Javier Fernandez | Page 37 | Golden Skate

Javier Fernandez

Has this been posted already? http://deportes.elpais.com/deportes/2015/03/31/actualidad/1427811472_655099.html

I took a quick look and didn't find it, but forgive me if it's just hiding from me somewhere :).

It's quite interesting and the part about him being misunderstood regarding his comments in Sochi showed that he was quite upset at having been misinterpreted. (I'd translate but I'm afraid my Spanish is good enough to more-or-less understand but not quite good enough to translate, haha:laugh:)
 
Spot said:
Has this been posted already? http://deportes.elpais.com/deportes/2015/03/31/actualidad/1427811472_655099.html

I took a quick look and didn't find it, but forgive me if it's just hiding from me somewhere :).

It's quite interesting and the part about him being misunderstood regarding his comments in Sochi showed that he was quite upset at having been misinterpreted. (I'd translate but I'm afraid my Spanish is good enough to more-or-less understand but not quite good enough to translate, haha:laugh:)
Click to expand...

Just in case anyone wanted it :) I should stop posting so much in here.

Javier Fernandez: "Understanding figure skating is like understanding an offside"

Being the World Champion has got Javier Fernandez (Madrid, 23 y/o) stressed. His achievement in Shanghai this Saturday, where he defeated Yuzuru Hanyu, Olympic champion and favorite (for gold), has caused that a minor and exotic sport in Spain as it is figure skating, exploded on social networks and has awoken the attention of the media. “My phone’s saturated, but these kind of stuff only happens once in a lifetime”, he told us by the phone from Japan, where he currently finds himself for an exhibition and to spend some time with his girlfriend. Three-time European Champion, silver medalist at the GPF and fourth at the Olympics in Sochi, he’s been a pioneer for Spain in every mayor competition.

Question. Isn’t it weird that a skater who fell becomes the World Champion?

Answer. Yes, but it’s like getting a goal scored against you. You can then score one yourself. In the FS at Worlds I fell in an element but I performed the rest perfectly.

Q. Is it hard for the people to understand figure skating because of the amount of technical elements that are being evaluated?

A. It’s a matter of dedication. Like knowing what an offside is in a football match. It’s a tough sport, and you don’t realize that until you have a certain level of understanding. The revolutions have to be performed in milliseconds.

Q. What’s a quadruple salchow?

A. I can’t explain the salchow. Because I don’t even know how to explain it. You jump with you left leg, inside edge, and you land with the right leg…but if you write that people won’t understand.

Q. Was Salchow a skater?

A. I think so. (Yes, Javi, he was XD)

Q. Do you think that there could be…?

A. A quadruple Fernandez? I don’t know if any innovation is possible with the current rules. I thought about it once: there’s the Axel, but no inner edge Axel. And I could make an inner edge Axel…it’s a small possibility, but not impossible.

Q. Does being the World Champion mean being the best in the World?

A. I don’t know…well yeah, I’ve won the World Championship. I’m the best in the World this year.

Q. Are you special because you’re a pioneer?

A. I don’t feel special for being a pioneer. I’m fortunate.

Q. Do you think of yourself as patriotic?

A. Yes. I’m very proud of my country. They asked me once: “If other federation asked you to compete for their country, with more benefits or facilities, would you do it?” And I’d never do it. I’m Spanish and the medals I want to get are for me, for my people and for my country.

Q. How old were you when you first put on a pair of skates?

A. I started when I was six because my sister also skated. She went to European and World Championships.

Q. When you were little, were you ever told that figure skating was a sport for girls?

A. Yes, but I never gave it much thought. They told me the typical stuff, like the hockey players, they thought they were manlier because they played hockey. Kid’s stuff. When you grow up, people think differently.

Q. Is Spain a "male pride” country?

A. We’re a football country. Sometimes we judge certain people without knowing them.

Q. Could you have gotten yourself where you are now, had you trained in Spain?

A. In the current conditions, although it’s improving, no. I left Spain with a good level, but you get to a point where you need many things that we don’t have there: more ice hours for training, better ice conditions, an environment with other high-level athletes...

