Why did you decide to leave Eteri Georgievna in the end?
Sofia Titova: … I was kicked out.
Why?
Sofia Titova: Many weren’t taken, they kicked them out. It turned out that in two seasons I did not jump … Well, nothing. With what I came, with that I left.
Why do you think it happened? In Eteri Tutberidze’s group anyone will jump. I remember that Daniil Samsonov told me that he also came to the Khrustalny with double jumps and was able to jump a triple flip at the very first training session.
Sofia Titova: Because of fear.
What do you mean?
Sofia Titova: Well, it happens because of fear. You do it purely on emotions. Danya was afraid that they would not take him, so he jumped.
Why didn’t it work out for you? Was there little fear?
Sofia Titova: (Laughs.) It seems to me that I just did not understand how serious everything was. Little girl didn’t even realize … Nothing at all (laughs).
And how does this happen? Are they just say you “Goodbye”? And that’s it?
Sofia Titova: Yeah.
Was it offensive?
Sofia Titova: Yes…
Did Eteri Georgievna somehow explained this? Because there have already been such stories – for example Anya Shcherbakova in childhood was offered to practice triple jumps in another place, but then she returned.
Sofia Titova: I had this too. For the first time, Eteri Georgievna said (to leave and try to learn the triple jumps in another place) – we left. Then we returned. And the second time, other coaches talked to my mother.
So you got kicked out twice?
Sofia Titova: Yes. When I first came to the group, I skated there for the whole season. Then Eteri Georgievna said to go and try to do something with triples. We left, then we returned – and here again.
But the first time did you come back with triples? Well, at least some.
Sofia Titova: No (laughs). All the way with Eteri Georgievna I went from eight to nine years approximately. From the age of eight I trained, then we was taking additional lessons for 3-4 months. Well, it all ended at about nine years old.
When you left Khrustalny for the second time, were there any other options besides Plushenko?
Sofia Titova: No. In general, we thought for a long time. Didn’t know where to go. Well, in the end, my grandmother suggested – let’s go to Evgeny Viktorovich, his academy has opened. And before the new year 2019, I already came there.
