Our skaters, who performed at the Games in Beijing as part of the team of the Russian Olympic Committee, won gold in the Olympic team tournament for the second time in history. At the 2014 Olympics in Sochi, the Russians won the first ever gold medal of the team Olympic tournament. Four years later, there was silver in Pyeongchang. In Beijing, our team with 74 points, an advantage of 9 points, ahead of the US team, which has 65 points, and the Japanese team - 63 points.
Over the course of three days of competition, 10 teams, five of which advanced to the final round, competed for medals in the team tournament. After the first day, the US team was in
the lead, in the second – our skaters took the lead and did not miss their golden chance, despite the fact that two-thirds of the team consisted of debutants of the Olympic Games.Mark Kondratyuk, Anastasia Mishina – Alexander Gallyamov, Victoria Sinitsina – Nikita Katsalapov and Kamila Valieva became Olympic champions!
Our team did not use the right to make two substitutions during the competition and on the final day of the "team" free skating programs were skated by the same skaters who had previously performed with short ones. First on the ice were sports couples. Anastasia Mishina and Alexander Gallyamov, who made almost all the elements, were a little short of a clean sweep. The partner lost balance on the final support, which led to a fall. But this did not affect the final formation - the students of Tamara Moskvina and Artur Minchuk won the view and brought the team 10 points.
When asked why this happened, Alexander replied that it was not possible to fully adapt to such early training before the competition. Athletes were forced to get up at 4 am, at 6.30 the training began, the competition - at 9.15.
- What happened? We had a workout at 6 a.m., which may have affected our rental. I like to get up early, but not at 4 a.m. It's even early for me, - commented Nastya.
- I just couldn't keep my balance, I switched off a bit at the end. All morning I had to force myself to be cheerful. I couldn't stand it a little bit. It was hard. But these are the Olympics. Only the result is important here, and no one cares about the rest. Only himself, Alexander added.
- We have a good result. We brought the team 10 points, - said Nastya.
According to the couple, they would certainly be more accustomed and comfortable to perform in the evening.
- Pair skating is one of the most traumatic types and doing training at such an early time - I'm not used to it. I had to rebuild, but to be so... We weren't quite ready. Yes, we learn to do skating at our rink and at the first training, early, but not so early," said Alexander.
- It is clear that the Olympics are not only figure skating, there are many different competitions, and the schedule is very complicated. And singles, dancers... but in greenhouses everything is a little more complicated, - explained Nastya.
After the performance, Sasha limped in the mixed zone, but reassured journalists that nothing serious had happened. Nastya added that after such a rental there can only be bruises, and even then bruises under the eyes from lack of sleep.
- When such a strong team performs, it gives confidence, can you not worry about the result?
- Our team has Kamila Valieva, Mark Kondratyuk, Sinitsina - Katsalapov and Mishina - Gallyamov, so every athlete wants to keep the brand and understands that the team has such strong athletes that in no case should you fall face first into the mud and let the team down, - said Alexander.
- Still, I always want to show clean rides in order to get satisfaction myself. When mistakes happen, it feels as if something has not been finished," Nastya added.
- Does the status of world champions add "background" to you?
- Oh, I'm begging you. That was almost a year ago. A real athlete will not dwell on past results and titles. After each competition, we have a new goal, we understand what we need to work on. We do not stand still, but only go forward. And we try to move in big steps, - said Alexander.
- More than that, I will say, when they announce: world champions Mishin - Gallyamov, I think: Oh, it's me... We have already forgotten about the World Cup a long time ago. Now the Olympics and after the team tournament there is already experience here. The path was trodden. We know the rink, the time of the competition will be more familiar, later... What are your plans for the coming days? Sleep in. We will definitely sleep for two days to recover and relieve tension. Then with new strength, - explained Nastya.
For the free skate, Anastasia Mishina - Alexander Gallyamov scored 145.20 points. The second were Riku Miura - Ryuichi Kihara from the Japanese team - 139.60. The third - the Chinese pair Chen Peng - Yan Jing - 131.75, they replaced the olympic medalists Wenjin Sui - Cong Han, who did not skate free skating, concentrating on preparing for individual competitions. Mishina – Gallyamov skated both programs:
- We didn't even think about replacing. It's our job to go out and do all the elements, to bring results to our team. We were told to roll – we roll. We know our work," Alexander said.
- The federation decides. We certainly thought it could be different. All our couples are very strong. We were ready for anything, - Nastya added.
