I found this interview rather important, so I decided to translate it manually. https://tass.ru/interviews/5583842
On the eve of her season debut in Autumn Classic International in Oakville, Canada, the two-time silver medalist of the 2018 Olympics told TASS about her thoughts concerning the test skates in Moscow, about her live and training in Canada, and assured us that she will only represent Russia.
Zhenya, you got injured half a year before the Olympics, but still participated in it and performed magnificently. How do you feel now? Did you manage to heal your foot completely?
It's strange and not very pleasant to remember this, but by now I've almost forgot about both physical and emotional pain. Everything is fine now - the injury is in the past, my foot doesn't hurt. I was treated in a European hospital and at home.
Is it true that your ex-coach Eteri Tutberidze suggested that you end your career?
We never talked about it, neither before nor after the Olympics. I first heard about it in the dubious interview.
You decided to move to Canada and train with Brian Orser. Were you nervous before this trip?
"Nervous"? You put it mildly! I had been in Canada only once before that, this country was absolutely unfamiliar to me. This decision was long and hard in the making. I've told it many times, so I'll not go into details. Basically, everything about this relocation was emotionally hard to me, thus all the tears and breakdowns.
What was the biggest change in your new life?
The language I speak. But I had learned English in school a little, so it went more or less smoothly. Hopefully, my English skills have improved, my coaches and I started understanding each other much better. I don't speak it fluently yet, but I try to improve.
Do you use slang yet?
Well, my slang doesn't improve that much. *laughs* I try to speak correctly.
After the test skates you said you only speak Russian to your mom and grandmother.
Mostly to mom and grandmother! There are many Russian speakers, and I didn't forget the language, so that is untrue! In this regard I would like to ask dear journalists to be more careful with words by athletes and coaches, because even a little distortion can severely harm a person, cast a shadow of mistrust on him. Unfortunately, we've seen several times how the facts are distorted for the sake of provoking people against each other. Strange groundless articles appear that tell untruth. I want to use this occasion to address the workers of words: please be more attentive and careful with unverified information, because it can damage the reputation of both Russian and Canadian coaches and their students. Thank you in advance for your understanding. Sorry for going off topic.
Zhenya, who supports you now besides your mother? Who are your new friends? You have coaches, but a person always needs to talk to his peers.
I'm friends with many guys in Canada. We've been communicating for a long time, and after the relocation I didn't lose but rather made more friends. Of course I still talk to my friends and relatives in Moscow every day. In fact, nothing changed in our communication, we've always had little time and mostly talked by phone, just the same way as now.
Tell us about your training with Brian.
Training is very different here. I can't say it's better or worse, just different.
What did you start with?
As always, we started with skating - nothing new here, so I quickly joined the work. The work is mostly positive and hopefully productive.
How is Brian set?
Brian is set to work, and I hope he likes the way we work.
Can you describe Brian in three words? Is he strict? Can he swear? Can he motivate people? Can he have a heart-to-heart talk? What is he like?
Professional. Demanding. Calm. And of course he can motivate!
I know you are good friends with Yuzuru Hanyu. You are two unique people from different sides of the globe. Do you talk often?
Come on, what's unique in me? *laughs* It was very immodest to say. We train in the same group, on the same ice, so of course we talk there.
We liked Jason Brows even more when we learned that he helped you in Canada. He became your friend too, right?
Jason is the first person I met in Canada. He met us in the airport, then he introduced us to the local infrastructure. In our first weekend he took us to the center of Toronto. He's a very positive and hard-working person. I'm glad to have him here and that I can now see him more often.
Let's talk about food. Canadian cuisine is very different from Russian one. Have you got used to it? Many of my compatriots who live abroad for a long time ask me to bring Borodinsky bread or Alenka chocolate.
Surprisingly, we have Borodinsky bread, Alenka chocolate, Yubileynoe cookies, buckwheat, Yessentuki water and even Siberian pelmeni! There is a big Russian diaspora and many Russian groceries in Toronto, so I don't even try to get used to the local food, even though there is enough delicious food to try.
Tell us about your new home. Are you and your mom comfortable in it? As I understand, your grandmother lives in Russia.
We have a big and light house, I like it there, we are comfortable in it. My grandma is in Russia. Her summer season is now ending and she will soon return with Jerry [Evgenia's French Bulldog - TASS] to Moscow from her dacha. We talk several times a day, they are doing fine!
How far is your rink from home? I'm asking because I remember you were telling about commuting by the metro. People didn't recognize you there back then, now it should be different.
The rink is within walking distance, I can see it from a window, so there is no problem with it. But I still need a driver's license - not for traveling within Toronto, such skills are just useful. I don't drive well yet.
Where do you like to spend your free time?
