The information space of Russian figure skating was shaken by the news about the transfer of champions Europe Alexandra Boykova and Dmitry Kozlovsky in the group of Eteri Tutberidze. Why did Tamara Moskvina lose a top sports pair in her prime for almost the first time in her long coaching career?
«Would you leave such a woman?» This remark of the hero of the film «The Diamond Arm» came to mind on Saturday morning, when it became known about the most high-profile transfer of recent times. It is not easy to remember when a sports couple, almost at the zenith of opportunities, would leave the Moskvina group. Especially with such regalia — European champions, two-time Russian champions, World Cup medalists. They usually try to get to Tamara Nikolaevna. Those who didn't make it leave. Obviously not the case of Boikova and Kozlovsky.
Yes, Alexander and Dmitry failed to climb the podium at the Beijing Olympics. Surely it was a shame that at the turn they were bypassed by their group mates, moreover, Anastasia Mishina and Alexander Gallyamov, who came to Moskvina later than them. But Elena Berezhnaya and Anton Sikharulidze first lost at the Nagano Games to competitors Oksana Kazakova and Artur Dmitriev. After four years in Salt Lake City, they have already become champions. Boykova — 21, Kozlovsky — 23. Sports career ahead. They took offense a little, and then gnawed at the ice, proving that they were stronger. There are at least two Olympic cycles for this, if, of course, they take place for Russian athletes.
However, Boikova and Kozlovsky decided to leave. No skater will leave the coach if everything suits him. It's practically an axiom. The only exception to the rule is when instead of «good» it becomes «too good». This also happens.
The greenhouse atmosphere can be chilling. When in the coaching team, with which the student played the «second mother», they understand that most often it is no longer possible to add rigor. The paths of an athlete and a mentor diverge.
For figure skaters, Moskvina is not a mother or grandmother, but an extremely pragmatic coach who knows the path to victory very well. She went through them with other athletes before the Olympic triumph, and more than once. Alexandra and Dmitry were required to move along the beaten track.
Boikova and Kozlovsky did not wait for a second chance under the leadership of Moskvina and decided on cardinal changes. Not just a change of group, but also a city, a school, its values. Because Moscow pair skating is still the antithesis of St. Petersburg, despite certain smoothing effects of globalization.
So what didn’t suit Moskvina then?
“We decided to move on and try something new «, — Boikova commented on the transition to the social network.
The thing is that within the framework of the «old» one, she and Dmitry in the Moskvina group were certainly not kept in any way. Hints of «naphthalene», which were periodically distributed to the programs of the figure skaters of the group of the Honored Coach of Russia, did not concern the productions of Boikova and Kozlovsky. Star guest choreographers worked with them, for example, Alexander Zhulin, Nikolai Morozov, and last season the programs for European champions were made by a young director Nikolai Moroshkin. Many experts generally called the arbitrary «Anna Karenina» a masterpiece.
The most banal reason for dissatisfaction is poor results. But then it was more logical for Boikova and Kozlovsky to change something after the same Beijing Olympics. Last season, the pair regained the title of champions of Russia, won the Russian Grand Prix Final and, in general, made a noticeable step forward in all directions. First of all, in the technical field, having mastered the quadruple twist and release. True, Boikova and Kozlovsky did not demonstrate these elements at tournaments, but even without them, the skaters won the main domestic (in the absence of international) starts, ahead of their main competitors.
There is only one reason left. Judging by the publication on the social network of Dmitry Kozlovsky's mother Victoria, it is she who is true.
«I'm sorry, but they left no choice,» she wrote. «An important and very difficult decision. It's high time!»
And she reposted a record of one of the fan accounts with the thesis that strong athletes cannot train in the same group. «Competition in this case is only in training, and there is no intrigue at competitions, athletes know what they are preparing and what to expect from rivals.»
However, competition in a group can lead to brilliant results if properly organized, it has been proven repeatedly. As mentioned above, even in the Moskvina group, where both Kazakova with Dmitriev, and Berezhnaya with Sikharulidze, they won Olympic gold.
Obviously, athletes must be psychologically prepared for such a daily rivalry. And with this, judging by a number of breakdowns, Boikova and Kozlovsky are not doing well. One can also recall the careless phrases that both Sasha and Dmitry threw in front of the TV cameras, and simply powerful outbursts of emotions.
Therefore, many experts believe that Alexandra and Dmitry are simply psychologically tired of the incessant sparring with Mishina and Gallyamov.< br>“I think this (transition) is most likely due to daily competition with another couple. Some people can withstand it, some can’t,” said Tatyana Tarasova, Honored Coach of the USSR.
- «In recent years, such rumors have been circulating as soon as Nastya (Mishina) and Sasha (Gallyamov) moved from Lyudmila Georgievna (Velikova to Moskvina's group). So these conversations appeared that they (Boikova and Kozlovsky) will go somewhere. Either they were going to Nina Mikhailovna Moser, or somewhere else, «added two-time Olympic champion Maxim Trankov, who will probably have to work in the Tutberidze group with new arrivals.
An interesting detail. Moving away from one competition, Boikova and Kozlovsky find another. Evgenia Tarasova and Vladimir Morozov work in the Tutberidze pair skating group, surpassing them in achievements. Perhaps Alexandra and Dmitry know something about whether Tarasova and Morozov will continue their careers. In recent months, these skaters have been asked this question more than once and they have not given a clear answer. Either sparring with Evgenia and Vladimir does not look threatening in terms of loss of nerve cells.
In conclusion, it remains to state the banal. Whether their decision was correct, time will tell. In the meantime, let's enjoy the anticipation of the next round of rivalry in the elite of Russian pair skating. The same Boikova and Kozlovsky were repeatedly asked by journalists if they were not offended that all the attention of the media goes to single skaters? Here you are. Now the hype around the most, in the opinion of many, sleepy discipline of figure skating will definitely increase.
The opinion of the author may not coincide with the position of the editors.