Okay, the interview. He is a thoughtful kid.
“I just can’t do without figure skating.” Interview with the figure skater Mozalev.
About the unsuccessful (for him) Olympics, Valieva’s doping, and the difficult times for Russian athletes. St. Peterburgian skater Andrei Mozalev talks with the sport page of Fontanka.
The Olympic Games in Beijing was the first one for a figure skater from St. Petersburg, Andrei Mozalev. His debut had a debatable outcome: he attained 19th place out of 29. On one hand, this is the 18 yo’s first Olympic Games. On the other hand, will he get another shot given the political situation? It seems that Andrei understands his dilemma.
This was your first Olympics. Can you share your impressions?
AM: New emotions, new impressions. Personally, I felt an emotional high, as if it were a celebration. Sure, the more experienced comrades said that because of all the limitations, it didn’t really feel like areal Olympics. Dunno. I still really liked it, except you couldn’t go anywhere, you had to wear a mask, and test daily for Corona.
The reporters managed to get out for a one-day excursion to Beijing. Were you so lucky?
AM: No. We spent the whole Games in the Village. But I wouldn’t have gone anyway. The risk to catch the virus was too high.
There were horror stories about the tests. Like, they were sticking the stick right up your nose so deeply and rudely, that some people bled.
AM: In the village, it was more or less bearable: they did an oral swab. But when we had just arrived, at the airport, yes, it was about what you’d just described. These sticks went almost into your brain.
We’ve also heard that during the Olympic camp in Krasnoyarsk, the figure skaters basically walked single file between their rooms, skating rink and the cantina.
AM: Not really in a single file, no. But we were prohibited from leaving the premises. We had a separate cantina, elevator and hall.
Was it difficult under such conditions, when you can’t switch up?
AM: Maybe some people had difficulties, but for me it’s a normal lifestyle. In St. Petersburg, I live almost the same: practice, home, practice, home. Every day is like that. I rarely go out, because I get so tired. All I have energy for is to make my way home. I come home and lie down to rest immediately.
What kind of accommodations did you have at the Olympics?
AM: We shared a three-bedroom apartment with Zhenya Semenenko and Mark Kondratyuk.
So, all the rivals lived together? So, did you guys walk around and give each-other the stink eye?
AM: Nah. We leave the rivalries on the ice. Off ice, we’re friends. It was actually more fun that way. Because usually we live with two people to a room, and this time it was all three of us.
Russian biathlon athletes had fun by pouring cola inside the distributed condoms and threw Mentos in.
AM: Nope, we didn’t fall off the deep end. We went walking around the grounds, and also there was a gaming room with pool, ping-pong, table hockey and soccer. Plus, we played cards in the suite. I think we didn’t grow as bored as the biathletes.
So, you brought the Olympic condoms home as souvenirs?
AM: Nope.
And Bin-Dwen-Dwen?
AM: Yes, two of them.
People say it was a separate sporting event pretty much to buy a BDD.
AM: Yes, they stocked the stores at specific times. We had to wait in a sizable queue for about half-an-hour. I bought two, and some folks grabbed half-a-dozen.
How many days did you have before the individual event?
AM: 8 days before the short program. We had 30 min training per day. Not much, obviously. But everyone trained the same.
Did you get anxious before the short program?
AM: Yes, of course, I was nervous, but I psyched myself up like for any other competition. Though it wasn’t really like a competition. More like a celebration. So, my soul soared. I understood how cool it was that I’d made it.
Did you approach your programs in any special way for the Olympic season?
AM: No, not really, business as usual. First, we worked through the transitions. Then, we combined the whole thing. We had some difficulties, of course, but they weren’t significant.
You had created a memorable character in the free skate, Christopher Columbus. How did you come up with this idea?
AM: Kyrill Anatol’evich nursed this idea for a while. But we only managed to turn it into reality this season.
What about the costume? How did it get approved?
AM: Also in a usual way. First, we sent in the music. Described our ideas. They sent us back the sketches. We reworked some stuff, approved, and then they were put into production. It took about 3 weeks. Maybe a little longer.
How do you assess your results?
AM: I did poorly. In the short program, I fell and popped the triple axel into a single. In the free program, I fell twice more. But we already drew the necessary conclusions and we continue to work.
But you said that you weren’t nervous and that the Olympics were a celebration for you. What happened?
AM: For some reason, after the flight, I had a hard time ramping up physically. Even before the skate, I knew something was off.
