opinion
figure skating
Century talent Valiewa breaks – but her trainer triumphs
Kamila Valiewa during her freestyle
© Grigory Sysoev / Picture Alliance
Kamila Valiyeva traveled to Beijing as the biggest star of the Russian team. In the end she leaves the ice broken. Your controversial coach Tutberidze can still celebrate two triumphs.
The eyes of the entire sports world rested on Kamila Valiyeva on Thursday. And before the eyes of the whole world, a 15-year-old girl who competed in these Olympic Games as a talent of the century broke. She does not stand the quadruple jumps with which she wrote Olympic history in the team competition. She falls several times, makes many wrong decisions and leaves the ice with tears in her eyes.
Former world champion Evgeniya Medvedeva is also crying at the gang. Shock is written all over the Russian team’s faces. Only one keeps the Ice Queen mask on: Eteri Tutberidze. The controversial trainer doesn’t even hug her protégé, who is struggling with a breakdown. Instead, there was a lecture.
It’s not the same Valiyeva who leaves the ice after the freestyle. There is not much left of the passion and ease with which she floated to gold ten days ago. Two days ago it was on course for gold again. Despite a small mistake in the short program, it was enough for the provisional top spot. At the end of the freestyle it will be the fourth. Kamila gets nothing in the women’s singles race.
In front of her, Alexandra Trusova is in top form. The 17-year-old jumps five quadruple jumps! After her runs Anna Scherbakova. She also jumps multiple quadruples and killer combinations. In the end she wins gold, Trusowa silver. Both are protégés of Eteri Tutberidze.
And at this point at the latest, a terrible suspicion arises: Valiyeva could have been dropped. Should she lose on purpose so that Tutberidze and her team from Russia can secure gold without having to fear losing the medal? Finally Valiewa, who is suspected of doping, started with reservations. The IOS has already made it clear in advance that a medal ceremony will be waived for the time being if it is won. Depending on how the case turns out, the team from Russia might even have to give up a medal. After the doping scandal, this would be another blow to Russian figure skating.
Tutberidze triumphed anyway
But now the problem is solved. Two runners, who are not threatened by this fate, climb onto the podium. Tutberidze can look forward to more Olympic medals for her protégés. Valiyeva, who traveled to Beijing as the absolute favorite among the Russian runners, didn’t even get third place.
The coach, who has become an icon in Russia, has never made a secret of the fact that she considers her girls “material”. When they stop hurrying, they are dropped. Kamila Valiewa would not be the first.