We often go to a botanical garden to feed animals, mostly groundhogs and huge black squirrels - I haven't seen such in Russia. Very funny creatures.
Have you got to know your neighbors yet?
Yes, there are many skaters among them.
When do you plan to return home? Will you stay here for a long time?
I plan to visit Russia often, Canada is where I train, my training base. I'm not going to leave Russia. I can't understand why some people took the change of the training base as a change of country or citizenship. I'm a Russian figure skater and I will represent the tricolor, always!
What did you feel in Moscow at Megasport during the test skates, when you saw the rink full of people supporting you? When you left the ice, you seemed an absolutely happy person, you were laughing and joking. You even looked like missing journalists.
Of course I was amazed by the fact that so many people came to the skates. It has never been so before, I expected fewer people. Fans' support always affects me in a positive way, so I was really happy, truly! I'm a bit afraid of journalists now after their wave of negativity, but trust me, it doesn't stop me, instead, it only urges me to keep working.
Brian also talked to us after the skating. What did he tell you then?
He said there is a lot of work to do in order to improve, to learn from the previous skates. David [Wilson, Evgenia's choreographer - TASS] called me a 'blonde'. *laughs* No offense to blondes!
How do you feel about the short program to the voice of Natalie Cole?
I like it much! Well, it's difficult to skate to something you don't like, but I like this music. I've never heard it before, I only had such kind of a program once, a long time ago, when I was a little kid, so this is kind of an experiment for me. I hope everyone will like my new character.
What about the tango for the free program? One thing is tango performed by a couple of a man and a woman, another thing is single skating. What do you tell with this tango?
Tango is a rather popular kind of music for single skating. Everyone who takes it has something to tell with it.
Many people noticed your new skating. From my personal perspective, your skating style really changed. Did your feelings on ice changed?
I work a lot on it now. I'm glad the changes are visible from aside, thank you!
Zhenya, what do you think about resetting all the records, including yours, after the changes in the rules?
Well, the records weren't reset, they were made historical. They are now fixed, pardon my immodesty. With introduction of the new score values, scores will change, and of course the new scores will be incomparable to the old ones. The scale is changed, but not the judging system. Anything adopted by the International Skating Union is a law and not a subject to discussion.
Speaking of changes, we all were used to your image, but suddenly you cut your bangs! You had such in your childhood, if I'm not mistaken.
I just wanted so! I'm a girl after all, and I wanted to cut my bangs!
On the eve of her season debut in Autumn Classic International in Oakville, Canada, the two-time silver medalist of the 2018 Olympics told TASS about her thoughts concerning the test skates in Moscow, about her live and training in Canada, and assured us that she will only represent Russia.
Zhenya, you got injured half a year before the Olympics, but still participated in it and performed magnificently. How do you feel now? Did you manage to heal your foot completely?
It's strange and not very pleasant to remember this, but by now I've almost forgot about both physical and emotional pain. Everything is fine now - the injury is in the past, my foot doesn't hurt. I was treated in a European hospital and at home.
Is it true that your ex-coach Eteri Tutberidze suggested that you end your career?
We never talked about it, neither before nor after the Olympics. I first heard about it in the dubious interview.
You decided to move to Canada and train with Brian Orser. Were you nervous before this trip?
"Nervous"? You put it mildly! I had been in Canada only once before that, this country was absolutely unfamiliar to me. This decision was long and hard in the making. I've told it many times, so I'll not go into details. Basically, everything about this relocation was emotionally hard to me, thus all the tears and breakdowns.
What was the biggest change in your new life?
The language I speak. But I had learned English in school a little, so it went more or less smoothly. Hopefully, my English skills have improved, my coaches and I started understanding each other much better. I don't speak it fluently yet, but I try to improve.
Do you use slang yet?
Well, my slang doesn't improve that much. *laughs* I try to speak correctly.
After the test skates you said you only speak Russian to your mom and grandmother.
Mostly to mom and grandmother! There are many Russian speakers, and I didn't forget the language, so that is untrue! In this regard I would like to ask dear journalists to be more careful with words by athletes and coaches, because even a little distortion can severely harm a person, cast a shadow of mistrust on him. Unfortunately, we've seen several times how the facts are distorted for the sake of provoking people against each other. Strange groundless articles appear that tell untruth. I want to use this occasion to address the workers of words: please be more attentive and careful with unverified information, because it can damage the reputation of both Russian and Canadian coaches and their students. Thank you in advance for your understanding. Sorry for going off topic.
Zhenya, who supports you now besides your mother? Who are your new friends? You have coaches, but a person always needs to talk to his peers.
