Kamila Valieva | Page 22 | Golden Skate

Kamila Valieva

Edwin

СделаноВХрустальном!
Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 5, 2019

Decoder

On the Ice
Joined
Oct 5, 2019
Happy Birthday, Dear Kamila!
Last year's birthday gift was the 4T. This year, well, the junior grand slam, of course!
 

Edwin

СделаноВХрустальном!
Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 5, 2019
Happy Birthday, Dear Kamila!
Last year's birthday gift was the 4T. This year, well, the junior grand slam, of course!

And Kamila fully deserved that title.

She was lucky with getting the chance, compared to the seniors. And like a true Khrustalniy skater, made the best use of it.

Hopefully she’ll have a nice birthday celebration and a party with friends when circumstances allow.
 

Edwin

СделаноВХрустальном!
Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 5, 2019
" I decorate trees in the yard and jump cascades on the grass. " Kamila Valiyeva about life outside the ice and the new season

The cancellation of the World Championships in Montreal did not allow the determination of the best figure skater among seniors this season. Meanwhile, there were no questions whatsoever on the junior level - the international debutant Kamila Valiyeva won everything, including the Junior World Championship in Tallinn.

However, this is not the only point. And neither that she, along with her Gold medal, also left the capital of Estonia with two new junior world records, previously owned by Aleksandra Trusova. Nor that she is engaged in the group of the best coach of our time, Eteri Tutberidze. And not even in the quadruple jumps she has already mastered. But in this amazing oxymoron of softness with rigidity, brought by the automatisms of technique and weightless skating together with the finest transmission of images, enthralling specialists around the world.


Now Kamila, like everyone else, is in self-isolation. In this big interview with TASS, the skater spoke about her desire to travel, her fears, and also what statement by Irina Viner-Usmanova helps her prepare for performances.

- How does self-isolation go, where do you spend it?

" I am at our dacha now, near Moscow. "

- And how is it? Is it really boring?

" In principle, I train here all the time, so there’s no time to be bored. I study, do homework, play with my dog, Lyova. But without ice it’s sad, of course. "

- Once you're at the dacha, it means there is no shortage of training space. What do you do?

" I do PE, then jump a little. Mostly on the grass - as there is more space. "

- What jumps are suitable to working out on the grass?

" Those who are usually with us. Cascades, triple Axels. "

- Cascades on the grass - sounds unusual.

" Actually, in real life everything is much easier (laughs). "

- Anna Shcherbakova said that the coaches do not have much control over how you do the exercises at home. Is there a desire somewhere to fool around, to take it easy?

" Definitely not. I understand that I skate and work for myself and with myself, so to speak. Therefore, I don't feel for cheating at all. "

- Alyona Kostornaya recently stated that skaters will have to ‘learn to skate again’ after all this coronavirus history has died down. How do you assess how much this simple fact affects you? And how difficult will it be to return to shape?

" I understand what awaits me, because after my injury I didn't move at all. Going out on the ice - yes, it will be a little difficult, but due to the fact that we train very often, we will recover quite quickly. In any case, I hope so.

As for me, I roughly understand how it will be. Let's just say it won't be easy. "

- You're not afraid that you might not have time to restore your jumps by the start of the Junior Grand Prix series?

" No, I think these will not happen. In any case, I will do my best to return to my jumps as soon as possible. "

- With the abolition of training and the closure of skating rinks, a large amount of free time appeared. When was the last time you had this?

" When I broke my leg last autumn. I had a lot of free time then."

- What are you doing? Watching TV shows, movies, reading books?

" I study (laughs). Now the most important thing is to close this quarter period. And, I think, after that I will be free. "

- Well, of course, now you can’t skip classes because of figure skating. How many have you missed over the year? Is it hard to catch up?

" In principle, not that much. Now I just finish what I had to do. And gain more ratings. Well, I still sometimes deal with tutors. So there are no special problems with subjects. "

- How is Lyova? How does he survive self-isolation?

" He enjoys being at the dacha very much (laughs). He runs and frolics all the time, everyone plays with him, pats and cuddles him, strokes him. He really likes it. "

- He's grown lots over six months?

" Oh yeah. When he was so little and small, he was very calm. And now he runs around like a bullet. "

- As far as I remember, he has already visited Khrustalniy ...

" Yes, we already took him there. "

- When can we await him at competitions?

" I don’t know yet. But first, we will try to drag him somewhere close to see how he will feel. If he becomes stressed, then most likely we will not take him anymore. And if everything goes well, then maybe at some starts, not too far away, he will come with us and will be my talisman (laughs).

- Last autumn, you told me that you like to draw. But, in your own words, not really good. Have you managed to improve your skill since?