- It makes sense to ask our opinion. The federation looks at all the trainings, looks at the readiness of the athletes, the elements that bind ...
- In general, everyone is ready here, - Nastya summed up.
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Our dance pair Victoria Sinitsina and Nikita Katsalapov also confirmed their readiness to skate four programs in Beijing, who gave one of their best free dance rides on The Beijing ice. The choice of classical music is always fraught with a tricky moment, since it requires a correspondence of the level of performance. In that sense, Vicky's skating with Nikita raised no questions.
But after a mistake in the rhythm dance, Nikita controlled himself a little more, cautious. Overexposed support, for which athletes were reduced points, was the only drawback that prevented skaters from winning the view. Vika and Nikita (128.17) lost to the American couple Madison Chalk - Evan Bates (129.07), who replaced Madison Hubbell - Zachary Donoghue. Third were Canadians Piper Gilles – Paul Poirier (124.39). Otherwise, the program of our guys looked great. Once again, one can only applaud the serendipity of Alexander Zhulin, who at the beginning of the season was criticized for his choice of music, but the coach remained adamant.
"Vika didn't make it," Nikita explained to reporters in the mixed zone. - Legs stiffened. It happens. I often untie my skates in KiK. Very stiff boots... I want Camila to skate and skate wonderfully. Then I am ready to accept congratulations. Our rental? Chic. Just one of the best rentals we've done. Very inspired. Very lightweight. All elements were under control. Even when I did the final element. In the end, I felt like I needed to do it quickly. It's a shame for that point. We lost the tyranny. But nothing – we will fix everything. The most important thing is that we have already tested this ice and know where to add to this program. We have absolutely no anxiety. We beat both pairs. But the most important thing is not this, but the fact that we are confident in ourselves. We need to recover a little bit. It was a difficult schedule. We coped with everything. It's going to be great.
When asked about the replacement, Nikita replied:
- To be honest, Vika and I, when we did not even know, we would go to the Olympics, we would not go, there would be one, there would be no one, we set a goal for ourselves that if we were chosen to the team, we would be ready to compete in both sports and skate both programs. So we were calm about it in advance.
Why was that important to you?
- It's the Olympics. Everything is important here. It's important to just be here. And skating, in fact, is a pleasure. It's very, very unfortunate that there are not enough spectators in the stands. It would be super healthy and would have screwed up exactly, didn't get a didax for support on the viewer's energy...
It's important because it's a big responsibility. We love the challenges with Vika and pass them with great joy, we always gain competitive experience. Plus, the Olympic Games are a huge holiday, where you just need to be and enjoy every minute.
- Sasha and Nastya said that they got up very early today, how are you?
- Before the short one, we tested whether it was possible to fall asleep at 6 p.m., and we succeeded. Yesterday we went to bed early enough, woke up today at 4, normal, having slept. But the fact that it's 4 a.m. My brain was in a sleepy state, lying somewhere on the bed while I was exercising.
- Nevertheless, after such a workout and an early rise, you easily rolled out the program.
- I can tell you a point: naturally, in the morning we were not sleepy, but a slightly strange body, "not awake". Although the training went well. Plus we didn't go home. Thank goodness there is a special room for relaxation, we lay on a soft bench, worked out, but I still had the feeling that it was morning. However, at the right moment before going out on the ice, I felt that everything was awake now. Apparently, the time has come. And Vika is the same. I could see in her eyes that we were ready to go. Everything worked itself out.
- Nikita, in any case, you will become the first skater in history to have two golds in the team Olympic tournament. Which experience is more valuable to you – Sochi or Beijing?
- The Sochi Olympics are a kind of temple in my head. And it's special. Probably, this will not happen in my life anymore. But I can't compare these two Olympics. I am not talking about the fact that then there was Lena Ilyinykh, now – my dear Victoria. Just two different lives. There was no pandemic then.
- Did everyone have enough space in the warm-up today?
- No, of course not. Everyone was scrambling except Vika and I. We drove by.
- After that incident there was a conversation with Madison and Zachary?
- Everything was as I said. After a short one, we met and talked as before. Everything that happens there stays there. We've known each other for a thousand years, and there's no enmity outside the ice. It's just that everyone, let's say, has their own approaches to work.
- You are performing at these Games without a flag and anthem. How do you feel?
