Exclusive ELLE: skater Anna Shcherbakova - about her dreams, fears and overcoming
A large interview with one of the most promising Russian athletes
The doping scandal made serious adjustments to the plans of the Russian team. The suspension from international starts for four years could ruin more than one sports career. But soon the worldwide coronavirus pandemic intervened in the training and preparation plan for important competitions. How do athletes experience this difficult time? For example, the Russian figure skater Anna Shcherbakova, who won the European Championship Silver medal in January, set a record at the Skate America Grand Prix stage in Las Vegas in October and scored many other victories, was one of the main contenders for the single figure skating medal. The girl recovered from a severe leg injury two years ago, and was ready for the most difficult Toeloops and Flips, but now she has to wait. ELLE talked with Anya about her dreams, fears, becoming an athlete and the secrets of confidence.
- How did your path in figure skating begin?
ANNA SHCHERBAKOVA: At three and a half years old, they brought me to the ice after my older sister. When I first went to the rink, I really liked it. And this joy from ice, speed and sliding is with me now. I was never forced or told "you need to go to training." Inside, there has always been this interest in the new.
- Was there something in childhood that scared you? Training is not the same as going to Gorky Park to skate.
" Not. The only thing I was afraid on the ice was the resurfacing machine. When it came, I quickly ran away from the rink (laughs). "
- And when did you switch to training jumps on ice?
" I've always liked jumping. It is interesting to try new elements. I have no fear of entering some kind of jump. Of course, a second fear “suddenly” may appear, and then you go into a jump and you calm down. You think about your movements and forget about everything else. "
- Do you remember the moment when you already realised that figure skating will become something very important in your life?
" Yes, awareness of this appeared when, at nine, I moved to the group with Eteri Georgiyevna. It was a more serious group where athletes trained who achieved results. I looked at them and saw how much work was needed. And Eteri Georgiyevna, she is not only training, she is constantly talking to you - and my attitude to the matter has become more conscious over time. In her group, I began to do triple jumps and then began to realise that this was no longer just a hobby. Now, I do not just come and do what I like, I have set tasks for training, I have to fulfill them, achieve results, strive for my goal. "
- The training process consists of attempts and errors. Tell me how you feel and do when you do not succeed.
" Of course, when something doesn’t work out, it’s hard. Unsuccessful trainings happen to everyone, but it is important to focus on what needs to be done to correct this mistake, and not act on your emotions. I always think: “What to do tomorrow, so that this does not happen again? What to fix? Where exactly were my mistakes? ” But even when I had injuries, there was never a desire to quit. On the contrary - the desire to fix everything faster in order to return to the ice faster. "
- How did your injury and recovery affect your attitude to how you performed before and now?
" There are minor injuries, this is normal for professional sports. But with a broken leg it was very difficult, so I even came to training, sat at the side, watched everyone skate, because I could not just sit at home without ice. Then I definitely understood that I can’t live without training.
After the injury, I constantly mentally returned and replayed an unsuccessful jump in my head, worried that I was wasting a lot of time instead of progressing. After a while, of course, you begin to rethink your workouts.
The recovery period was also difficult, because it seemed that "here, I went on the ice, now everything will be fine." And then you understand that everything needs to be started anew, everything is different.
At the competitions, there was a feeling that I missed something in training, that everyone trained, but I didn’t, so now I'm weaker.
It took me a lot of time to prove to myself that I had nevertheless returned to a high level and that I am competing again on a par with everyone. Now I see that this moment has helped me become more confident in competitions. "
- How do you prepare yourself for an important competition?
" The biggest secret is simply to work a lot in order to feel maximum confident in your abilities. The greatest confidence comes when you understand that when I do it every time in training, so when I go out on the ice and just do the same thing. If every day you perform this set of elements in training confidently , then it will be easier to get it together in competitions. And before the start, it is important to tune in correctly. I warm up, communicate with coaches and listen to music, so as not to be distracted by hearing outsiders - because competition can already be underway. "
- Tell me, when do you feel at your best?
" When I deliver a good skating run in competition. It is at the same time the greatest joy, pride and relief. When you have given your maximum, you get into the final pose - and you feel that you have shown everything that you worked on for so long. This is even a greater surge of emotions than when I stand on a pedestal with a medal: it is at the moment when my program ends that very pleasant tiredness sets in. Perhaps this is bliss. "
- There is such a stereotype that athletes generally have no life other than sports and training. How do you spend your free time?
" Most of my free time, of course, now is taken up by learning. Time completely free from training and classes is one day off per week. I love to cook, knit toys, but most of all I like to spend time with my pets. My favorite series is Sherlock. And from films I like to watch comedies, it helps to distract me from daily work and cheers me up. Sometimes I listen to music, the latest items in my playlist are Imagine Dragons and Sia. "
- Tell me about your style?
" Sporty, probably! Since we train every day, so we wear sportswea a lot. If suddenly some kind of jacket appeared in which you can train, which no one else in the group has, then this is very cool! (laughs). As you can see from my Instagram, I also love running shoes in everyday life. Today I am in Air Max 2090. They remind me of the air itself: transparent materials, unusual futuristic design and very lightweight. The model is not yet on sale, and it is always nice when people in the subject note what kind of sneakers you're wearing today. But for official events I pick up something more elegant, for example, a dress and heels, which I’m just learning to walk in and not stumble on. "
- Do you have a favorite mascot that you always carry with you?
" I can’t say that this is really my talisman, but it so happens that I always carry the napkin holder that was presented to me in Japan ... "
- Napkin holder ?!
" Yes, I take it with me everywhere in training and to competitions. Recently I made friends with a girl from Japan, who sends me parcels with various souvenirs, bears, dressed in dresses from my programs, which her mother has sewn herself. And she also makes jewelry to put on my napkin holder, matching my dresses and programs. And for every competition I put them the ear of my napkin holder. "
- Do you have a dream?
" There is a lot in sport - but it is rather a goal. I set myself the tasks for each workout, for example, a good skating run and work on some element. The task may be for a week. There are more global goals for the year. Of course, there is a dream to compete at the Olympics and do it well. "
- Do you want to win?
" Of course! Any athlete wants to win. Everyone says about the Olympics that this is a special start, so I really want to compete there too. "
- And besides figure skating, is there any global dream? Or some big goal?
" First of all, get a good education and find my place in life. In the future, I would like to be able to help stray animals. I greatly respect the people who do this. "
- Do you think that figure skating has changed since the time you started, and now - especially in women?
" Of course, yes, it has changed a lot. In principle, no sport stands still. In figure skating, everything is changing very rapidly, and what was good before is not good enough now.
And now the turning point is when the athletes began to show quadruple jumps in competitions. Everyone is at the limit of their abilities. You need to learn something new and strive to show it in competitions, to develop and move on forwards. "
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From:
https://www.elle.ru/celebrities/int...review_token=bffae89c24aba04959c577b469e0eb4c
Nice photos!
Anna is a (the new?) Nike girl after all, and is subtly plugging her new, not yet released to the public, sneakers.
