Will Zagitova return? | Page 8 | Golden Skate

Will Zagitova return?

Finley

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 19, 2014
Isn't it funny how it's the same group of people who said that she shouldn't be "retiring" when she said she wanted to take a break a 17 who are now saying she is done before Alina has said so herself? Seems more like they wish she'd be done. And also it's the same group of people who were saying that skating is more than just jumps who are saying Alina is over because she doesn't have 3As and quads.

Also, Alina won worlds in 2019 post puberty, so if her technique failed, that was quite the fail. It is known that jumping ability is affected by growth, regardless of technique. I believe it took Liza 3 seasons to regain her consistency, and even then it's not where it was in 2015. That's with Mishin's coaching. Alina did that in one season and has also said in many post olympic interviews that the issue was mental because of the pressure from the media after her olympic win where as before people didn't really know her and so she could just go out and skate. And if you watched her run throughs, they were always clean. But of course that wouldn't fit the agenda, so let's ignore all that. Instead, it's better to just ignore everything she says and decide for her whether she will return or not, if she can still jump, if she wants to win or not (spoiler alert: all skaters want to win, that's why they're in a competitive sport). Because the viewers know much more than she does

Alina is a human being who has her own thoughts and opinions and no one knows more about her situation than she does, so we should listen to what she has to say instead of making up our own stories. She's not a tool for Eteri fans and haters, though she definitely has been the first choice.

Whether she returns or not is up to her. She doesn't owe it to her haters or her fans. If she's coming back, good for her for offering more of her time to the sport. If she's done, she's had a great career and accomplished only what one other female skater has. But even if she didn't have any medals like the majority of athletes in any sport, she still made a contribution and should be able to decide when she wants to leave without being used to fuel a narrative, just like everyone else.

I love this post. :thank:
 

macy

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 12, 2011
So... it worked the night of her short program, but stopped working when she did her free.

I don’t know what technique Alina has been taught, apparently it turns off and on by a magical switch button.

Not only that, but Alina did all (or almost all) of her runthroughs clean this season. She was flawless in her runthroughs at IDF and same about NHK, and I’m pretty sure GPF too. Not sure what kind of technique issue is that.

To me it looks like it was all psychological. Alina said, she didn’t do well at NHK in her short, but did do well in her free, because there was a lack of a competitive drive the first day, she needs adrenaline to be able to go out there. The unfortunate performance fueled her up to do well on her fp.

I don’t know why people keep repeating some things they heard from TSL like a mantra over and over again, as if they know all the techniques and are technicians themselves.

i remember posting something similar after GPF. it was absolutely 100% psychological.
 

Scott512

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 27, 2014
She may try, but I doubt she will be as successful as she used to be. Her window has passed.
Alina dogs that have to be as successful as she was before. That will happen but she can be a better for well-rounded figure skater than she was when she won Olympics. I think she wants to take a victory tour the next season or two and enjoyed her career and show everyone what she's got without doing quads and triple axles I'm good with that. Her true fans want to see her skate whether she does the toughest jumps or not.


Why TAT why? And she wants the age limit raised to 18. Why because her all time favorite lady figure skater was18 at the last Olympics? Does she really think ladies figure skating would have benefited this past season from not having 3A do they thing? I guess he does really think that.
 

zounger

Medalist
Joined
Jan 18, 2017
Not only that, but Alina did all (or almost all) of her runthroughs clean this season. She was flawless in her runthroughs at IDF and same about NHK, and I’m pretty sure GPF too. Not sure what kind of technique issue is that.

Thank god there are videos with the run-throughs because otherwise at the end we will get convinced that Zagitova was doing doubles and was falling around all season (half of it). You are right on top of my head I don't remember any significant errors in her run-throughs neither in IdF, neither GPF. Japan Open and NHK probably we don't have videos but the reports, if I recall correctly, were saying that she went clean.

By the way, her two run-throughs for the LP at GPF.

Morning practice before the competition

And the one before the short program

No significant problems with the jumps.
 

Amei

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 11, 2013

I would be careful if I was Tarasova, she could lose her position of influence/power in the Fed for advocating a restriction that might threaten their dominance. I doubt it matters much to the Russian Fed which Russian skater wins gold as long as it's a Russian skater, and since Sochi the Russian ladies have swept either the podium or the top 2 spots at European championships and only 2 of those instances was the skater over 18, at Worlds while they haven't won quite as much there were again only 2 instances where the Russian skater that placed was over 18.
 

flanker

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 10, 2018
Country
Czech-Republic
I would be careful if I was Tarasova, she could lose her position of influence/power in the Fed for advocating a restriction that might threaten their dominance. I doubt it matters much to the Russian Fed which Russian skater wins gold as long as it's a Russian skater, and since Sochi the Russian ladies have swept either the podium or the top 2 spots at European championships and only 2 of those instances was the skater over 18, at Worlds while they haven't won quite as much there were again only 2 instances where the Russian skater that placed was over 18.

