Olympic champ makes medal confession as she earns honor with Valieva
Russian figure skater Anna Shcherbakova has reiterated that Kamila Valieva's ordeal at the Beijing Games did not affect her and spoken frankly about her path to becoming Winter Olympics champion.
Reigning world champion Shcherbakova produced a spectacular performance to emerge as individual champion in Beijing on a day overshadowed by Valieva's plight amid her anti-doping case, as well as Alexandra Trusova's pained reaction to coming second.
The 17-year-old has shown support for Valieva while she waits for her plight to be resolved as she awaits the conclusion of an investigation into a positive test for a non-performance enhancing heart drug that is on the World Anti-Doping Agency's (WADA) banned list.
“It didn’t affect me at all," Shcherbakova told the Figure Skating Federation of Russia, echoing her words at the Olympics about the fierce worldwide media attention that followed Valieva and the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) team.
"In general, what happened in the press didn’t affect me or my training, for sure. [There were] the same passes through the mixed zone without any emotions, absolutely calm.
"I guess I was ready for this. Perhaps because this is my third season in seniors; they have been many different tournaments
"And here, throughout all the competitions, I felt that I was ready for the Olympic Games.
"For me, nothing was stress, surprise, shock – there was not a single situation that would unsettle me I approached these competitions absolutely mentally prepared."
Shcherbakova, Valieva and other members of the Russian Olympic team, including skiing superstar Alexander Bolshunov, will now be given state honors.
“No matter how strange it may sound, winning the Olympics was not my childhood dream," confessed Shcherbakova. "Perhaps because my parents did not send me to figure skating with the expectation of [appearing in] professional sports.
"Nobody told me about major international tournaments, our family never discussed becoming a champion.
"I just skated. I had dreams – for example, to win the championship at our rink.
"I was told that there would be competitions at the rink, and I had a desire to win, but I never looked so far ahead. It wasn't that that I didn’t want to, I just didn’t think about it.
“It seems to me that my dream appears only when the understanding comes that it is real. This season, when I already understood that I was in shape, that I could qualify for the Olympic Games, at that moment, of course, there are also goals and dreams.
"Closer to the Olympic Games, of course, this has already become my dream, because I understood that this is a reality."
Shcherbakova acknowledged that part of her life will be transformed as a consequence of her victory but says her attitude to training, figure skating and people will not change.
"When we skate, we do it for the sake of the audience – and the more the audience supports, follows us, the more pleasant it is," she explained.
"Of course, when we win major competitions, there is increased attention. Show appearances, interviews – it may seem difficult when combined with training, but this is also a pleasant part that you deserve through your performances.
"My motivation has not changed at all. It has not become less from the fact that I have reached the top, and I have not yet fully realized [my potential]. I hope all this will only add to my desire and motivation."
