Polina Kostiukovich & Dmitrii Ialin | Page 5 | Golden Skate

Polina Kostiukovich & Dmitrii Ialin

icetug

Medalist
Joined
Apr 23, 2017
Based on the newest Fsrussia' article it seems that Polina has some growing pains which has had an effect on their training.

I found the interview given by their coaches and especially what Ludmila Velikova said sounds alarming. I wondered if I really understood it so I used google translation:
Everyone goes through it, Polina is no exception. The only difference is that some are fighting, while others give themselves concessions. When an athlete does not fully understand what is happening to him, he does not find an explanation of why everything turned out in the past season, but is now more difficult to cope with, he often falls into a state of apathy. (...)
In our case, it all depends on how Polina spends the next month. If she draws the right conclusions, we will pull her out and help her. If not, then forcibly not make anyone happy.

I don't know what to think about her words, actually. Just hope Polina and Dima overcome all difficulties. I'll keep fingers crossed for them.
 

hanca

Record Breaker
Joined
Sep 23, 2008
I think it depends how you interpret it. To me it says that she is going through the puberty. Puberty means there are changes not only the visible ones, such as changing shape of the body, but also changes in her head. There were many interviews from Russian ladies describing how puberty changed them, suddenly they were not as fearless going into jumps, started overthinking it (what if I don’t land it...) and became much more aware of the pressure from the expectation.

Velikova’s words about Polina having a month also needs to be put into context. This is Ialin’s last junior eligible season. If they want GP events next season, they need to do really, really well this season. Russian senior pairs are getting packed, with having four top teams and at least 4-5 that may or may not improve and try to push into the top. It is suddenly much more competitive within Russian seniors than it was just a few years ago. So if Kostiukovich/Ialin want to get somewhere, ideally they need to be first or second at both their JGP events, get to the JGPF, win it if possible, get to junior worlds and also win that. K/I have a month into their first competition and they clearly are not ready with their jumps. So the coach is telling them that if there has ever been the best time to work hard, it is now.
 

icetug

Medalist
Joined
Apr 23, 2017
I think it depends how you interpret it.

I don't think I interpreted the interview in any way :). Polina's 16, not 13 or even 15 and the last thing I expected for the new season was her problems with puberty, so the news hit me strongly. But you are right, puberty means also mental changes. Just hope she's strong enough (and/or can get help) to successfully deal with the problem.
 

hanca

Record Breaker
Joined
Sep 23, 2008
I am judging it according to Russian junior/senior ladies. Not many of them struggles with puberty at 13 or 14. It is more often at the age of at least 15, but more like 16. Look At Sakhanovich, when she started struggling. She had two decent junior seasons and then she started at around the age of 15-16. Lipnitskaya also started having problems around the age of 16. Radionova also had body change only later, definitely not at 13. And even Zagitova, her body now looks much different than it looked at the Olympics. I know in general population puberty would start earlier, but based on skating population, they usually start struggling with puberty much later.
 

The Finn

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 27, 2015
They have been replaced at the JGP Russia. Not a good sign but this could also be about Russian Fed trying to give them more time to get ready by giving them the last two JGP events. Will have to wait and see how it goes.
 

oleada

Record Breaker
Joined
Mar 27, 2007
They're not in the entries for JGP Poland but they are subs so hopefully they will be subbed in :/
 

hanca

Record Breaker
Joined
Sep 23, 2008
That feels weird to me. Considering their past results, I would expect them to be given JGP and replaced last minute if needed, rather than not getting it and put in as substitutes. At least the last two events. The fact that they didn’t get even the third one out of four pairs events, it is as if the federation didn’t believe they would be ready...
 

Edwin

СделаноВХрустальном!
Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 5, 2019
That feels weird to me. Considering their past results, I would expect them to be given JGP and replaced last minute if needed, rather than not getting it and put in as substitutes. At least the last two events. The fact that they didn’t get even the third one out of four pairs events, it is as if the federation didn’t believe they would be ready...

From what I recall from their post Test Skaters interview, Polina has difficulty maintaining competitive shape and weight. Petite and curvy by genetics probably means she has to exert maximum self discipline, and that isn't always easy.
 

bramweld

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 12, 2012
From what I recall from their post Test Skaters interview, Polina has difficulty maintaining competitive shape and weight. Petite and curvy by genetics probably means she has to exert maximum self discipline, and that isn't always easy.

Yeah, it's a challenge and they really struggled with their elements.
 

The Finn

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 27, 2015
K/I have been assigned to the 6th event. It wouldn't make any sense to give them only the last JGP event, so obviously Russian Fed is either planning to sub them in for the 5th event or K/I is just a placeholder at the last event.
 

Lachinka

Spectator
Joined
Mar 28, 2016
I just hope they're gonna be okay soon. They should be one of the leading pairs, judging by the results of last season. I hope RusFed gives them two JGP spots, even if not fully armed.
 

jackiej13

Spectator
Joined
Oct 20, 2017
Is there any chance they can get to JGPF with only one assignment? Feng/Nyman made it last year with only 16 points... only five russian teams have two spots, so they would need Wang/Jia to get sixth or lower
 

The Finn

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 27, 2015
Is there any chance they can get to JGPF with only one assignment? Feng/Nyman made it last year with only 16 points... only five russian teams have two spots, so they would need Wang/Jia to get sixth or lower

In theory yes but I don't think they will skate only the last JGP event. I think they will either get two events or no event at all. I was hoping they would have been subbed in for the 5th event by now but Russian Fed just subbed out one of their pair in that event but they subbed in Shcheglova/Kalashikov not K/I. S/K is still probably more of a placeholder who could lose that spot but this is yet another bad sign that K/I must be really out of shape and might not get any JGP events this season.
 

The Finn

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 27, 2015
Now it is official - No JGP events for them. Hopefully things will start to work out for them soon.
 

The Finn

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 27, 2015
It seems K/I will start their season this week at the 1st stage of Russian Cup. I am very interested in seeing what shape they are in.
 

CherylDee

On the Ice
Joined
Oct 20, 2017
Country
United-States
It seems K/I will start their season this week at the 1st stage of Russian Cup. I am very interested in seeing what shape they are in.

How do we get more information for those of us not fluent in Russian?? I want to see my babies!
 

hanca

Record Breaker
Joined
Sep 23, 2008
It seems K/I will start their season this week at the 1st stage of Russian Cup. I am very interested in seeing what shape they are in.

Well, if they really won’t do at least one JGP, that means that they will have to qualify for the nationals through two Russian cup events. Looking at the participants of this first event, it won’t be so easy. While in normal circumstances they would be stronger than anyone else there, I am guessing they still have some problems otherwise their JGP event wouldn’t have been taken away from them. If they don’t do jumps they same way they didn’t do them at the test skates, I could easily see them being beaten by several pairs from the entry list. And to make it more worrying, 7 pairs in total have JGP events, which means there will be only five spots at the nationals through qualification from Russian cups!
 

icetug

Medalist
Joined
Apr 23, 2017
If they don’t do jumps they same way they didn’t do them at the test skates, I could easily see them being beaten by several pairs from the entry list.

I don't see how they can be beaten, even with problems with jumps. The whole situation with them is tricky. They decided to not jump (both of them!) in test skates but does it mean that they don't jump at all? Don't think so. Hope they return to the game quickly and all the mess with JGP turns to be just a try to give other Russian pairs a chance on the international stage.
 
Top