Q. How was it when you started training?

A. It was hard for me to train sometimes. I liked skating a lot, but when the time of max effort came I was left behind
.
Q. Do you think of yourself as spontaneous?

A. Yes. Regardless of what I do, I’m normal. It’s not always positive, sometimes you say something and people think that you said something else. I think it’s the best way to be, I like being natural and treating everyone equally, though I should think about some things twice before doing them.

Q. Like what happened in Sochi. (Some declarations were published in which Javier advised the gay people to held themselves back during the Games).

A. I don’t know if a expressed myself wrong or was misunderstood. It shouldn’t have happened. I never meant to cause anybody any harm, I was at the Games for the sport. I shouldn’t have answered any question of that type, but as that’s how I am…I know how I feel. I’m zero homophobic.

Q. You received a lot of critics and you had to apologize.

A. I had to apologize because I didn’t know if I had been the one at wrong, if I had failed to express myself. When things like this happen and you try to explain yourself people won’t believe you, so it’s best to apologize and let it go. It wasn’t nice, it was tough time for me, it really teared me apart. I’m very sensible with stuff like that and having people against me and telling me those kinds of things really gets me. Even more so when it’s something I have nothing to do with. My coach, Brian Orser, came to my defense publicly, saying “How can he be homophobic when I’m gay myself?”

Q. How do you get along with Hanyu, the World Silver Medalist?

A. We get along well. We share a lot of hours on ice. Sometimes the conversations come up short because his English is not very good.

Q. What happened to Hanyu at Worlds? Was he below his level?

A. I think he was, but it was not a disaster. He made a decent program. This season has not been the best for him because he’s had troubles. He had a collision with another skater and was off the ice for a while, then he had a surgery and another injury.

Q. Do you have to sharpen the blades of the skates?

A. Yes, it’s up to the skater and the ice quality. I tend to sharpen them every three weeks. It’s much harder to brake when it’s sharpened.

Q. Is Brian, your coach, another champion at these Worlds?

A. Brian was an amazing skater, he was World Champion and now he is a World champion as coach. Having 3 students of the same coach within the top 5 is something I’ve never seen before.
 
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thanks spot for interview and thanks xibsuarz for translations! and no you shouldnt stop posting in here haha (of course if its not oo much to ask and not causing you any trouble), we all enjoy them and get to know javier and appreciate him even more now!
 
xibsuarz said:
Thank you for finding the interview, they are certainly entertaining to read.
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matmuh said:
thanks spot for interview and thanks xibsuarz for translations! and no you shouldnt stop posting in here haha (of course if its not oo much to ask and not causing you any trouble), we all enjoy them and get to know javier and appreciate him even more now!
Click to expand...


My absolute pleasure! I love everything everyone shares here, so I'm happy whenever I can contribute anything at all :).
 
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^^ :jaw: does it say what did he choreograph?? ex number or sp/fp?? :jaw:
 
matmuh said:
^^ :jaw: does it say what did he choreograph?? ex number or sp/fp?? :jaw:
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Javier was in Japan for a few days, but I don't think he stayed long enough for choreo for sp/fp. Of course, I may be wrong, but if I remember correctly, it took that amount of time for Kenji to work on Johnny's choreo last summer.
So yeah, I'd bet for EX. :yes:
 
this is just adorable :o:
(I will keep spamming cutsie stuff until he stops being a sweetheart. That should happen any day now.)
 
Hello, I'm new in the forum and I have been a superfan of Javi for many years, as he is not just incredibly talented as we all have seen these last years, but I live in Madrid too (his hometown)

Contrary to what some people think, there are Spanish figure skating fans, but until now we were "undergroud"... as it was little broadcast here.

Hope to spend good times with u all :popcorn:
 
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