" No, nothing really changed (laughs)."

- That is, you didn’t draw in self-isolation anymore?

" No. So far, not for real, this 'give me coloured pencils, I will draw' didn’t appear. When I was little, I drew very often, and it turned out well. Not exactly straight and accurate, but it turned out beautifully for a six-year-old child.

I didn't scribble a stick, another stick, a cucumber - and a human figure appeared in somewhat proper proportion. Hair, there, draw, all sorts of curls - this worked. But then over time I completely stopped and somehow forgot how.

Well, even now when I have a day off, I try to help my grandmother and grandfather at the dacha. Decorate some firewood, or a tree. Well, in the evening, maybe something appears. "

- But have you completely abandoned this activity?

" In fact, probably yes, I abandoned it. Now I am more interested in painting with rhinestones. In self-isolation I make a picture of a Spitz, he resembles Lyova. Well, I draw like this, little by little. If I really want to, I’ll pick it up, of course, work on it. But so that I purposefully learn, search for some video lessons - no, not really. "

- Now they say that self-isolation is a time when you can discover something new in yourself, to reveal some new talent. It turns out, something like that didn’t happen for you?

" Only if this new talent is how to paint on trees (laughs). "

- What about the programs for the next season? Are there any ideas and have you managed to work out anything before the total closure?

" I don’t know yet. Somehow didn't find the time yet. So all this will come as a surprise to me when self-isolation ends. "

- Now about the more pleasant. Last season you made your international debut. Describe in three words how it was?

" Scary, exciting and joyful. "

- Suppose I understood the last two. But about the "scary" I would like more detail ...

" It’s scary - it’s because ... Well, I don’t know, it might not be difficult for someone to enter the international level. But in Courchevel I was especially nervous (laughs). "

- In Courchevel, this was a little noticeable. But then, as it seemed, you quickly learned how to control it. And in your skating runs everything was so easy, as if you weren't worried at all.

" It seems to me, when your first big competition is taking place, you understand that this is just like any other start. The same as last year, the year before that. Maybe bigger, more serious after all, but it's still a start. And you need to go out and do your job. "

- This fear remained with you? Or did you manage to get rid of it during the season?

" No, I didn’t completely stop being afraid. But we can say that this fear has become much less. Especially in Tallinn - on the day of the free program, I think I was more afraid in training than at the start. Well, it wasn’t even quite like fear - it was just, somehow I was distracted, mentally I was somewhere else. And before I walked to the competition, I was quite calm. Honestly, I myself was surprised at this (laughs). "

- From your short program in Courchevel to the final free program in Tallinn - what has changed in you over this period of time?

" I've become more confident. I think this is the most important thing. "

- You already managed to see the a bit of the world in competitions. Did you manage to walk around the cities where you performed, to feel the spirit of travel?

" Yes, in Tallinn my mom and I went for a walk right after competition. In Turin, we had a whole day off. Well, in general, we walked almost everywhere. "

- What do you especially like when traveling?

" I don’t know, it seems to me that I remember and liked everything in general (laughs). Each city has something different. I like everything equally, I really like traveling. For me, a great joy is the trip to the airport itself. Always really looking forward to this moment. I don’t know why, but I really like it very much. The feeling that right now we will board a plane and after a while we will be in another country. "

- If tomorrow they tell you: “Kamila, choose any place in the world and fly out,” where would you like to go?

" I really want to visit Thailand. This is my very first choice. Then, of course, Japan. And Switzerland. When I was little, I came there for training camps - I really liked it. Now I want to go there again. "

- You've won all the tournaments in which you participated. Can you single out one of them, the most special?

" The Grand Prix Final. "

- For which you, due to a fracture, began to prepare just three weeks before it began. Tell us what happened with your soul during the preparations? And how was the recovery process?

" Injuries, of course, cannot be cured quickly. Any damage still makes itself felt. Then, all the same, my leg hurt a little, but it was bearable. Before that, it hurt me when I trained, but I realised that, let’s say, a scar had already formed there - that is, nothing terrible would happen. You just have to train with gritted teeth. It seems to me that the harder you are in the process of preparing for competitions, the more pleasant it is to perform well at them. And of course, wining is too. "

- To get in shape in three weeks - how is that?

" Very, very difficult, really (laughs). "

- Physically or psychologically?

" On both counts. And psychologically even more difficult. I even told my mother when I arrived at the start: "Can you imagine, yes? Remember when I last performed? And now I need to compete." On the day of the short program, I again told: "Mom, I need to compete." She replied: "Yes, I know. Let's get ready." And I told her again: "Well, I have to compete now!" She: "Yes, I know! Get ready!"

