Many people still want to believe that Alina only won Olympics, nothing else. There's this alternate reality that she's a one hit wonder despite her winning not only multiple competitions, but across multiple seasons. Mistakes and a silver medal meant that she was "finished" despite all skaters having periods of inconsistency to push her into the "Eteri's technique can't survive puberty and her skaters are one hit wonders" mold. Nobody says that Liza (won everything in the 2015 season and hasn't been to worlds since) or Sofia (one gold medal at a major international competition and clearly struggling with growth like everyone does at some point) are one hit wonders. God forbid Alina wins everything in 2 straight seasons, then gets 2 silver medals and Worlds gold in the third, and she definitely wasn't one of the only female skaters to not retire immediately after an Olympic win. Her retirement was predicted after every loss and win starting with Olympics.
Alina has said many times that the comments from officials and the public after the Olympics affected her mentally, and every time she made mistakes after that, she was torn apart by "fans" and people who were "worried". I would imagine that is what ruined her desire to compete, not her technique which she clearly has because she's still skating and jumping, just not competing. The "one hit wonder/she's over/puberty ruined her" critics aren't doing it because they're worried about her, they're using her as a tool to criticize Eteri and don't have a care in the world that for the effect on her mentally.
OMG YESSSSS!! THIS!! Say.
It.
Louder.
For.
The.
People.
At.
The.
Back.
That's what I've been trying to say and pushback on the idea that Eteri's "genius" is somehow denied or decried because her skaters are "one hit wonders and only last until they are 18."
First of all, they're not "one hit wonders" at all. Every one of them has won everything at the junior or senior level, only losing to each other.
Second of all, why should they continue when they've reached the pinnacle of their sport? When you're at the top there is only one way to go still - that's down, unfortunately. When you're at the top, you're the one to beat.
Third of all, I think some skaters like Liza who have remained in skating are still skating because they HAVEN'T reached their goals and have more to give. What exactly is Alina supposed to still work towards?
Lastly, most skaters, regardless of age or nationality, have won and gone on to retire either immediately or soon after, such as Tara (after the Olympics), Katelyn (after Worlds), etc, while others continued because they hadn't reached their goals/had more to give, such as Michelle. The difference is that you used to have to "pay your dues" but now, if you're the best, you can ascend to dazzling heights and win everything major international titles at 16 years old. And yes, the technical content has gotten more and more demanding but that's not new - the sport has continually evolved - it is a sport after all. At one point triples were viewed as cutting edge and before them doubles, each generation with more technical prowess than the one before it. However, that's the way the points system is set up currently and yes it might favour a younger physic but that doesn't make it less demanding or make the accomplishments any less impressive.
Skating isn't everything - contrary to popular belief - and these girls don't owe us anything more than that. If they still love it afterwards and have the passion, then yes, continue. But they don't owe anyone continued seasons beyond what they want and they should be perfectly free to purse other interests and passions, just like everyone else.
Plushenko is a beginner coach.. 
How can anybody deny it? This is fact.
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