In depth Berezhnaya article

[sillylionlove]

Ptichka, Thanks so much for the translation. There's a whole movie script or 3 in her story.

Does anyone know what Oleg Shliakov is doing today, BTW? I hope to heck he is not coaching.

Not be be violent...but I hope to heck someone beat the crap out of him!! Sorry but punching a women...so not cool...what a loser!!

 

[life684]

Thank you Ptichka; I am so happy that she is so happy with steven and Trysten. And felt hard done by media on their Olympic gold and certainly agree with her on the canadians not finishing in the top 3 after the sp.

Ptichka, Thanks so much for the translation. There's a whole movie script or 3 in her story.

.

I certainly agree with you on this, they can make at least three movies.

 

[Ptichka]

Not be be violent...but I hope to heck someone beat the crap out of him!! Sorry but punching a women...so not cool...what a loser!!

To me, what was more shocking was Elena's description of people's reactions at CSKA and Riga (there will always be psychopaths like Shliakhov; it's the society's response to them that mark the civilized people). Sure, they didn't approve or anything, but it wasn't so beyond the pale as to not end up looking away. And even though she's describing the Petersburg rink as being so supportive, I am not all that sure that everyone would continue reacting the same way if it weren't for Sikharulidze. Anton is a natural and charismatic leader who certainly set the mood among everyone of trying to protect Elena. I am not too sure people even in Petersburg would not have looked the other way without this.

 

[dorispulaski]

Ptichka, Thanks for the further details about Shliakov. I had always assumed that when Elena's head was hit by Shliakov's skate that it was an accident. Anything else was unthinkable. However, after reading Elena's account, I wonder whether it was another assault...

BTW, what part of the body is the 'dome' that they are referring to?

 

[Ptichka]

Ptichka, Thanks for the further details about Shliakov. I had always assumed that when Elena's head was hit by Shliakov's skate that it was an accident. Anything else was unthinkable. However, after reading Elena's account, I wonder whether it was another assault...

I still think it was an accident. However, I also think that he was more careless than a normal partner would be, and that he was probably paying even less attention than usual in his aggrevated state.

BTW, what part of the body is the 'dome' that they are referring to?

http://onlineslangdictionary.com/definition+of/dome - dome is English slang for "head". I wanted to use a slang word because the expression Elena used contained slang (which she does not normally use in her speech). thesaurus.reference.com gave me the following slang options for head: attic, belfry, dome, noggin, think tank, and thinker. After eliminating the options that really refer to the brain as opposed to the head, I settled on "dome".

 

[dorispulaski]

Maybe bean would be closest then?

As in the childhood song done to Battle Hymn of the Republic
"Glory Glory Hallelujah
Teacher hit me with a ruler:
I bopped her on the bean with a rotten tangerine
And the juice came dripping down."

 

[seniorita]

I just read this...I dont think i can thank you enough for this Ptichka, I had not clue about her life and what was happening with her old partner, i have known helena skating only with anton, i dont know what is more shocking for me -what some athletes have been through to reach the top places, how that olev could serve a sport like figure skating and why he is not in jail , or how the russian co athletes (did not ) reacted to this situation.

 

[mycelticblessing]

Thanks so much for the translation Ptichka! Elena has such an interesting story.

Elena and Anton will always be one of my favorite pairs ever. I hated what they had to go through after the 2002 Olys... I laughed when I read the part where Elena admits she and Anton didn't think Sale/Pelletier would be in the top 3!

I really like them too! No one skates like them anymore. That was pretty funny, but this was the line that really got me laughing.

Fetisov said to us, “Guys, my wife said – how can you compare a Honda with a Mercedes? You’re the best!”

 

[wishmaker]

Thank you very much for the long translation, PTICHKA

 

[jumpjumpjump]

AMAZING read!!!

And i just re-watched their 2002 olympics programs, and WOW is all i can say! and yea seriously, S/P should've been second... i never changed my mind about this even after 7 years.

 

[Daena]

I have read on russian forums that Elena gave birth to a daughter - they named her Sophia Diana.

 

[Buttercup]

I have read on russian forums that Elena gave birth to a daughter - they named her Sophia Diana.

Elena has announced the birth of Sophia Diana on her website. Apparently it was a bit early, but everyone is doing well.

 

[Audrey19]

Congratulations to Elena and Steven!
I'm so glad she has finally found happiness. That was a wonderful read, really touching (I can't believe no one cared that Shliakov beat her again and again) and I still think it's incredible how unfairly they were treated in SLC...
Thank you for translating, Ptichka!

 

[CzarinaAnya]

So sweet! She deserves a good life.

 

[Hikaru]

When I read "The Second Mark" I was amazed about all the things Elena had to go through. reading it from her PoV is very interesting as well. I love her relationship with Anton and how they have become very important to each other... in very different ways they saved each other's lives... I loved the part where he said he would have to make money for her and her kids!