But I don’t care: “Well, that is, still competing?” "I know!" - answers (laughs). Well, I went out. It was exciting to go out on my short program. Such: "Oh, still competing" (laughs). But then I told myself that it’s enough to think about it. Well, competing my free program was already easier. "

- You went to Turin, not having had time to restore the quadruple Toeloop, while your main rival Alicia Liu was in shape and was preparing to jump both quadruple Lutz and triple Axel. It turned out, it was hard to bet on the maximum. What were your real goals for the Grand Prix finals?

" Skate my programs cleanly. Just do everything well. And then let the judges decide. "

- After the arbitrary program, we accidentally ran into Daniil Markovich outside - he then called you a hero with such pride in his eyes. How did you feel at that moment?

" I was glad that I skated cleanly. This is exactly what they wanted and expected from me. And I did it. "

- But what about the medal?

" Medal ... I understood strong girls performed in Turin. It seems to me that I didn’t even think about the medal. Especially after the short program when I was fourth. And why should I think about a medal then? Somehow I didn’t really want to. I had to do my job. "

- And then - walk around the city.

" Yeah, exactly (laughs)"

- Regarding injuries - the most unpleasant topic of all. The last two or three seasons, unfortunately, they gnaw at you systematically. Do not remember when this happened to you for the first time?

" Nope. Surely there were these little things - this leg, somewhere there, a bruise or something else. Injuries occur to every athlete, there is nobody without them. This is a professional sport, they can not be avoided here. And so, I do not keep a record of any damage. "

- I hope in the future it will not be necessary. But I’m talking about this - didn’t you have a fear of getting injured?

" I think no. I was just cautious about everything that gave me problems. It happens, for example, that you jump the same jumps on the floor. You jump, jump, and then you land somehow wrong and twist your leg.

And you understand that you always need to be focused and not think about anything else. Because as soon as you start doing that - you're done. This immediately leads to such consequences. "

- Junior World Championships in Tallinn. Then, the panic due to coronavirus was already starting to rise slowly. Did you notice any tension around you, did you manage avoiding getting scared and most importantly - did the medical examinations, masks and all that no distract you from the competitions about to come?

" Then it was something like this: okay, your temperature is checked. Well, that's okay. I somehow did not particularly pay attention to this. There was disinfectant everywhere. We were told: wash your hands, observe safety precautions. Well, we washed, wiped. And then continued happyly. And so, it seems to me, at that time I was not particularly fixated on this. Nevertheless, the World Championships are a responsible start, and all my thoughts were fixed on them. "

- In Tallinn, you met Liu for the second time this season. In the autumn, you said that you were curious to understand your feelings about competing against her - either excitement or interest. How did it end up?

" In general, Alysia is a very worthy, strong opponent. There is probably nothing to add here. And she’s a very good person. "

- Did you manage to somehow communicate with her at the competitions?

" Since I don’t really speak English, it was difficult for me. Well, that is, if they tell my something, I understand. But I can’t answer. And how do we talk when ...

Even when we saw each other - this is a warm-up, something else. Because of the language barrier, I didn’t ask her anything, so most likely not, we didn’t talk. "

- Well, this needs to be fixed somehow, right?

" Of course. Now I am already learning English with a tutor. "

- And how are you doing?

" Well, so far so good (laughs)."

- After your short program in Tallinn, you said that you are sad to part with the short program “Girl on the Ball”. There were no thoughts to stay with it for a third season?

" No. It seems to me that skating the same program for three years is already a little too much. I would not keep it for a third year. Maybe only for exhibitions, but I think not at competitions. "

- The most successful roles sometimes interfere with famous actors, they become the hostage of their own images. There is no fear that everyone will expect from you another "Girl on the Ball"?

" I don’t even know ... Maybe even if they wait for a new “Girl on the Ball”, you still need to be more diverse. I trust my trainers and I am sure the new programs will be good. "

- Even better than these?

" Yes. But the most important thing is what the athlete herself does. And I’ll try to work out the programs even more diligently so that all following productions will not look like “Girl on the Ball”. "

- You used to tell that at the end of the season you planned to go visit the granddaughter of Pablo Picasso, Diana. It turns out that everything fell through due to the pandemic?

“ We haven't thought about that yet. The season ended in March, it was still too early. "

- In what style would you yourself like to surprise the viewer?

" It's difficult to talk about this here. But of course, I would like to try myself in a variety of roles. "

- Recently, many experts are trying to find in you, let’s say, traces of the influence of older skaters. They are trying, I must say, to no avail. Let's help them a bit: tell me, whose skating is close to you today?

