Mikhail Kolyada

[icewhite]

I rewatched it yesterday. It is breathtakingly good. I was disappointed he didn't do something bolder for a show program contest, but man, it's to die for.

Михаил Коляда. Русский вызов. 18.03.2023

Тандем Михаила Коляды и Ильи Авербуха уже дарил миру настоящие ледовые шедевры, так случилось и на этот раз — невероятное выступление под композицию «Je Suis...

www.youtube.com

 

[Mariott]

Three-time Russian figure skating champion Mikhail Kolyada has suspended his sports career
Evgeny Semyonov, Sport24
Mikhail Kolyada, silver medalist of the 2018 Olympic Games in the team event, bronze medalist of the World Championships, two-time bronze medalist of the European Championships and three-time Russian champion in men's figure skating, has suspended his sports career. This was announced by the general director of the Russian Figure Skating Federation (FFKKR) Alexander Kogan.

"It's a shame that a talented athlete decided to suspend his competitive career," RIA Novosti quoted Kogan as saying.

In the 2022/23 season, Kolyada, who turned 28 in February, took third place at the Russian Grand Prix stage in Moscow and won the N.A. Panin-Kolomenkin Memorial.

Трехкратный чемпион России по фигурному катанию Михаил Коляда приостановил спортивную карьеру - 10 июля 2023 - Sport24

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[gsk8]

Is there any news as to why? Or how long?

 

[Mariott]

Is there any news as to why? Or how long?

Russian figure skaters, out of superstition or practical reasons, almost never talk directly about ending their careers. There is every reason to believe that Mikhail's career suspension is a veiled retirement. He is 28, he is not in the best shape, he has a some health and motivation problems with sports starts and cannot fully compete with young athletes. Now he has opportunities to participate in ice shows and lead some projects on television, it's a quieter occupation that brings only positive emotions.

 

[dorispulaski]

I am so sorry to hear this, but wish Mikhail every success in his new projects. I also hope his health improves.

 

[lariko]

Sad, if you think about it. Talented guy, and so much detractions and ill luck during his rather long career.

 

[AxelLover]

So sad .
Such a talented skater, one of the best in the world imo – both technically and artistically. If only he wasn't so inconsistent.

I consider Misha to be the best Russian male skater since Plushenko. None of the current Russian male skaters comes anywhere close in terms of artistry, skating skills, spins, musicality, posture and the Lutz and Axel technique.

Let's remember the best 4Lz ever landed by anyone in competition:

 

[Ruthypegs]

So sad .
Such a talented skater, one of the best in the world imo – both technically and artistically. If only he wasn't so inconsistent.

I consider Misha to be the best Russian male skater since Plushenko. None of the current Russian male skaters comes anywhere close in terms of artistry, skating skills, spins, musicality, posture and the Lutz and Axel technique.

Let's remember the best 4Lz ever landed by anyone in competition:

I agree - one of the best in the world - perhaps would have got the Olympic title in 2022 if he hadn't been so unlucky with catching COVID.

I only had the chance to see him skate live at one event (Worlds 2018), and his skating was even more stunning in real life - he had a beautiful lightness and elegance - stunning skating quality.

https://www.facebook.com/TheSkatingLesson/videos/kolyada/301132887998434/ - I can't find the version with Ted Barton commentating, but Ted was almost speechless with admiration.

 

[nguyhm]

I watched the movie The White Crow and just had to re watch his programs from 2021. Such a masterpiece . I really miss him.

 

[niks]

Misha performing his White Crow program recently at a show in St Petersburg

I found this by chance and was so happy to see him skating again He is missed indeed

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[Tutto]

I watched the movie The White Crow and just had to re watch his programs from 2021. Such a masterpiece . I really miss him.

