cekoni wrote:Интервью Евгения Плющенко. Большой спорт Эфир от 23 09 2014:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Dw75ngZJ7shttp://www.rg.ru/2014/09/23/plushenko-site-anons.html
- I feel much better. Do not disturb me the spine, injuries - said the skater on the TV channel "Russia 2". - But this sports season I will miss. I will participate in commercial performances. If my health will be good, then, maybe, i will continue to compete and try to qualify for a fifth Olympics.
Except part which is already translated, Plushy also talked (again) about Sochi withdrawal and surgery. About current men's skating today, he said that Yuzuru Hanyu is skater from "another planet", that worked with him on some jump details during the show last summer because Yuzuru asked him for advice. About Russian younger skaters - will be interesting to see Artur Gachinski with new coach... about Kovtun.... maybe they can be among first 3 skaters in Europe, in World among 5th... he can not say anything specifically, because they are unstable, not consistent...
Not correct translation about Kovtun and Hanyu. Plushenko said:
"This season I was skating with Chinese and Japanese skaters (*in shows in this context- LT). Japanese are surely from another planet. They are top contenders in all competitions, especially Yuzuru Hanyu."
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(on the question: who of Russian Men can be in top 5 in major international competitions)
It's quite realistic in Europe where our guys can be in top 3 actually. I especially want to congratulate Seryozha Voronov and Kostya Menshov. These two guys have been skating for a long time and finally they did it (*medaled at Europeans- LT). There is also Artur Gachinskij who left Alexei Nikolaevich Mishin for a new coach, so I am very interested to see him this season. There is Kovtun. I just don't know how the guys will skate this season, but it's very possible for them to be in top 3 in Europe and probably in top 5 at Worlds. Try to understand that it's really difficult for me to say anything certain because the guys are not consistent. It's not like when Lyosha Yagudin was skating, and if somebody asked me then about him, I would answer: he will be in top 3. Because I knew this athlete, I knew my rival. He would surely be in top 3."
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Plushenko was speaking in high regards about all Japanese skaters and their work ethics to J-media too when he was in Japan.
He didn't mean specifically Kovtun as the Russian skater who can be in top 3 in Europe and in top 5 at Worlds. He was speaking about Team Russian Men.
The reference to Yag is probably the reference to the times when Men, i.e. rivarly Plu&Yag, were more consistent than top skaters now.