" When the Olympics were in 2014, I liked Yuliya Lipnitskaya. I tried to emulate her. Then, after the 2018 Olympics - Alina Zagitova. When I was already in the group of Eteri Georgievna, I looked at Alina, at how she works. And she delighted me. In general, it is easier to focus on those whom you see in front of you. "

- By the way, about Alina. In a fan environment you are often compared to her. How do you feel about this?

" I didn't even see this especially, to be honest. For myself, I am Kamila. And that’s all. And the fact that they compare me is difficult here. "

- Kostornaya recently said that at your rink Alina is already seen as a mentor. Is this really so? And how, in your opinion, is this manifested?

" For me it looks like this: when she was training her programs and if somehow she didn’t succeed, she did and did, redid them until they worked out. For me, she is a mentor in the need to achieve goals. She sets them for herself and goes after them. "

- In your opinion, have you already formed your own style, unlike any other?

" It is very difficult to evaluate oneself. It seems to me that much more is visible from the outside - to the fans, the audience. "

- You remarkably manage to transfer images through gorgeous rotations, extreme stretching, plasticity. Is this all a consequence of practicing rhythmic gymnastics and ballet?

" Most likely, the point here is that each of the coaches who worked with me taught me something, helped, shared, let’s say, some secrets. Probably all that I have now is a mixture. There are parts of everything here: gymnastics, ballet, and what the trainers advised. "

- Probably, you can already call the rotation in full split your business card. I watched the video of your early skatings runs - it turns out that you have been doing it in about the same style for quite some time. What would you think if this element is given your name?

" I will be very pleased (laughs). "

- The public is very fond of you, the journalists are almost unanimous positive towards you, many of them openly call you a figure skater without weak points, and someone even calls you 'Tutberidze’s secret weapon'. How do you look at these conversations yourself? Does it distract or help?

" I don’t pay to much attention to all these conversations. Even if some article catches my eye, I immediately close it. I don’t know, for some reason I can’t read about myself (laughs). "

- What strengths and weaknesses do you see in yourself?

" The same like every other athlete. But I don’t want to talk about them. "

- Regarding this 'secret weapon.' You are considered one of the main contenders for the medals to be won in the 2022 Olympic Games, and even though they are still far away, by your results you show that these judgments are not unfounded. How do you feel about such a label, is it psychologically pushing? And do you feel a certain special approach to yourself from the side of trainers?

" I think no. I just try to do everything in my power. Our whole team works towards the result, and the rest is not up to us. I once watched an interview with Irina Viner-Usmanova, and I really liked one phrase there: 'If they said yes, they won’t say no below.' I think these words are suitable for all conversations about the future. "

- What do you think is the secret of Eteri Georgiyevna? What is the distinguishing feature of her coaching approach, why is it possible to achieve such results?

" We skate out a lot of programs. If you have a good skating run the first time round, you are great, you can go to work on jumps or something else. Well, if you didn't - skate the whole thing over again until it works out. The main goal is to ensure that the program is good the first time. I think this plays a huge role.

When you skate your programs fully through all the time in training, competition is a little easier. You leave the gate, and the thought pops up in your head: 'Well, I've skated this before? Now I need to do the same.' "

- What about discipline? We all know that Eteri Georgievna appreciates a strict approach. And will she, for example, praise skaters while training?

" Yes of course. This does not always happen, but if you really skate your program well, she can say: 'Well done. Continue.' And yes, Eteri Georgiyevna is very demanding. "

- Probably, the presence of other strong girls on the ice also spurs you on?

" Of course. You see, for example, Sasha Trusova, Anya Shcherbakova, jumping quadruples. Alyona Kostornaya is jumping. Everyone is jumping. Well, you’re no worse - you go and start to jump everything too. "

- At the same time, despite the high competition, in your group there are no conflicts, nothing like that. How do you keep your competition healthy?

" Firstly, in training, you work for yourself. And not like 'why has she jumped two more jumps, but I didn’t? How so?' The thing is that if you jumped two jumps less, you had to ... Probably jumped a little faster (laughs). Or go quickly to the elements.

This is how we work on ice. And in the locker room we just talk. Everyone is friends with everyone, everyone laughs, communicates. We are always discussing something. "

- The next season. Probably, there will be different excitement from this one, plus all the titles have already been collected and even Sasha Trusova’s junior records are broken. It turns out that this will be more like a stride towards the future, including the Olympics?

" It seems to me that the next season will also be quite important. Everyone expects the same result from an athlete like shown previously. You can't make it worse. You need to protect what you have already won. "

- What would you like to improve, to learn during this time? Perhaps add something to your jumping?

