you are striving for now?
Good question, thank you very much for this. Yes, when you are alone, you have selfish dreams about yourself. And my son is ten years old, and he seems to be a professional athlete. And now my main dream is that I do not spoil anything for my son. Since I am a former athlete, and athletes are never former, since I myself watched these mothers who demand sports results from their children ... And they, these parents, are often either athletes or respected businessmen, that is, these are people who did it all on their own. And now I really want not to spoil my son with my pressure, not to spoil his path in sports (only in sports, he will figure it out in life) and at the same time help him, as well as my daughter, who is eight years old, to believe in themselves.
My daughter is also a professional athlete, but so far she is constantly losing and is very upset, but does not want to quit the sport. We've already asked her to finish everything. This is tennis. But she competes with huge girls who are 12 years old, at least 10, and she was only seven when she picked up a racket. Therefore, she loses, although she has talent. And now I have a dream - to be realized as a good mother, this is my big dream, and only to help children. This is probably the most important thing for me. Thank you very much for being with us today. I am fascinated by you, I am your fan, we all dream that you (these are our selfish dreams, forgive us for this) return to the ice so that you compete again. But even if you decide to perform only as an artist with gala programs, we will be happy, we will applaud and shout. We love you very much, thank you very much!
-Thank you for supporting me (Anna bows)
And I would very much like such a young, integral girl to wish something to our viewers. A lot of them.
-So, well, I'm probably talking, thinking about my figure skating, but I can understand that for every person in his life these wishes can be associated with anything. It's probably important to find something that you really love, something that brings you sincere pleasure, something that you can do. It is important to believe in yourself, never give up - and, perhaps, you can again recall my statement that everything depends on ourselves. It is most important. Therefore, you need to believe in yourself and create your own destiny.
Bravo, Anna Shcherbakova and Laysan Utyasheva were with you, goodbye!
Alex is very helpful in this respect! Spasiba!Very lovely interview, thank you very much for posting it @Alex Fedorov