Google translate slightely improved:
- The season is ending. You probably did not expect such a performance?
- I did not expect it.
- What was the most memorable during this victorious season?
- In general, the whole season has become very memorable. Each competition there was something special, something that was not in other competitions. So I remember every competition of this season.
- And which competition was more important to you than the rest?
- The most important competition was the European Championship. Because it was my absolute debut in such serious competitions, and I had to cope with the excitement. Then came the experience, and I was quite calm at the World Cup.
- How such a young athlete manages to stay calm?
- Music helps me in this - I put on the headphones and do not remove them.
- What kind of music do you prefer?
- I listen to everything except classical music.
- Why?
- I do not know. Perhaps i have enough classical music on ice.
- You often use classical music in your programs? This season, your music was not classical at all.
- Well, about the short, I would not say that it is not classical. The long - yes, the picture was unusual. I think it fitted me.
- In what direction is female figure skating moving? It seems that there is a tendency to increase the difficulty.
- Of course, figure skating gets more technically complicated. Jump elements are becoming more complex and higher. From an emotional point of view, too, probably we are making progress. Because the programs are becoming more expressive, and the story appears in every program. Figure skating does not stand still, it is moving forward in every aspect.
- In this season, you had a lot of jumps in the second half: all jumps in short, five jumps in the long program. What other reserves are there to increase the technical component?
- This can be done using the components. Because in the skating itself, the gliding on the ice, i have more room to improve.
- Already thinking about a triple axel or even quadruple jumps?
- Now, on harness, I do the quad Salchow. Well, not now, but five days ago I surely did. Because I changed my skates three days ago, and there is no way right now to go into quadruple Salchow in new skates.
- Why Salchow instead of Toeloop?
- Triple Salchow is the most comfortable for me to jump.
- On the Internet there are several videos, including those released by you when you jump first three jumps, I think, triple loop, triple Salchow, triple toe ...
- No, on the contrary, Salchow - loop - toeloop.
- And then there was a video of four consecutive triple jumps. What is the purpose?
- None. I know some people are going through tough offseason, especially fans of figure skating. So why not to please people.
- So you follow the internet?
- Yes, I spend a lot of time in the groups devoted to figure skating. I read comments, it doesnt distract me, not at all.
- Something unique. Typically, athletes try to not pay attention on it.
- Well, during the competitions - yes, of course. And after... We have posted some videos, the short program. I wonder what people think about it. I don´t get upset with critique. People have their opinions, and I have no right to forbid them to speak.
- Never had desire to answer?
- I answered only once, when went to a group of some mass media. A large one, with about two million subscribers in "VKontakte". It was just between the short and the free at championship of Russia. I went to see. It is clear that the people there are not very versed in figure skating. But that is so ...
The title said "Evgenia Medvedeva is in the lead after the short program at the Russian championship." And in the comments: "People, do you believe that? They're feeding them steroids. They are on protein. Yes, everything is a trick, there are writers who write scripts, its all already planned out, all bought. " I read it and do not know how this gets into people´s heads. And then I answered. Because, well, really, it's some kind of insanity.
- Are not you afraid that there will be problems with motivation in the next season? How to avoid them?
- I've still got a lot of things to work on. And I think that I will not have problems with the loss of motivation. For me, all of these championships were just experience. This is a big arena and the first big season. So next season, I'm just going to go out on the ice a lot calmer.
- Thinking about the Olympic games?
- I still need to live till the Olympics. Another season, even one and a half. All are under the same conditions, and no one knows anything yet, lets not make guesses.
- Can we say that the Games are the main event in the life and career of the athlete?
- It is not only possible but even necessary to say so. This is the main event in the career of every athlete and the main goal of every athlete who reached top level.
- A serious question. If you can not take the Olympic gold - not the next one, but in general, would this mean that the career is not successful?
- In a career, at least in my own, there are many positive moments. And this is my life. I work not only for results, but also to take pleasure in what I do. Therefore, even if something goes wrong, my career will be dear to me.
- How do you feel about competition in our figure skating? Previous world champion did not even go to this championship. Victories do not guarantee participation in the next major tournament.
- In our country, there is very serious competition. Things can change in a moment. And sometimes the athlete is even not the oneto blame. All the time, the circumstances are changing. Someone has something that does not work, but then this person can pick it up - and shoot, and again rise to the same level.
- Some take this easily, but for others, on the contrary, suffer from additional stress.
- I am absolutely calm about competition. Sports and Competition are synonyms.
- What are your relations with the Russian figure skaters?
- I'm good, we all communicate. And not only in the social networks. At the competitions we can walk together, spend time together to go for lunch and dinner. As always. I have friends, best friends. Not only skaters. I try to maintain good relations with everybody. Because it is difficult to live in a conflict.
- Is there someone to whom you would not say hello?