" This is probably the quad salchow. I wanted to learn him before quarantine. Next - probably a triple Axel. And after that we’ll see. "

- Next season you will be able to debut at the senior Championship of Russia. Already thinking about this? Would you like to perform there? You used to say that it seems that you don’t really want to ...

" It's not that I don’t really want to ... I just rather do not think about the next start. About what will happen in six months, it’s somehow easier for me not to think about it. I’d better do it a week before it, so as not to burn myself out. But the desire to try oneself in competition with adults probably still exists, like with any athlete. "

- You recently had your birthday, you turned 14 years old. Do you think this is a lot or a little for a skater?

" Since I haven't yet been 15 or 16 years old, I don’t know if it is a lot or a little. When I am 17 or 18 years old, then I’ll know and tell (laughs). "

- How did you celebrate your birthday?

" I Celebrated with my family - with mom, with grandmother, with grandfather. With my dog (laughs). Tea, cake, blew the candles out - everything, as usual. Well, then we played some games. “

- What is currently your most important subject of pride? And your main achievement?

" I think there is no such thing yet. All the best will come. "

- Aren't you afraid to grow up?

" This cannot be avoided, right (laughs). So, one probably should not be afraid of this. "

- Journalists and fans see you at competitions from different angles. Those who are on the television screens and in the stands see the cheerful, smiling Kamila on the podium after another great skating run, but you are a little shy, modest in communication in the mixed zone. So what are you in ordinary life outside of all this?

" I'm different. I can be very funny. Someday I can come in ... not so funny. It seems to me, like any person, with very different moods. Depending on the specific situation. "

- Do you have any character traits that you like yourself?

" I think you should love all the character traits you have. "

- Even the negative ones?

" Yes. One must nevertheless get used to them and recognise them, so that later these negative traits will be less. They still are an addition to you. And we still try to love ourselves, right? (Laughs) "

- Are there any that you would like to change?

" It seems to me that everyone has some. "

- Who in your family is your main support?

" My mum. "

- She goes with you to all competitions?

" Yes. "

- Are you calmer with her around?

- I think rather yes. I think I'm used to travelling with my mom. I'm always begging her. She sometimes says: 'Maybe this time without me?' And I: 'Nooooo' (laughs). "

- She watches your performances?

" Yes, but she doesn't distinguish the jumps. And it seems to me that she does not want to distinguish. She loves to watch by the principle of beautiful - ugly, but what kind of leap or rotation, cleanly or under rotated - she can not tell. "

- Well, didn’t you try to learn mom and teach her how to distinguish?

" Yes, but even if I wanted to, my mother herself doesn’t want to. She says no, I don’t want to. "

- You said that in your family they love Tatar cuisine, which, as you know, is very high-calorie. Do you have any dishes that are very difficult to resist?

" No, they all understand about sports, regime and all that. Try to cook less. But even so, when I was little ... it is like a taste of childhood for me - my grandmother very often cooked echpochmaki. And for me to ask for my birthday: 'And will you make me a triangle, please?' Well, she agreed (laughs). And now, even if they cook something Tatar, it’s only on certain holidays.

(c) Владислав Жуков, Вероника Советова
----
From: https://tass.ru/interviews/8399993
 
Last edited:

starlight97

Final Flight
Joined
Jun 14, 2014
About that interview, does anybody understand what she means by: "I read an interview with Irina Viner and she said "if they say yes they won't say no below".."?
 

flanker

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 10, 2018
Country
Czech-Republic
About that interview, does anybody understand what she means by: "I read an interview with Irina Viner and she said "if they say yes they won't say no below".."?

I understand it the way that the "yes" is honest, that it is not "i will say yes openly but think otherwise in secret."
 

sokudo

Spectator
Joined
May 28, 2020
That translation is incorrect.
Here is a quote with context:
Я просто стараюсь делать все, что в моих силах. Вся наша команда работает на результат, а остальное уже зависит не от нас. Я как-то раз смотрела интервью Ирины Винер-Усмановой, и мне там очень понравилась одна фраза: "Если там сказали "да", внизу не скажут "нет". Думаю, эти слова подходят ко всем разговорам о будущем.

Translation:
I'm simply trying to do everything that is in my power. Our whole team is working to achieve result, and what's left does not depend on us (= is not in our power).
I saw once an interview by Irina Viner-Usmanova, and I really liked one phrase in it: "If (those who are) there (i.e., above) said 'yes', (those who are) below would not say 'no'".
I think these words apply to any conversation about a future.

Less literal translation might be: "When Gods say yes the mundane world follows."
 
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