Tarasova wasn't for age restrictions back then, now she claims that but definitely not in Alina's interest :) Though the point is not who is Tarasova's favourite, but who obviously isn't. Sometimes I would like to be as thick-skinned as she is, one day congratulating Alina and the very next cntinue spreading her bias against her. There are plenty of skaters even in Russia about whom you could potentially say the same, but Tarasova keeps saying this about Alina. She praised Liza when she started to learn quad, with Alina she is ignoring that. Actually she can join local "Alina is done" tea club anytime.
 

zounger

Medalist
Joined
Jan 18, 2017
Aesop, The Wolf and the Lamp

"A wolf comes upon a lamb and, in order to justify taking its life, accuses it of various misdemeanours, all of which the lamb proves to be impossible. Losing patience, the wolf says the offences must have been committed by someone else in the family and that it does not propose to delay its meal by enquiring any further."
 

Lechat

On the Ice
Joined
Dec 26, 2018
Country
France
Of course she will return, the most important is to see her skating in competition or in a show. I don’t mind if she doesn’t medaille anymore, she has to enjoy on the ice. I would like to see her as a commentor for the next olympics if she can’t be part of the olympic team.
I’m curious about her news programs, it’s a pity we couldn't see her Esmeralda from Notre Dame.
 

Finley

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 19, 2014
And that's even worse than having a bad technique....

Injuries can heal. Technique can be re-worked. (To quote Robin Cousins at 2019 Worlds after her GM winning free skate - "if it takes a season, it takes a season.") Psychological issues can be overcome. You can take time away from something you are sick of and start to miss it. You can fall in love with something all over again. Passion can be reignited. New courage can be found. New paths can be discovered. Odds can be overcome. Time can work wonders.

These things are the essence of every story ever told in the history of telling stories. Each person is their own story. Alina is going to write hers and it will be whatever her courage and passion and time make of it.

Will she return? Things looks promising.

Will she be 'successful' by the standard definition? Who knows? Literally anything can happen - injuries, illness, etc. She may come back for one competition and remember every reason why she was sick of it to begin with. Or it may light a fire that burns brightly enough to carry her through for years to come.

Of course her fans want to see her happy most of all. If she chooses another path I am here for it. She has conquered this road and I understand the desire for change. But as a skating fan it would also be really exciting to see her compete again. It's called hope.

It's clear to me that some people are not just indifferent, but actively do not want to see Alina competing again for whatever reason. You might get your wish. In the event that you don't, I have a suggestion -

If by some miracle we get a skating season with GP events and Alina skates at every competition possible, including Nats, Euros & Worlds, there will be a grand total of approximately 60 minutes (give or take) of Alina skating footage aired on television throughout the season. About 10 minutes or so per competition. Over a period of months. Please use these 10 minutes to fix yourself a sandwich, make a cup of tea (or a cocktail), phone a friend, check your email, or literally anything other than subject yourself to the unpleasant of experience of watching something you are incapable enjoying. You will be free!!

Believe me, her fans will be enjoying it enough for everyone.
 

noskates

Record Breaker
Joined
Jun 11, 2012
I still say she has absolutely no compelling reason to return UNLESS she really wants to skate. She's got everything to lose and she's already done the winning. Find a new career path and head on down it with your laurels intact. Why being remembered for losing at the end of your career when you can go out on top.
 

Finley

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 19, 2014
I still say she has absolutely no compelling reason to return UNLESS she really wants to skate. She's got everything to lose and she's already done the winning. Find a new career path and head on down it with your laurels intact. Why being remembered for losing at the end of your career when you can go out on top.

Because she wants to? I can't imagine any other scenario for her coming back than that she really wants to skate. Her sponsors are not going to drop her. Her popularity hasn't suffered. Her following has increased since she announced her break. She will be remembered for her accomplishments no matter what. If she wants to keep skating, then why not? It will be what it will be.

Lots of people agree with you. Notably, Roman Kostomarov. But think about all the pros who reinstated as amateurs to compete in the 1994 Olympics - Katarina Witt, Brian Boitano, Viktor Petrenko etc. Not one of those three gold medalists even made the podium. Katarina Witt even received very harsh scores. But they did what they wanted to do.

This thread is starting to feel like a circle. And in the event she does announce a comeback, we will do this all over again with - will she be successful? :( Rinse, lather, repeat.
 

noskates

Record Breaker
Joined
Jun 11, 2012
Yeah Finley - I don't disagree with you other than to say Witt, Boitano, Petrenko, etc. had looooooooooooong successful careers with many "wins!" There's a lot to remember there. Zagitova came from out of nowhere. I don't really care whether she comes back or not - just have to kind of laugh at how many ways one can beat a dead horse. You're right, rinse, lather, repeat ad nauseum.
 