I hope you watched this one

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at the test skates where the world saw this program for the first time (and fell in love with it)
To me it is also still the best.
As the season progressed Mishin was taking this and that from the choreo (as he usually does) and by the Worlds the program was frankly quite empty.
The move to Mishin proved imho rather disastrous, Mishin failed to improve his technique (and I never thought there was anything wrong with Mika's technique in the first place) or consistency. Mika needed a coach who would develop his artistic qualities to the max and also give him more confidence in himself (if the latter at all possible). I consider that Lambiel would be the one. In Russia there was no one worthy his talent. It's a tragedy.
And in the end Mishin betrayed him by not fighting for his chance to go to Olympics, yes the team event was not realistic but he could have made it to the individual event with his 2 beautiful programs, the spot he earned at the Worlds was taken by a skater of Mishin's wife who didn't even qualify at Russian Nats. Talk about unfair.
It took me a long time to accept that Mika's career is over. but he is happy in his marriage, he skates a lot in shows and tries some new things - commentating (he is really quite good) and making vlogs about Russian towns hosting GP events. He looks happy.
It still hurts though. Too great a talent was wasted.

 

[icewhite]

I hope you watched this one

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at the test skates where the world saw this program for the first time (and fell in love with it)
To me it is also still the best.
As the season progressed Mishin was taking this and that from the choreo (as he usually does) and by the Worlds the program was frankly quite empty.
The move to Mishin proved imho rather disastrous, Mishin failed to improve his technique (and I never thought there was anything wrong with Mika's technique in the first place) or consistency. Mika needed a coach who would develop his artistic qualities to the max and also give him more confidence in himself (if the latter at all possible). I consider that Lambiel would be the one. In Russia there was no one worthy his talent. It's a tragedy.
And in the end Mishin betrayed him by not fighting for his chance to go to Olympics, yes the team event was not realistic but he could have made it to the individual event with his 2 beautiful programs, the spot he earned at the Worlds was taken by a skater of Mishin's wife who didn't even qualify at Russian Nats. Talk about unfair.
It took me a long time to accept that Mika's career is over. but he is happy in his marriage, he skates a lot in shows and tries some new things - commentating (he is really quite good) and making vlogs about Russian towns hosting GP events. He looks happy.
It still hurts though. Too great a talent was wasted.

I have no idea how the move to Mishin can be rated. Would things have been better with another coach? Who knows?
I am not a big fan of Lambiel, the coach, although he definitely improved Shoma Uno a lot in "advanced" age. But there is something about Lambiel that very much rubs me the wrong way. He never takes himself back... and he transforms skaters into mini-Lambiels, in my, very subjective view, robbing them of their individuality. Shoma before Lambiel was worse but I liked him better. I don't want to be mean or anything, but my very personal opinion is that it's almost creepy when his skaters start to imitate his looks. Not that Mishin is unproblematic... but to me it looks like he leaves his skaters some room to breath (as skaters). I like that he works with several choreographers who bring in different styles. And I think that Kolyada's style was kept during his Mishin time. His programs felt good for him, in fact White Crow was his masterpiece, and I also enjoyed Schnittke's Tango. I did not get the feeling that these are Mishin's programs that he imposed on Misha. So there's that at least.
Also, if we are talking about Lambiel as a possibility and take Shoma as a point of reference, Shoma has always had great potential but it was all messy. Misha was never messy. He just wasn't consistent. So I'm not sure the same solution would have been possible to apply.

Maybe a very down-to-earth coach like Huth could have helped, but that might be my German bias speaking there.

Let's be honest though, he would not have moved to a coach outside of Russia anyway, likely for personal reasons, and also because the fed would not have supported that at all.

But you seem to think that he could have gone to the Olympics and that he was deliberately screwed over by the team. What makes you think that? I don't think that's what happened. I think Mishin has huge respect for Kolyada and would not have preferred Semenenko to go if Misha had been able to.

Anyway... him stopping hurt me, too. He's one of the skaters hanging on my wall... on a photo, but I even painted him.
In his White Crow balletic turn, which is so beautiful and so him. Messed up his fingers a bit, they seem pretty long now.