- If I don´t see a person, I may not say hello. (Laughs.) Deliberately - to noone. This is not in my nature.
- In your group, grows another very strong skater Polina Tsurskaya. How do you share the ice, share the attention of the coach?
- Now Paulina is injured. And doesnt go on the ice for a while. But in the season ... Our coach knows how to work so that each athlete recieves attention attention. And no matter what titles the skaters have. In our group, there is a lot of people, and no one is left without attention.
- And how do you communicate with each other?
- With Polina? We visit each other, may go out on weekend, take a walk. There is no such thing that if you are a rival on the ice, then I'm not talking to you in real life. We communicate well, we're friends.
- It happens that on the ice you argue who will jump more times in a row? Some competitions just for fun?
- Previously, it was more often. But now the emphasis is on skating full programs, so we rarely play like this. But there are times when its hard to get myself to work, not enough sleep, not feeling well. I can get to Polina, and say: let's bet on the triple flip. It just doesnt goes. She goes and does it. And you can not get out, you have to go and jump. It always helps.
- What are the bets?
- Sometimes a chocolate bar. If there is any prize, then chocolate. But mostly just for fun.
- Do you spend a lot of time on make-up before the program?
- One and a half to two hours. I'm in the room doing nothing. So I'm sitting in front of a mirror.
- You have a strong nervous system. You read comments in groups, calm feel about it ...
- Yes, calm.
- You know that many do not like your tights on skates?
- I do not always like my tights on skates. But believe me, if I wear them in skates, it will be even worse. I would be uncomfortable. Because I skate in absolutely different socks, and I still have silicones, which will stick out of skates. We talked about long ago with the coaches and came to the conclusion that now is the best option.
- We're drinking tea, with sugar, with buns. That is, you do not particularly care about the diet ...
- I never had major problems with excessive weight. However, once at someone's birthday, I lost control. When I sit at home all day, I get bored, and when bored, what are you doing? Eating. All the time you go to the fridge. I have small weight gains, and to stabilize it, I can, one day, skip the dinner. But problems when it is necessary to lose weight for months, no. I never starved myself.
- When do you spend all day at home?
- On the weekend.
- What you usually do?
- I watch cartoons. All day long. Basically anime, I finished "Sailor Moon" this week. The meaning of life was gone for twenty minutes, I guess. I was mourning. But I watched 39 episodes of another cartoon in the last three days.
- Also Japanese?
- Yes. "Revolutionary Girl Utena", there are 39 of 25 minutes. I finished it in three days. Walked around with the phone all time.
- Can you surprise japanese skaters with a few words?
- Maybe yes.
- Why Japan?
- I like the language. In general, Asian culture. I do not know why. That is, by nature I am a patriot, I would never go away to live in another country. I was even asked the question: can you skate for another country? No, only Russia. I am a patriot in this case. But I love other countries too. Because there is its own beauty in each country. And I like that in Japan everything is different. The lifestyle, schedule, shops, cars travel in the opposite direction.
- A different food.
- And I like the food too.
- Are you planning to learn Japanese?
- Already learning by myself.
- Really?
- Yes. I can say something now. I have a phrase I learned. Speaks in Japanese.)
- A whole story.
- I can translate. Hello, my name is Evgenia Medvedeva. I am figure skater from Russia. I would like to thank you so much. And with your help I can do everything.
- Once you mentioned that you can go to London to learn English. This desire remains?
- Yes remains. London is a city of dreams for me. I want to go there since I was 10-11 years. But first, of course, I just wanted to see. Now I have a wild desire to learn languages. I thinkit is a great skill to know several languages.
- What languages other than Japanese and English?
- I like Spanish, but I have not started learning it.
- English is better already?
- After two consecutive trips to America - yes, better. Even when wearing headphones listening to my favorite songs in English, at first did not understand anything, I just liked the melody. And then had the trips, put on the headphones and began to understand what it says.
- You are going on vacation soon. Where to go?
- To Vietnam, for 16 days. Now I need to relax - beach and sea. Because it is very important for an athlete. It must be the sea.
- Why?
- Well, it's my personal, I definitely need sea. Water. Such an atmosphere. Palm trees, coconuts, all this.
- It happens that jetlag somehow affects the health and the skating?
- When the flight the flight is in that direction, I'm easy.
- To the west or east? I mean to America or to Asia?
- In general, anywhere. That is, when I fly somewhere from Russia, its's okay, I quickly adapt. But when back, especially from America, I sleep all day.
- Training for you it's fun or hard work?
- If it was hard work for me, I would not do it. That's why I like my job.
- But once the figure skating becomes work ...
- I think it will not. Because this is my life. I spend all my life on a skating rink. And I'm so used to it, it is a lifestyle. How life can be hard work?
- There are times when you get tired in training, you break down, crying?
- Tired, of course, I get tired every day. I break down rarely. But I have short emotional outbursts, I can say something, then abruptly calm down. There are difficult moments. But breakdowns do not happen for weeks.