I'm friends with many guys in Canada. We've been communicating for a long time, and after the relocation I didn't lose but rather made more friends. Of course I still talk to my friends and relatives in Moscow every day. In fact, nothing changed in our communication, we've always had little time and mostly talked by phone, just the same way as now.
Tell us about your training with Brian.
Training is very different here. I can't say it's better or worse, just different.
What did you start with?
As always, we started with skating - nothing new here, so I quickly joined the work. The work is mostly positive and hopefully productive.
How is Brian set?
Brian is set to work, and I hope he likes the way we work.
Can you describe Brian in three words? Is he strict? Can he swear? Can he motivate people? Can he have a heart-to-heart talk? What is he like?
Professional. Demanding. Calm. And of course he can motivate!
I know you are good friends with Yuzuru Hanyu. You are two unique people from different sides of the globe. Do you talk often?
Come on, what's unique in me? *laughs* It was very immodest to say. We train in the same group, on the same ice, so of course we talk there.
We liked Jason Brows even more when we learned that he helped you in Canada. He became your friend too, right?
Jason is the first person I met in Canada. He met us in the airport, then he introduced us to the local infrastructure. In our first weekend he took us to the center of Toronto. He's a very positive and hard-working person. I'm glad to have him here and that I can now see him more often.
Let's talk about food. Canadian cuisine is very different from Russian one. Have you got used to it? Many of my compatriots who live abroad for a long time ask me to bring Borodinsky bread or Alenka chocolate.
Surprisingly, we have Borodinsky bread, Alenka chocolate, Yubileynoe cookies, buckwheat, Yessentuki water and even Siberian pelmeni! There is a big Russian diaspora and many Russian groceries in Toronto, so I don't even try to get used to the local food, even though there is enough delicious food to try.
Tell us about your new home. Are you and your mom comfortable in it? As I understand, your grandmother lives in Russia.
We have a big and light house, I like it there, we are comfortable in it. My grandma is in Russia. Her summer season is now ending and she will soon return with Jerry [Evgenia's French Bulldog - TASS] to Moscow from her dacha. We talk several times a day, they are doing fine!
How far is your rink from home? I'm asking because I remember you were telling about commuting by the metro. People didn't recognize you there back then, now it should be different.
The rink is within walking distance, I can see it from a window, so there is no problem with it. But I still need a driver's license - not for traveling within Toronto, such skills are just useful. I don't drive well yet.
Where do you like to spend your free time?
We often go to a botanical garden to feed animals, mostly groundhogs and huge black squirrels - I haven't seen such in Russia. Very funny creatures.
Have you got to know your neighbors yet?
Yes, there are many skaters among them.
When do you plan to return home? Will you stay here for a long time?
I plan to visit Russia often, Canada is where I train, my training base. I'm not going to leave Russia. I can't understand why some people took the change of the training base as a change of country or citizenship. I'm a Russian figure skater and I will represent the tricolor, always!
What did you feel in Moscow at Megasport during the test skates, when you saw the rink full of people supporting you? When you left the ice, you seemed an absolutely happy person, you were laughing and joking. You even looked like missing journalists.
Of course I was amazed by the fact that so many people came to the skates. It has never been so before, I expected fewer people. Fans' support always affects me in a positive way, so I was really happy, truly! I'm a bit afraid of journalists now after their wave of negativity, but trust me, it doesn't stop me, instead, it only urges me to keep working.
Brian also talked to us after the skating. What did he tell you then?
He said there is a lot of work to do in order to improve, to learn from the previous skates. David [Wilson, Evgenia's choreographer - TASS] called me a 'blonde'. *laughs* No offense to blondes!
How do you feel about the short program to the voice of Natalie Cole?
I like it much! Well, it's difficult to skate to something you don't like, but I like this music. I've never heard it before, I only had such kind of a program once, a long time ago, when I was a little kid, so this is kind of an experiment for me. I hope everyone will like my new character.
What about the tango for the free program? One thing is tango performed by a couple of a man and a woman, another thing is single skating. What do you tell with this tango?
Tango is a rather popular kind of music for single skating. Everyone who takes it has something to tell with it.
Many people noticed your new skating. From my personal perspective, your skating style really changed. Did your feelings on ice changed?
I work a lot on it now. I'm glad the changes are visible from aside, thank you!
Zhenya, what do you think about resetting all the records, including yours, after the changes in the rules?
Well, the records weren't reset, they were made historical. They are now fixed, pardon my immodesty. With introduction of the new score values, scores will change, and of course the new scores will be incomparable to the old ones. The scale is changed, but not the judging system. Anything adopted by the International Skating Union is a law and not a subject to discussion.
Speaking of changes, we all were used to your image, but suddenly you cut your bangs! You had such in your childhood, if I'm not mistaken.
I just wanted so! I'm a girl after all, and I wanted to cut my bangs!