the PRIVATE BUSINESS of Alyona Kostornaya
“She connects herself with her music, this is angelic skating,” experts say. " How beautiful ", the audience just sighs.
Alyona Kostornaya, European Champion, winner of the Grand Prix Final in her debut senior season, stands out in powerful jumps as in her overall skating.
And the “angel” is quite earthly, playful and resourceful. She bites at chocolate flowers from her bouquet on the pedestal or declares that "vampires are all beautiful," - this is Alyona. And to kick a horse with spurs - it's the same Alyona. Politely agrees: "Yes, it happens, journalists ask the same things over and over." And getting away with "creating a mess" with friends on her birthday - is her too.
- You, Alyona, will now have to answer for all the winners of the European Championship in Graz. Is that necessary: when you watch a video of your own skating run, you don't enjoy it to some extent? In the program of Ivan Urgant, all of the invited champions had a strange expression on their faces. Don't you really consider yourself winners?
" Ah ... No, personally, I usually somehow look on with neutral emotions: a person glides and slides. Me or someone else. And in that program during the recording, we all looked a little, I'm sorry, stunned. Because on screen wasn't at all what you need to show in order to congratule yourself on your victory: falls, some jambs. That is, crooked, skewed skating, a series of mistakes. And we all started immediately: God, what a mess! "
- That is, you want to say that ...
" Yes, the audience then saw other fragments. In the broadcast on screen, they were replaced, but our reaction couldn't be fixed anymore. "
- And I thought that you are all so implacable in relation to yourself. And why did the European Championships, despite the victory, not leave a strong impression on you? What were you waiting for? If your main rivals are always around?
" I don't know, it seemed to me other emotions should appear, not experienced before. Yet everything was like at the Grand Prix Final, and we were not so far from home. "
- Is this important?
" In general, you expect some kind of novelty from any competition. Why do we all love flying to Canada, Japan, America? There is a long flight, and everything else is different, life, nature, weather. And these cardinal changes are more pleasant and useful than if you are going to, let's say, a neighbouring city. "
- That is, while you're on your flight, you are rebuilding yourself for a novelty that adds emotions, and hence moods?
" Exactly. And here - some expectations, but we flew in, and everything is the same. Of course, there is no time to be bored, but this mood has yet to be created. "
- Just ago, you talked so vividly about your favourite TV shows, laughed that during the discussion you are sure to “hook up” someone new to them. And who is “educating” you in this sense?
" When my mother shouts: “Oh, what a horror!”, I immediately understand that I will like it. But, to be honest, right now there is no lack of exchange of experience on what has been seen and said. "
- “Khrustalniy” isn't a place only for training, but rather for life as a whole, as you can probably confirm. How was your day today?
" I got up, had breakfast, washed, did some assignment - social studies together with a tutor. Then I went to training. Now, after talking with you - I'm going to s my tutor in English.
- And in the evening, after new lessons in the dry hall and on the ice - another one?
" Yes, Russian and literature. Today is such a busy day. "
- At what time will this day end?
" The tutor will work with me from 21.00 to 22.00. In principle, I get up early enough, so for me a lesson at 7.30 in the morning isn't a problem. But in the evening, of course, I’m already on my last strength. I give myself kicks, I look at my watch: here’s another five minutes, five more ... Alyona, you can’t close your eyes! "
- Is there a subject you really do not want to do?
" No, well, that’s not right. Maybe I would like to know chemistry better, history often turns out difficult. "
- And in "Khrustalniy" there's a place where you can retire? It’s probably difficult to always be “in business”.
" Of course, I try not to shine especially between workouts, I won’t just stumble around and attract attention to myself. We have a separate dressing room, there are always blankets, pillows, you can turn off the light and nap when necessary. Even if there is someone in the locker room at that moment, it’s still very good there. And it makes no sense to look for something in the corners. "
- To the current generation, Jeanne d’Arc, somehow isn't particularly close. Why did you suddenly single her out among the great women? How did the “acquaintance” take place?
" I am learning a second language, French, we speak a lot in class about the culture of France. Here, the teacher’s tale sunk into my soul. Later, reading, I was still looking for something myself. "
- So the hour isn't far off when you will thank the audience not only in English, but also in French?
" I can already say some phrases, but so far this is, of course, not a conversation. And with grammar, everything is still not perfect. But I like the language itself, as well as what I learn about the country. "
- Apparently, Paris will be ranked among your favourite cities.
" So far, alas, no. We were in Grenoble, but, of course, didn't see anything. It took a long drive from the airport to the hotel. And the only day when it was possible to see something, as always, was Sunday. And everything is closed, nobody is working. "
- Do you rest on Sunday or study in an even more intensive mode?
