In principle, the sixth stage of the Moscow Horse Grand Prix lived up to expectations. How her Russian favorite Kamila Valieva justified them. First of all, for the great specialists, about the purely athletic aspect of her performance in the short program. Kamila very calmly and reliably performed a double axel, a triple flip and did a triple lutz and a triple toe loop in a cascade. Of course, the first place with high scores is 81.27.
What can I say about a purely visual impression? The speed may not be as high as before. Its absence is compensated by the resulting softness. Instead of sudden movements, plasticity appeared in all its splendor. She feels as if she is no longer a child on the ice, but a 17-year-old girl. In no case should it be thought that this growth will cause any damage to Valieva’s skating.
Two more points that critics don’t know or forget. A few months ago, the Olympic champion team and winner of Euro 2022 underwent eye surgery. It is clear that for some time now training could not be as intense as before. Judging by the short program, coach Eteri Tutberidze’s student is successfully getting into shape, making up for lost time through no fault of her own.
Photo: Alexander Vilf / RIA Novosti
The skater’s soul is probably also worried about the process on the use of a banned substance, initiated by WADA and firmly supported by the IOC. Meetings continue at the Court of Arbitration for Sports. The figure skater, although in absentia, answers the judges’ questions. And the verdict is postponed and postponed. The new decision date is January. But such delays mean: the judges have doubts, the 15-year-old’s guilt is not entirely obvious, there is no solid evidence of the crime. Otherwise, the sentence would have been signed a long time ago. Such discomfort can worry even an experienced athlete, not like Kamila. And Valieva fights and wins.
In the short program Sofia Muravyova could have surpassed her. The salvation was in the axis of three and a half turns. It was thanks to the execution of this element that Elizaveta Tuktamysheva remained for years among the strongest elite in the world. During the warm-up, Sofia, to the delight of her coach Evgeni Plushenko, performed the jump cleanly. And at the rental she fell. The result is -76.67 points.
And yet, in Sunday’s free program the gap can be made up.
THE NAIS IS OFFICIAL EDITOR ON NAIS NEWS