Evgenia Medvedeva: "I didn't think about the rivals, just did know that I'm not worse than the others"
March 7, 2015
Russian figure skater Evgenia Medvedeva held the season brilliantly. The skater the first time in her career won the Junior World Championship in Tallinn. At last year's Championship in Sofia due to injuries she could not get up above the third place.
About herself, her statement, competent attitude, volatile character, the ability to find a common language with strangers and a triple axel in the interview with the newly-made world champion Evgenia Medvedeva.
Q: Zhenia, congratulations. How do you manage to keep the whole season at this level?
A: Solely on the moral standing. I just have no choice. At each start it was necessary to go out and win.
Q: It's easy to say, but not all get done. What is the secret?
A: Everything is laid in training. The dirty work is the key to success.
Q: If you sum up the Championship, which was the most difficult?
A: In general it was difficult to speak here. Not so much physically as mentally. Even more difficult than in the adult Championship of Russia. In Sochi, I realized that I compete with athletes, which are still not able to get around. The girls have the rating, the authority, they are unwound in all respects, they more able, confident. Therefore, there I did not load myself, just came out and did skate the program. And here a big responsibility was lying on me. But in some way, it helped me even. I had nowhere to retreat.
Q: All athletes say that it is important to set yourself. Can you explain how you do it?
There is no secret. Everything comes with experience. I know how to work in practices, how to behave at the competing, what to do before going on the ice, what is not necessary to do. And then we have every day rollings of programs. Six-minute warm-up and a rolling. This has worked out so that all the sensations become habitual. Similarly here as well. I went out and skated the program. Skated more or less clean. To be honest, I did not think about the rival. I just knew that I'm not worse than the others. And even something stronger.
Q: How do you evaluate your free skating in Tallinn?
I allowed some blots on so many jumps that didn't prevent my estimates. I tried to go out and to skate with dignity as I can. I want to thank my coaches and all those who supported me. It's very nice to me. Of course, to cope with the excitement I'm helped by parents, coaches and, oddly enough, the music. When I hear music, I'm going in yourself and tune in to the desired wave.
Q: You have an interesting free program - dream and reality, where on the story you appeare in different images. On the one hand, tender and fluffy, with another - playful, the exact opposite of the first one. Which of them is closer to you?
A: I'm a human being of moods. My mood changes very quickly depending on the circumstances, situations, what kind of people around me, what they say me. I can come to the practices in a good mood, anyone say me any "baddy" and that's all - I will go angry, with no talking to everyone. But if anyone will gimme a candy - I will depart directly, I will cheer up. I have a fickle character.
Q: Your grandmother told me that when you were little, you enter the bus and ...
A: ... have been said "Hello, my name is Zhenia"
Q: And while you were driving to the desired stop, you managed to get acquainted with everyone. The ability to charm, to make friends all in an unfamiliar company left?
A: Now, of course, I don't enter a bus and I don't tell my name there. Even in a minibus I'm not doing that. I'm joking! Of course, as a child all the easier. Many things do not pay attention. Then I was very easy to make acquaintance with strangers, I began to talk, to communicate. Now things are a bit different.
But I feel quite calm in the new company. If I see that someone wants to communicate with me, then why not. If I don't feel myself at ease, I just mentally put on a glass dome, so that no one touch me. If no one notices my presence, then I won't be imposed. I just get up and leave.
Q: Last season, despite injuries and ailments, you regularly got in prize-winners, that is indicating your strong character.
A: Yes, it is. It hurts or it doesn't hurt, you have to go out and skate.
Q: I remember at the Grand Prix Final in Fukuoka you won a bronze medal and said that the third place is a great happiness, because no one can imagine through what you had to go
A: Then I had an injury. I recovered, traveled on character. This season no injuries, thank God. Pah-pah. Therefore I skate for a pleasure. Just for this I go out on the ice.
Q: Lately there is a lot of talk that athletes will perform the Axel in three and a half turns or quadruple jumps in the short program . What do you think about this?
A: The 3A? Will I learn it in the near future? I can answer exactly: "No." I would like at least to jump clearly the 2A. But if we talk seriously, if to try any quad, then perhaps Salchow. Thouth I hadn't such attempts yet. Why Salchow? Because it can be called my favorite jump. I can make it with closed eyes. So if I'll think about a quad in the future, then it maybe only the Salchow. I'm not ready for everything else in this regard.
Q: You perform many jumps with a raised hand. How much time did you took to get used?
A: Not so much. And then, what's so difficult in it? The technique is the same: go and jump. Another thing: for what to do it? For the sake of motivation. I think we need to learn constantly something new, to motivate yourself constantly to something new. And this hand is a kind of interest and motivation.
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