Maybe you didn’t have enough practices?
AM: Maybe. To be honest, I don’t want to talk about that.
Did you feel really upset?
AM: Of course, I was upset because I couldn’t show 100% of what I was capable of. But this is my first Olympics, and I am 18. Maybe it’s not right to think that I have a lot of time ahead of me. But I still hope this is not my last Games. At a minimum, it was a great experience.
Did the 19th place knock you down a peg?
AM: I put it behind me. The Olympics are over; I am working for the future.
What did your coach tell you after the free skate?
AM: He said that it’s not the end of the world, that it was a great, cool experience anyway. We work holistically. We share the emotional weight of both the victories and the defeats.
Did you watch the other skaters’ performances?
AM: Only the free skate. From the start, I believed Chen would win.
Why not Hanyu?
AM: I don’t know. I have more faith in Chen for whatever reason. Also, Hanyu had won twice already.
Hanyu tried 4A—something nobody had done before. Alas, it didn’t turn out. It was an insane risk from the point of view of scores, and also from the health standpoint as well.
AM: I guess, he wanted to leave his mark on the history of figure skating.
Did you try 4A in practices?
AM: No. But I think, eventually, I might.
Did you watch the women’s event?
AM: No. We left on the 12th of February, two days after our free skate. We were told it was better to leave, because you never know, and we might get a positive test, and then we’d have to be stuck there for 10 more days.
Another story about Beijing village was the food. That you didn’t get enough, and it was not particularly tasty.
AM: There was plenty of selection, but even European cuisine had this sort of… weird taste.
Did you feel stressed without the anthem and the flag?
AM: Personally, I didn’t feel it. It seems to me, everyone knew we were from Russia anyway.
Did the situation with Valieva impact you psychologically?
AM: I can’t say for sure. Obviously, I was sad for Kamila. Along with the other boys, we tried to support her as much as we could. Outwardly, she didn’t seem destroyed by this story. But nobody would know how she felt inside.
What changed for you after you returned from the Olympics?
AM: To be honest? I can barely believe that I went to the Olympics. It was always something of a dream for me. It was an invaluable experience and I will keep working for the future.
Will we see you in 4 years at the next Olympics?
AM: Time will tell. It’s hard to wish upon a star right now.
But your goal will be more than to just go to Olympics next time?
AM: Would like to be in the top three.
How did you start in figure-skating?
AM: First, my sister started. My mom took her to her practices, and she couldn’t leave me at home alone. So, she had to take me along. Once I asked her when I would get to skate. Mom at the time was wondering if she should put me into gymnastics or skating, and, in the end, we chose figure skating. I tried the skates on for the first time around 2, and started practicing with a figure skating group at 5.
Have you ever wanted to quit?
AM: No. When I was 8, mom asked me if I want to continue. I said, yes, I do. Then we moved to Kyrill Anatol’evich.
Did you have your share of ups and downs?
AM: To be honest, I didn’t think I would break out. At the Zhuk’s Memorial, I was 17th. Then 11th. Basically, far out of the top 10. Only at the last try, I placed 7th. Then I was trying to make the Nationals, went to the Cup stages. Nothing worked out for a long while.
Then what had happened?
AM: Hard to say. It just clicked at some point. I made the national team and went to the Junior GP. I was 14-15. On my first try, I won a JGP stage. I was so surprised. I basically fell 2 points short of making the final. But next season, I won both of my stages. From that point on, it was on the upward trajectory.
Did you have doubts before that, if you should continue?
AM: I wondered. At times, it was really difficult, but I kept faith anyway.
Why did you choose coaching (in college), instead of a back-up plan specialty?
AM: I feel I can’t do without figure skating. I want to dedicate my life to it. I think I have what it takes to be a coach later on. Sometimes, I coach kids already.
What’s your plans for the near future?
AM: Right now, the times are not conductive for making any plans, particularly regarding the competitions. One has to focus on just working.
What do you feel when you see the news that Russian athletes are excluded everywhere?
AM: It’s not fun, but I want to believe in something better.
I hope that his sense of the predestination of figure skating in his life will save him in difficult times. It's good if it becomes an eternal motivation for him 
It`s not necessary to work with the image of a middle-aged man again.
, who laughs at the top of his voice, and Misha Kolyada, who smiles with him
, you definitely need to watch this 
And best of luck at the Channel One Cup!
