Russian figure skating champion Evgenia Medvedeva is set to miss the upcoming national championship, citing health problems, having revealed she was infected with Covid-19 last month.
The two-time world gold medalist returned to her long-time coach Eteri Tutberidze at the beginning of the season, but hasn’t yet been able to demonstrate any of the results of their renewed cooperation, because she’s been forced to rest and recuperate.
“I sustained a spinal injury in the autumn, which forced me to take a month-long break in training. I spent a lot of time in hospital before I finally started feeling better. But just when I resumed full-time training, I got infected,” Medvedeva said, on confirming that she had contracted Covid-19.
“I didn’t train in November or at the beginning of December because of my illness. I was hospitalized because my lungs were seriously affected. Now I’m feeling healthier, but I only returned to the ice on December 8,” the skater added, making it clear she won’t be ready for the national championships, which will kick off in two weeks.
Also on rt.com ‘She is a true woman on the ice’: Javier Fernandez says Evgenia Medvedeva performs better than her teenage counterpartsAs well as Medvedeva, two more top skaters, including reigning European champion Alena Kostornaia and 2015 world gold medalist Elizaveta Tuktamysheva, were confirmed to have contracted Covid-19.
Russia’s best figure skaters are expected to gather in Chelyabinsk at the end of the month to battle for spots on the national team.