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- Oct 25, 2014
Not like we should expect much different. In the end, if he's going to be a top men, he has to get used to that eventually.
Mikhail Kolyada
- Thread starter Perdita
- Start date
Not like we should expect much different. In the end, if he's going to be a top men, he has to get used to that eventually.
- Joined
- Apr 9, 2016
I don't think we have a statistic on how skating 4th, 5th or 6th in a warm-up affects his performance. He said a number of times he likes skating first but alas that's not possible. I think it's extrapolated from there that he must hate skating last but he never actually said that.
- Joined
- Apr 9, 2016
Last season there was a tendency for him to do well in either the short or the free not both and this is more worrisome, but it didn't depend on skating order.
In his last interview (the really long one) he said he feels the positive energy from the audience that accumulates in the rink and feeds off it, let's hope that helps. There will be a lot of positive energy accumulated by the time he goes out on the ice.
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- Apr 9, 2016
I liked how he talked in that interview about how each person has their own energy field and he can't help but feel it and that is why he dislikes being among a crowd. He seems to have a very permeable shell that is easily breached from the outside, so he needs to physically separate himself from distractions. (Fans, stop yelling "Misha davai" before a skate, how many times does he have to say it bothers him? Yell whatever you want after.) He admitted he may be considered too delicate for a man but it is what it is. I like that he doesn't try to come across as more masculine and readily admits to being sensitive and avoiding conflict if at all possible. He'll never be a fierce competitor because fierce competitiveness is not in his nature and there is only so much you can do with innate temperament. He needs a different motivation. Being happy with how well he does his job maybe? I hope he finds it.
- Joined
- Jan 25, 2013
Lets be realistic, another clean skate in the course of 48 hours with all the hype and pressure? Not likely but if he keeps his concentration like he did at Rusnats and yesterday, then I think he will be able to do more than enough for a medal and he's got a bit of a cushion too. I don't believe Samarin will skate clean either , I suspect that Kovtun might even come in 1st in the LP alone, but his final standing will depend on how others will do. With Javi I feel it is going to be either a good comeback or total disaster
Whatever happens tomorrow, I will try to remain happy because I see that he looks so much healthier first of all, and secondly he seems in a different mode mentally - a 'I am here to get job done' and thats more than I could have hoped for.
The draw is cruel though not because he is last but because there will be a send-off Javi distracting him - he is only human after all.
Whatever happens tomorrow, I will try to remain happy because I see that he looks so much healthier first of all, and secondly he seems in a different mode mentally - a 'I am here to get job done' and thats more than I could have hoped for.
The draw is cruel though not because he is last but because there will be a send-off Javi distracting him - he is only human after all.
Yes, that interview gave me so much insight into his character. He’s not shy or awkward or anything, he’s just hyperaware of his environment and his place in it, as well as how people perceive him. That's why he can be stoic and hyper-focused, but it’s also why he’s so kind and personable. I loved the way he encouraged Samarin in the warm-up yesterday. 
I don’t think the “Misha, davai!”s will ever stop, though, no matter how many times he mentions it. Serious fans know about it, but you can't stop what general fans do, after all.
The large crowd will help carry him through Carmen. It will be a great moment regardless of what happens.
I don’t think the “Misha, davai!”s will ever stop, though, no matter how many times he mentions it. Serious fans know about it, but you can't stop what general fans do, after all. The large crowd will help carry him through Carmen. It will be a great moment regardless of what happens.
- Joined
- Apr 9, 2016
At RusNats he was barely conscious during the FS so it seems not overthinking helps him at least as much as concentration. I don't expect a clean skate but hope for a good one. He'll need a total disaster not to even medal. He medalled at Euros with not one but two crap skates two years in a row.
No, he is not shy, you can see it in video interviews. And from observations and witness accounts he is certainly not afraid of people and talking to them. I think he just prefers talking to one/a few people at a time. He is good with people because he virtually can't help tuning into their wavelength. Imagine tuning into the wavelengths of a crowd simultaneously, it must be overwhelming. He is also pretty observant, I have been fascinated how much he could read by simply watching strangers. I think bad aura from those around him bothers him and he feels a need to correct it, hence the cheering up. Which for the umpteenth time confirms that he needs to be surrounded by positivity before competition skates.Yes, that interview gave me so much insight into his character. He’s not shy or awkward or anything, he’s just hyperaware of his environment and his place in it, as well as how people perceive him. That's why he can be stoic and hyper-focused, but it’s also why he’s so kind and personable. I loved the way he encouraged Samarin in the warm-up yesterday.
The large crowd will help carry him through Carmen, I'm sure. It will be a great moment regardless of what happens.
- Joined
- Apr 9, 2016
Anyway, it's the fact that he can win Euros that is going to put pressure on Misha not the skating order. Judges want him to win Euros, they just need some assistance from him in that matter. Can he please remember Nationals 2017 and get into that spirit? He skated last there too and there was just as much pressure with his first National title being within his grasp. On the other hand, he did not skate last at the next Nationals and it didn't help him produce a brilliant free skate. Both times he got over 100 for his SP in the past his free skates were not good regardless of the skating order, but then in his three previous times at Euros he never skated a good short program, so this is new and anything can happen.
Yes. That's why I was partially hoping the judges would push Javi over him, though I wouldn't have agreed with it. Misha 100% deserved to lead, but they could have scored him much closer to Fernandez and Samarin. But since the judges (understandably) adore Misha, he's the one being chased, and by a good margin at that. And he's skating last. The conditions are not ideal.
And so the worry spiral begins
But if he's going to be one of the top skaters, he's going to have to deal with these situations. And he can do it. In any case, I'm so proud of him for that short.
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- Dec 29, 2014
- Joined
- Apr 9, 2016
Kovtun has the distinction of currently being the only Russian man who can do two different quads in actuality, not 3-4-5 in theory, thus a program that he actually can skate. So I say go for it, but he may just as well not. Samarin and his mislaid 4T which they are trying to replace with a totally new untested quad - not too encouraging but who knows. It's always a crapshoot with the Russian men.
- Joined
- Oct 25, 2014
Agreed. And it doesn't look like it's going to change in the near future.
- Joined
- Feb 14, 2018
I shouldn’t have laughed but it’s all true.
Kovtun’s technique is wild, though, so... not surprising the jumps aren’t super-consistent. Then again, none of these guys are really models of consistency, so — where was I going with this?
- Joined
- Apr 9, 2016
I wonder about Gumennik, he has a certain consistency record which is more than can be said of any current seniors at any point in their careers. But if they give him a couple of extra quads (and they will) his consistency may go down the drain simply because of trying to jump over his head. Plus nobody can predict how one would react to pressure that comes with the job of being a top Russian man until it actually happens.
- Joined
- Oct 25, 2014
Layout confirmed with three quads.
https://twitter.com/sunlight_girl/status/1089076187299807233
https://twitter.com/sunlight_girl/status/1089076187299807233
- Joined
- Oct 25, 2014
He did a good practice. And I hope it's not just an impression of mine, but he looks much healthier than before, not blowing his nose as much, not seeming out of breath like before in the season. Hopefully he can put down a program that leaves him with a good impression!
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