The annual “Championship” “Figures of the King and Queen” award has reached its final stretch! The names of all the finalists are known, and subscribers of the Telegram channel “Skate Move” now have to complete the most important task: choosing the winners of this prestigious competition.
Among the men, the four representatives of the people were Vladislav Dikidzhi, Piotr Gumennik, Roman Kostomarov and Evgeniy Semenenko. Choosing just one is an incredibly difficult task, as everyone in 2023 has achieved success in different areas and deserves the title. However, it is still necessary to express sympathy towards only one skater.
Remember: your vote can be decisive in the fight for the proud title of “King of Figures”. Therefore, do not rush, but think carefully before proceeding to vote.
My favorite was Vladislav Dikidzhi, who became a sensation this year. The skater bravely fought with the best single skaters in the country and won, and at the Russian Championships he fought to the end for the coveted title. Let’s remember how it was.
Unstable junior with injuries
Last season, Vladislav Dikidzhi competed in the youth category and did not do so with much success. Oleg Tataurov’s student definitely had potential, but periodic injuries prevented him from doing so. Apparently, the restructuring of the body affected jumping, and Dikidzhi was often injured during training. At the beginning of 2023, Vlad was injured again, so he could not attend the Russian-Chinese Games. In other tournaments, his results were disappointing when it came to main starts. The skater was going through a rehabilitation period and was clearly out of shape.
Fortunately, the athlete’s mentor did not force things and did not set him a maximum task. Coach Dikiji advocates a thoughtful approach to competition, which is why he allowed Vlad to make a full recovery. In addition, Oleg Tataurov perfectly understood that at this stage his student was not ready for a hand-to-hand fight. The decision to leave the skater in the junior category was calculated: according to the specialist, at that time Dikiji’s abilities were not suitable for performances at the adult level.
Interview with Oleg Tataurov:
Exclusive
How did a TikToker skater make a splash at the Grand Prix? Your coach responds
“I didn’t want to change or invent anything this season, because for teacher performances you have to prepare differently. You should set the goal of doing two quads in the short program and insert at least three quads in the free program. We have not yet taken this step, we have not begun to prepare according to the masters. We decided to finish the season in junior, end junior sports and start the next season completely in masters,” Tataurov explained.
The one who beat the Russian champion
Going to the next level is not easy and rarely does anyone manage to immediately rise to the pedestal, but Dikiji’s case is just the exception to the rule. Vlad quickly stormed to the top of figure skating, surpassing reigning Russian champion Evgeniy Semenenko in the first stage of the adult Grand Prix.
In Kazan, in a free program, the skater performed three quadruple jumps: a lutz, a Salchow in combination with a sheepskin coat and a solo Salchow. She also got a triple axis ultra-c elements. Considering that Semenenko made serious mistakes and Dikidzhi was impeccable, it is not surprising that Vlad, who does not have proper authority in front of the judges, removed Zhenya from the top line of the tournament table.
A completely new Vladislav Dikidzhi appeared before figure skating fans: not an insecure single skater with unstable performances, but someone who can defeat the Russian champion right away.
Grand Prix winners in Ufa: Semenenko, Dikidzhi and Lutfullin
Photo: RIA Novosti
Of course, the skater himself was a little surprised by his success and did not count himself among the stars in advance, explaining that to get to the top he needed to consolidate the result. But something told me that now Vlad is more prepared than ever to prove that he can do it.
“In the end I died, I was just surviving.”
It didn’t happen immediately. Due to illness, the athlete withdrew from the Grand Prix stage in Samara. The next time, the student of Oleg Tataurov took to the ice in Moscow, where he had to fight with another Russian champion, part-time Olympic champion and European champion, Mark Kondratyuk. Dikidzhi, who had not fully recovered from his cold, seemed like easy prey for Svetlana Sokolovskaya’s student, but that was not the case! Coughing and literally choking after the short program, the skater intended to fight in the free skate. And lo! —was impeccable again. The same three quads and one trixel: even after losing the form of it, Vlad did not abandon the ultra-si elements. It was a heroic act. And, of course, the athlete received what he deserved for his efforts: his second gold of the season. Dikiji became the first singles skater to win both legs of the Grand Prix.
“I myself can’t believe this is the result. It all depends on the work, maybe my psychological mindset has changed. The result is a bit exciting, unusual for me or something. By no means a crown. I’m a simple guy, I don’t need crowns on my head. I will continue working and correcting the deficiencies. But first I will lie down for a day or two, I need to finish the treatment and then go to battle,” the skater shared.
There is also a story with a unique dance:
Stories
The TikTok dance after skating is a tradition of the Russian runner-up. What’s it called?
At the same time, he added that his condition at the time of the performances was serious: “I understand that in the end I died, I was just surviving, I felt very bad there, just to arrive and finish.”
What Dikiji did is an example of how men’s singles skaters, faced with crazy competition, must bite the ice to win. Vlad still has room for improvement: experts note a big gap in the second assessment, but the most important thing is that the athlete himself understands this and prefers to gradually improve the art of it.
Awareness and hard work are what attracts this skater. And, even though he is just beginning his journey in major sports at the adult level, he deserves to become the “King of Figures.” Therefore, vote for Vladislav Dikidzhi on the Telegram channel “Skating”!
Read about other candidates:
THE NAIS IS OFFICIAL EDITOR ON NAIS NEWS