" It's my day off: no ice and no training. But in the morning there is also Russian and literature, from 7 to 9. Then I go to the stables for training, I spend a couple of hours at the stables, my friend lives there. And until 8 pm - I do what I want. I go out with friends, go to the cinema ... "
- And is this friend the daughter of the owner of the stable?
" No, she just lives nearby. "
- We look far ahead, but why not: do you happen to see yourself as the owner of a stable in the future? Your eyes light up when you talk about horses.
" No, I don't want that. But I’ll buy a horse, I still don’t know for sure which, maybe a Tinker or a Friesian? Although now I am more inclined to the Welsh pony. Because they jump very high. They aren't tall themselves, one and a half meters at the withers, and it will be most convenient for me to stand and see the croup of a horse. And it’s comfortable to saddle. Yes, I’m not able to cope with the big ones. "
- Why do you need your own horse?
" It's clear why. It's like with skates - yours or not yours. You can ride in any if you only go out once and do nothing, even on hockey skates. I want to take part in show jumping competitions. And if you train, it’s better, of course, on your own horse. "
- And what kind of character do you need in your horse for competition: frisky or obedient?
" I've ridden on many, my aunt's horse is beautiful, tall, simply ideal. Each photo with him is a masterpiece. But, starting a workout, I usually just do five laps striding. And with him - I walk three circles and two - I need to kick. And not just kicking, but with spurs. "
- Meaning he is lazy?
" No, if you start him, you cannot stop him. But you have to start him. And here I was riding a gelding, it was a sports horse, participant in major tournaments, so it was enough to squeeze my legs a little, and that’s all. This was unexpected. I was used to persuade: well, come on, come on, please ... They are all different. But insolence and obedience are needed. "
- Do you often kick yourself?
" Well, maybe it’s not so obvious, but there is something else to surprise yourself with, and the coaches, and the judges, that's for sure. "
- Are you particularly unhappy with something today?
" Skating, jumping, spinning, everything could have been done better. My ideal is probably Carolina Kostner, and also Mao Asada ... Take a little from each and assemble your own. And stability is needed. It’s good that there is such competition in our group. You go out to train and you must do better than yesterday. How else? When Sasha Trusova jumps five quads in front of you? Or Anya Shcherbakova. It turns you on: 'and I, I can do too!' "
- You heard how your skating is called angelic? By the way, the coach Yelena Zhgun, whom you yourself are talking about as the person who taught you how to glide this way, told me very touchingly that you must come to her on her birthday, which coincides with yours on August 24th.
" Yes, I try to keep in touch with Yelena Vyacheslavovna. This is the coach who showed me what figure skating is. What I am doing on ice today is the work of Eteri Georgiyevna Tutberidze and our entire coaching staff. They opened the way for me to the pedestal, but Yelena Vyacheslavovna led me on my first road. Therefore, I try to visit on major holidays, and on her birthday. Celebrating my own? I don’t really like to invite friends to my birthday, and I don’t like to spend it at home. We, five people or so, meet somewhere and suffer from all sorts of sillyness. Even without a definite plan: let's go there? Oh, let's go! Only mom only, of course, isn't very happy: “Well, the is your only holiday, but again she leaves at nine, returns at eight!” Well, this is my life: coming home, eating, lessons, tutors, going out, coming back, eating, tutors ... "
- They say that the main thing isn't this dream, but the path to it. Is there a road you definitely want to enter?
" So far, it's figure skating - until 2022 for sure. About further I haven’t thought seriously. There are two roads that seem interesting. Perhaps journalism, but I do not want to abandon the idea of becoming a doctor. "
- You don't really remember, by your own admission, the time when you just went out on the ice. But, when the relationship with the triple Axel began, you remember that? Although it was a long time ago, even during training at the "Tchaikovskaya Rink" with Yelena Zhgun.
" Well, about this relationship? I was spinning, then jumped, fell half a turn, and so on - with a splat. A couple of attempts, and I literally had to be scraped off the ice. This Axel is not any Axel ... Even when I started to jump him stably at the beginning of this season, I realised: you don’t jump him for a couple of weeks and he is gone! You can start again, flying like a kamikaze. "
- He doesn't give you any respite?
" With him, you must definitely tune to this 'feeling' from which to jump. And if you lose it, then you are looking for pain. This is hard to explain to someone who does not jump. "
- And the large majority of the world's figure skating are unable to jump him. Therefore, your feeling, it turns out, can only be understand by a few people in the world.
" My mother likes to say: 'you won’t forget how to ride a bicycle, what’s your problem?' No, it's not like that. You've mastered the bike - and for life. And now - somewhere in Krasnoyarsk someone sneezes wrong, and everything will go wrong for you. This Axel, as one might say, is quite personal. "
(c) Ирина СТЕПАНЦЕВА
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From:
https://fsrussia.ru/files/mfk_magazine/wfk_21_2020.pdf
Interview apparently taken during 2020 Europeans in Graz.
What does it say?
