I think this season will determine everything... Everything is so uncertain, I saw a post saying she has gained weight, grew in height, I cannot tell, do you think so? Could that be a factor in the falls in jumps? What about the missed steps in choreo that ultimately dropped her from the podium?
It's not determining everything. She looks better than last season generally. Significantly faster and her entries are more difficult. Her SP performance was convincing to me. It's an extremely difficult program. Very choreographically dense. More difficult than any other women's SP I've seen this season. She skated episodically at TS/Panin yet in Kazan it became smooth. A hopeful improvement. She isn't going to retire if this season goes poorly. She should make the national team and she'll keep trying. This season is more crucial for a skater like Akateva. Apart from Adeliia, Akateva fans should be the most stressed this year. Skaters like Muravieva and Frolova will be fine. No dangerous physical struggles ahead of them barring injury. They should only become more comfortable and acquainted with their body. The nerves will subside with experience. It would be heartbreaking to see another poor season from Muravieva but it would ultimately be her choice if it defines her career or not. Sinitsyna is another skater who seems to be in a far worse position than Muravieva right now.
She hasn't grown and won't. She is 19 already. Doesn't look like she gained weight to me. I don't know what people are talking about. In any case I don't think it's a factor in her jumps. She is physically capable. Last season it was said she could skate 10 clean programs in training but couldn't get it together for competition. Must be mental. Adeliia or Bazyluk for example admit they still struggle in training (physical issue).
It would've been a decent start without the ChSq fail. This was truly catastrophic. I imagine it broke her, she fell apart after this. Though she ultimately started the skate with a mistake anyways. Bad Lutz forced her into an early SEQ instead of a combo which also affected her surely.
This ChSq is the worst mistake I've ever seen from someone of her caliber. Good thing it happened at stages and not Nats. It was once she missed Nats podium over a StSq fall and the next season she might've missed a gold medal for the same reason. This time she missed a catch-foot just gliding in a straight line. Totally incomprehensible. I mean, it clearly suggests this is all psychological. She is notorious for such fiascos but missing an isolated catch-foot is outrageous.
5th place is terrible. She is competing against Gorbacheva, Dvoeglazova and Sadkova in Omsk. It's a problem as she likely needs podium for a confident RGPF qualification. Lyashenko looks incredible and it's no guarantee she beats Akateva either. This is all suggesting an average performance. If she's perfect she makes bronze (which she realistically needs). If she does even worse than her first stage it's all over. I'll pray you don't get a heart attack watching her in Omsk because I might.
Is it motivation from not being able to compete internationally?
I don't think so. This is a factor for some but likely not her. She seems to love skating and performing in itself. In her best season she was clearly grateful for just skating a clean FS at Nats despite not winning over the SP mistake.
Mura won't be at Moscow, will she be at Omsk?
Yes, she will be at Omsk.
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at Nats!
