- Joined
- Feb 27, 2014
Alina may have just lost her easiest chance of winning a world title. When the officials meet there is no doubt they will make new rules concerning the back loading of jumps and tanos. Her advantage will be wiped away completely. It will be advantage Med. (if she can fully conquer her injury which will certainly be a challenge) who will have the PCS advantage. Plus all the newly arriving multi talented countrywomen who will be breathing down her back as well. She's lucky this was the Olympic season and not the season or two before.
I do feel really sorry for her though. She wasn't ready for worlds because of all the post Olympic activities she had to take part in and couldn't train properly. None of it was her fault and perhaps she should not have been there although I do give her all credit for trying when many these days wouldn't. She's a real fighter though so I expect this experience will only make her more determined to continue. Now she has a more definite goal for the future (if she had won here she would have all the titles and as many asked before, "what's left for her to achieve?").
You may be right about possible rules changes. But Alina is Olympic champion. World Championships pale in comparison especially in an olympic year. I say the European Championship Zagitova beat Medvedeva in this year will be bigger than any world championship Alina ever wins because it stopped Evgenias amaxing 2-year winning streak and Alina basically won the Olympics with that european gold. Everything changed.