Finley

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 19, 2014
Yeah Finley - I don't disagree with you other than to say Witt, Boitano, Petrenko, etc. had looooooooooooong successful careers with many "wins!" There's a lot to remember there. Zagitova came from out of nowhere. I don't really care whether she comes back or not - just have to kind of laugh at how many ways one can beat a dead horse. You're right, rinse, lather, repeat ad nauseum.

They did. And even after all that they STILL wanted to keep skating competitively at the highest level. Look at Daisuke Takahashi - he is switching to ice dance just to compete again. Almost every skater that has ever retired has talked about how difficult it was to let go and move on. And they weren't 18 years old at the time. Just because Alina accomplished all of her goals in 2 senior seasons doesn't mean she still doesn't have a competitive mindset. Why wouldn't Alina want to feel that adrenaline rush again? Why wouldn't she want to try new things and make more memories?

As for her coming out of nowhere, I don't completely understand that perspective. She came out of the same ISU system as every other skater. She won everything on the Junior level then moved up to seniors. By the time the Olympics rolled around she was on her second consecutive undefeated season as a competitive skater. (Her last junior season and her first senior season.) She is in the record books for getting it done in her first senior season, with the exception of WC in Milan. (#neverforgetMilan) :drama:

Milan was heartbreaking, but without Milan I don't think we would have gotten Saitama. Saitama was everything. In some ways Saitama was better than the Olympic victory because she got to be fully happy and excited. She didn't have to hold anything back, and she finally got the respect she was due as an Olympic champion from some factions of the Russian FS elite. It was beautiful. :)

I absolutely understand that so many people don't care about her potential return. It's all good. There are plenty of skaters I don't have the energy to keep up with and/or care about. We all give the majority of our attention to the things we love. :) Her fans are understandably hopeful about her return and excited about the possibilities. I guess we could just stay in her fan fest and let the naysayers have the final word on this subject, but I don't want to.

From my perspective it is the 'Alina is so done' horse that is not only dead, it is decomposing.
 

starlight97

Final Flight
Joined
Jun 14, 2014
Almost every skater that has ever retired has talked about how difficult it was to let go and move on. And they weren't 18 years old at the time. Just because Alina accomplished all of her goals in 2 senior seasons doesn't mean she still doesn't have a competitive mindset. Why wouldn't Alina want to feel that adrenaline rush again? Why wouldn't she want to try new things and make more memories?

While it's true that retirement is challenging for some and they wish they could keep competing (like Aliona Savchenko) there are also many skaters and sportsmen in general who are very happy to end their careers at a certain point, most often after their biggest goal is achieved and move on with their lifes, have a family, study etc.
A body can also only withstand so many years of certain professional sports. Many footballers become professionals at 15 and stay at the top until they're 40. But other sports, like rhythmic gymnastics, skating etc don't allow that, neither competitively nor physically.

And I think with athletes like Alina who have known nothing but the rink for their whole lifes, as many top ladies in FS, it's hard to know what to do with themselves in the "real world" if that makes sense. They don't develop in the same way "normal" kids do, don't have the same social experiences, school, parties, first job etc.
That doesn't mean they are less developed, it just means their personalities have been shaped very differently than normal kids'
 

Finley

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 19, 2014
While it's true that retirement is challenging for some and they wish they could keep competing (like Aliona Savchenko) there are also many skaters and sportsmen in general who are very happy to end their careers at a certain point, most often after their biggest goal is achieved and move on with their lifes, have a family, study etc.
A body can also only withstand so many years of certain professional sports. Many footballers become professionals at 15 and stay at the top until they're 40. But other sports, like rhythmic gymnastics, skating etc don't allow that, neither competitively nor physically.

And I think with athletes like Alina who have known nothing but the rink for their whole lifes, as many top ladies in FS, it's hard to know what to do with themselves in the "real world" if that makes sense. They don't develop in the same way "normal" kids do, don't have the same social experiences, school, parties, first job etc.
That doesn't mean they are less developed, it just means their personalities have been shaped very differently than normal kids'

I agree that when Alina chooses to retire it will be easier for her to come to terms with it since she achieved her goals and won every possible title. I just think she is going to keep going since Beijing is so close.

I also agree that everything is contingent on her body staying healthy and injury free. In some ways this long period off the ice and away from intensive training may have saved her from getting injured due to over training. All of the skaters have had a chance to rest and heal. It's going to be hard to come back from such a long down time, but the silver lining for Alina might be that the majority of her growth spurt is done.
 
Top