- This is not the first time our country has performed without a flag and anthem. And the Olympics were already without a flag. But the flag, as all my fellow athletes say, is inside of us. We are also deeply patriotic and very much appreciate our Motherland.
https://results.isu.org/results/season2122/owg2022/SEG016.htm
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If Nikita Katsalapov became the first figure skater in history to win two gold medals in team competitions, the debutante of the Olympic Games Kamila Valieva inscribed her name in the history of figure skating as the first athlete to perform a quadruple jump at the Olympics.
Camila's performance ended the team tournament, and this imposed additional responsibility on the 15-year-old athlete. Although no matter how the student Eteri Tutberidze skated, the medal of our team was guaranteed according to the sum of points.
In her free skating program "Bolero", which, without a doubt, will be included in the "textbooks" of figure skating, Camila performed two quadruple jumps - salchow and toe loop in a cascade with the 3rd toe loop plus the 3rd axel, not counting the rest. Only on the solo 4th toe loop the athlete fell, but this could not affect the final arrangement.
Before the rental, Camila was a little nervous, because she still did not understand that our team had secured an early victory:
- Honestly, I didn't keep an eye on the glasses. I just saw that we were a little behind the American team and forgot that I was rolling last, I strained a little.
At the press conference, Camila told about her dream, which has already come true: from the age of 3, the athlete told her mother about her desire to become an Olympic champion; in 2014, I watched the Olympic Games, worried about Yulia Lipnitskaya, and four years later I was rooting for Alina Zagitova, Evgenia Medvedeva and our other athletes.
- I am very happy that most of my program today turned out that our team took a medal. I want to congratulate all the athletes of our team on the victory!
Kamila Valieva brought our team the second 10 points, becoming the first after the free skate, scoring 178.92 points. The second place was taken by Kaori Sakamoto from Japan – 148.66. Third – Madeleine Skizas of Canada – 132.04.
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At a press conference after the competition, the captain of our team Nikita Katsalapov said:
- I'm very happy! I am very proud of all the members of our team! Our wonderful golden team! Everyone performed their programs almost flawlessly, everyone gave their all to the fullest. We supported each other. Therefore, our task now is to exhale a little, we will celebrate later, we will have an individual test, and we will prepare for it, - said Nikita.
Team competitions in figure skating were included in the program of the Olympic Games relatively recently. For the first time, a set of medals in this form was played at the 2014 Olympics in Sochi. Over the 8-year history of the tournament, the Russians have won three medals in the "team" - gold in 2014, silver in 2018 and now gold in 2022. However, until now, the need to hold such a team tournament at the Olympics for some reason raises questions.
If we consider the situation from all sides, then the arguments "for" are much more weighty. Another Olympic medal is only a plus for any sport. For individual sports, to which figure skating can be ranked, the team tournament is important not only from the point of view of psychology, the unification of athletes, team spirit, but also in the global sense of the development of figure skating as a whole. To field a team at the Olympics, you need to develop all four types - singles, doubles and ice dancing. And the Olympic medal in the team for this is not only a good motivating factor, but also a catalyst for the development of figure skating in those countries where attention was traditionally paid only to certain disciplines, which is confirmed, for example, by the Japanese team, which was previously strong in single skating, and now has interesting sports and dance pairs.
Another thing is that we can discuss the timing of team competitions at the Olympic Games. If after individual views, then, perhaps, a more festive atmosphere reigned on the teamman, since the main tasks of the skaters were solved. But there is a risk that the competitions would not be so interesting to spectators, they switched to other sports. And so, team competitions in figure begin on the eve or on the day of the official opening of the Olympic Games, when there are not so many events at the Olympics, and the teamman immediately finds himself in the spotlight. And for skaters, participation in a team tournament is a good rehearsal before personal starts.
At the press conference after the team tournament, all captains were asked about the team tournament. And all the captains replied that the team tournament not only adds entertainment, sports intrigue, but also unites skaters both within teams and skaters from different countries. That in team competitions, athletes often improve results because they cannot let others down. What is another medal that is played at the Olympics in figure skating, and this is an achievement:
- I can say, maybe it will be loud, but I would introduce a medal even for each type of program, as in rhythmic gymnastics, for example. On the short you can become a prize-winner, on the arbitrary - separately. Thanks to the World Team Trophy, which takes place in Japan and which has gained great popularity, these team competitions have given figure skating a special team spirit. When all the members of your team, all the members of the national team are present at your rental, sit and give all their energy. I think it's very cool and benefits figure skating," Nikita said.
https://results.isu.org/results/season2122/owg2022/TEC001RS.htm
Olga ERMOLINA
Photo by Tatiana FLADE and ISU
Report courtesy of Federation of Russian Figure Skating
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