I hope to see him in the next show tournament. I am quite disappointed that I cannot understand his commentary, because I'm sure it's interesting.

 

[Tutto]

I have no idea how the move to Mishin can be rated. Would things have been better with another coach? Who knows?
I am not a big fan of Lambiel, the coach, although he definitely improved Shoma Uno a lot in "advanced" age. But there is something about Lambiel that very much rubs me the wrong way. He never takes himself back... and he transforms skaters into mini-Lambiels, in my, very subjective view, robbing them of their individuality. Shoma before Lambiel was worse but I liked him better. I don't want to be mean or anything, but my very personal opinion is that it's almost creepy when his skaters start to imitate his looks. Not that Mishin is unproblematic... but to me it looks like he leaves his skaters some room to breath (as skaters). I like that he works with several choreographers who bring in different styles. And I think that Kolyada's style was kept during his Mishin time. His programs felt good for him, in fact White Crow was his masterpiece, and I also enjoyed Schnittke's Tango. I did not get the feeling that these are Mishin's programs that he imposed on Misha. So there's that at least.
Also, if we are talking about Lambiel as a possibility and take Shoma as a point of reference, Shoma has always had great potential but it was all messy. Misha was never messy. He just wasn't consistent. So I'm not sure the same solution would have been possible to apply.

Maybe a very down-to-earth coach like Huth could have helped, but that might be my German bias speaking there.

Let's be honest though, he would not have moved to a coach outside of Russia anyway, likely for personal reasons, and also because the fed would not have supported that at all.

But you seem to think that he could have gone to the Olympics and that he was deliberately screwed over by the team. What makes you think that? I don't think that's what happened. I think Mishin has huge respect for Kolyada and would not have preferred Semenenko to go if Misha had been able to.

Anyway... him stopping hurt me, too. He's one of the skaters hanging on my wall... on a photo, but I even painted him.
In his White Crow balletic turn, which is so beautiful and so him. Messed up his fingers a bit, they seem pretty long now.

I hope to see him in the next show tournament. I am quite disappointed that I cannot understand his commentary, because I'm sure it's interesting.

Thank you for your post! It is good to talk about Mika here after a long time.
Though I am in part agree with you about Lambiel, lets not forget that he gave Mika one of his best programs - Muse, imho the best, Stephane chose music himself and choreographed it - it did not feel like Stephane in any way, it was unique and suited Mika to perfection and showed him in a different way. It was one of those programs that flew in a moment it was so fluid, so wholesome. I think they had a great respect for each other and understanding of each other. But you are right there is no point in talking and dreaming about things which were never going to happen. As regards the situation with Olympics it was and remains murky and my speculation is based on: 1) Stepanova/Bukin were allowed to go though their tests were positive till very last moment 2) Mika appeared in the middle of that controversy on TV talk show looking very healthy and said that he only had very mild symptoms for 3 days. Later he changed the story in the consequent interviews. I watched that tv show myself, it is not a hearsay. I am not saying that he was deliberately screwed over rather that the situation was a very welcome occurrence for Mishin's wife and quickly used to her advantage (and to her student's advantage). Considering how influential Mishin is in Russian FS, it was odd that Mika was dropped like a hot potato without any fight for him. I long thought about it and that is my opinion which unless some new facts come to light I won't change.

 

[AlexBreeze]

Mikhail and Daria Kolyada will coach in Pangqing Tongjian International Skating Club in the summer.

 

[icewhite]

I just realized how excited I'd be if I ever were to meet him in person.
Must be great to be coached by him and I hope he likes it.
And he continues to work with his wife. My inner romantic gets heavily touched by their relationship, can't help it. He seems to love her so much.

 

[AlexBreeze]

Mikhail and Daria became parents.

It's a girl and her name is Elizaveta.

 

[QueenOfTheRoad]

Awwww, cute Kolyada baby! Congrats to Daria and Mikhail!