- What is your relationship with the coach? You just work as a coach and an athlete, or you can use your free time to go somewhere, to call each other?
- Normal relations. We go out, go to the shops, to a cafe. We are working, and hanging out all the time. This is a person whom I see more often than my parents. Therefore, it is not limited to work. Let's just say I have two families, the family home and the family at the skating rink. I think we are also like family to her. She sees us every day, works with all of us. I think she loves us all.
- How do you react to the fact that in this year, athletes started leaving your group, including the big names?
- Each person has their own way. Everyone make their decisions. So they decided, so they thought that it would be better. I have nothing to say about this.
- We like to compare different athletes ...
- I am often compared with Adelina. They say that we are very similar in appearance. This is not the only comparison.
- How do you feel about some comparisons? Tennis player Maria Kirilenko, get so irritated when she is compared to Sharapova.
- I hate it when they say I should be like someone, or someone should be like me. But i dont mind comparisons. You are like her, and she is like you - this is normal for me. But if you say, well, you're not any close to her level - that's what I hate.
- Can we say that the great athletes are selfish?
- To some extent, probably, yes. Because every athlete goes out on the ice and work, work, work. Works on himself. When he is compared someone, it is about the work you do every day. And not only your work, but the work of your coaches.
- In the team tournament, you were among the leaders. Do you imagine yourself in any team sport?
- The only, perhaps, team sport, which I am following is volleyball. Because I have a friend there, Tanya Kosheleva plays it. And I do not know what it's like to work in a team. Although just recently I have had the experience of the opening of the World Hockey Championship. it was not difficult for me, but maybe I did something wrong.
- We can invite you to beach volleyball. It will be in Moscow at the end of May.
- I do not know. I do not know in what sport I would see myself.
- And figure skating in pairs?
- I tried once. At the Junior World Championships in galça practice I tried to skate with Max Miroshkin. But it did not work out, it's terribly uncomfortable.
- It is more difficult than singles?
- I think i am not used to it. For the first time to get in a pair and ... Awfully uncomfortable.
- I cannot not ask about doping scandals. There was an alarm when Katya Bobrova was accused of using meldonium ?
- I always have paranoia. Especially in competition. If I, for example, take a water bottle and drink, and then put down and turn away, i will not drink anymore from it, I will throw it away. It's just a precaution.
I think many were scared. Because this happens, so many athletes got "closed" on this. And just imagine if, because of some substance, you lose the purpose of your life. Just imagine that you can not either compete or train ... and you sit there and do not know what to do. I think it's terrible. I am very glad that everything worked out with Katya.
- I recently came across a list of banned substances. There's an incredible number of names. How the athletes behind watch it out?
- We ask the team doctor. Tatiana works with us. If you get sick, first call her: what you can buy? she tells you: this, this, this, and this, this, and this is impossible. You go to a pharmacy to buy it. All agreed with the doctor. If you have a sore leg, you come to the doctor, and you do the procedure. No taking initiative in this.
- And it happens that the people from WADA visit when its not competition time?
- Yes. Three times this year, they came to my home at six in the morning.
- Wow.
- Yes, you sleep quietly, not bothering anyone, the doorbell rings at six in the morning: Hello, doping control. It happens.
- Now that you have achieved considerable success, you have changed the way you percieve yourself?
- When I was a kid, seven or eight years old, I thought that to become the world champion is something unattainable, fantastic. For me it was a mystery, a dense forest. I thought it was very difficult and after the victory you feel like a star, you are euphoric for a year or two.
But now I realized that in life, little has changed, and in sports, on the other hand, there is nothing eternal. Therefore, there is no special feeling that I'm world champion and star.
- Do you realize that at this moment you are the best skater of the world?
- No.
- And the winner of the world record?
- Something which, well, I did not expect.
- No global changes have occurred?
- There - yes. There I was very pleased. For me it was quite a shock. But back home I realized that nothing has changed. Internet made noise for a couple of days, and then all was quiet. As a lake.
- Do you think it is true that fans and journalists in this country stop pestering the Champions in all sports after three or four days , with the exception, perhaps, of football?
- In the world there are many professions and activities. And I would not call that thing which I do, the most difficult in our lives. There are so many professions, including life-threatening. There are professions that are much more important to people. I think this is correct, the athletes do not need special spotlight.
- Do people recognize you in the streets?
- No.
- Even now?
- I think I'm different on the ice and off the ice. I would not recognize myself, if i watched the performance. I am a completely different person, and even look idifferent in normal life. People look at the screen and think: that's grown tall young woman. And I watch cartoons all day.
- Our last question. Evgenia Medvedeva has a dream?
- Yes, I have.
- In addition to English and London.
- Those are goals. A dream shouldnt be so material.
- And what is it?
- That's why its a dream. No one knows except me.
