"It will work for the first competition"

Russian figure skater Vladislav Dikidzhi became the winner of the challenger in Japan Kinoshita Group Cup in men's single skating. The 22-year-old single skater scored 176.89 points in the free skate, and finished the performance with a total score of 265.68 points. This is our first success in adult figure skating after returning to the world stage. Dikigi spoke about his success and plans after returning to St. Petersburg in an interview with Izvestia.

"The idea of the flower is taken from a cartoon"

— What are your feelings about the new season's debut?

— It was great. I was nervous because it was my first adult international stage. It's also the first start of the season. I was very nervous.

— So it was a plus for you that you didn't know you were going until recently?

— Yes, I didn't have time to mentally wind myself up. Everything happened spontaneously. I am glad that I was able to come to Japan.

— Can you remember how you found out about the application for this tournament?

— Yes, I can tell you. I was preparing for the first stage of the St. Petersburg Cup. In fact, I entered this season even more consciously than any other. I've been pushing the program very hard since July, when we flew to the training camp. I worked very hard. This has never happened before, when already in August I could roll a free skate two or three times in a week.

As for this stage, I was driving from the training area on Sunday, working with the kids, and Oleg Stanislavovich [Tataurov] called me (Coach Dikigi. — Ed.) and said that we were leaving on Tuesday. I said, "Cool, let's go."

— What do you think about your rental in the short program?

— I would like to show the essence of the program more. I did it, but I would like to be more open and emotional. I was a little swayed by the rotation. I don't know why it happened, I didn't really like it. I think it's the second level. I would like to make the track more confident. It wasn't all that bad, but I want to get back on my feet even more and relax more. The jumps are pretty good.

— Are you linking any inaccuracies with the ice coating?

— The ice is wonderful. Everything is fine with that.

— Can you tell us about the essence of the program? And what does the flower in the palm of your hand mean?

— The idea of the flower is taken from a cartoon. WALL-E, I think. Where there were no plants, and the robot found the same flower in the landfill. According to the plot, people were wary of all this, and as a result, by the end of the film, they stopped treating everything badly.

All that gold: our skaters took the maximum after returning

The Russians won all four disciplines of the Junior Grand Prix in China.

"I'm glad I didn't die at the end of the free skate"

— Did you expect to be the first in the end when you were packing quickly?

— Honestly, I didn't expect it, but I was expecting good rentals. If I hadn't been nervous, it would have turned out even better, but I'm glad that it turned out the way it did.

— Why was the score lowered on the last spin?

— I probably touched the ice with my ass a little bit, and I shouldn't have. I originally had a different spin, it's beautiful, but a little longer, and I couldn't fit into the music. I didn't have time to work on it, I had to return that slide. In the short one, I honestly didn't understand what I had done wrong. But it is stable — in the short and in the free.

I'm glad I didn't die in the end. I rolled the program consciously, tried to show emotions. And I really liked it both technically — the jumps were confident, and the choreography, although there is something to work on, you need to invest more effort. But it will work for the first competition. (He smiles.)

— If consciously, what is the free program about?

— The idea of the program is to convey the emotions of a person who is in the dark. He hears, but he can't figure out where he is. That is, he is sighted, he sees, but... He doesn't see it. I'm trying to grab onto something, trying to convey this fear with my movements. And that's why the picture "Scream" was so suitable, because the ears are closed, it's scary. Nikita Mikhailov conveyed the essence to me, and I tried to imagine what it would be like if I found myself in the dark. It was his idea, he suggested it, and I liked it.

— Can you do a quadruple with your eyes closed easily?

— Honestly, I haven't tried it. (Laughs) I think if you give it a couple of tries, it will work.

— At the beginning, only the beat sounds. How hard is it to ride without music?

— I really like getting into accents, one blow to the body here, another over the head. (Pointing at himself) It's just the drums, yes, but the beat is cool!

— Do you have a feeling that after so many searches you finally got the choreography?

— I'm rolling my own programs now, and I really like it. We did a pretty good job with the choreography.

"I have more confidence in myself"

— Have all expectations from international tournaments been fulfilled?

— They were justified. Because everything was so spontaneous, I didn't have time to imagine what the first tournament would be like. They said, let's go, one day has passed, that's it, and now I'm standing with two rolled—back programs. I still have emotions.

— Do you agree that this is the way to continue preparing for tournaments?

— I was lucky that I was seriously working, rolling out programs in August. Not for a specific tournament, but just because I like it. We started very early, from the moment of the training camp. Oleg Stanislavovich suggested rolling the free skate with triple jumps for the first time, if you need something, skip it. I immediately went for a ride with the fours. I released only the second axel and was surprised that I got there after a month of vacation. As if he hadn't lost his shape. After that, it kind of escalated.

Admission was granted: Russian athletes are returning to international competitions

So far, we are talking about competing in speed skating, figure skating and short track in a neutral status.

— Have you lost weight? According to the broadcast, it seems so.

— I lost 3.5 kg of weight this summer. Somehow it just happened. There was more motivation after admission, of course, but I don't think it had any effect. I just worked —hop, and threw it off.

— You said in an interview on Japanese television that you were planning a quadruple axel...

— It's not exactly plans, but there are some goals. Why not? If you roll it up, first make two lutz, then flip and salchow, maybe try another Rittberger, and then a quadruple axel. I've just never managed to jump him with such a weight yet, in fact, I'm very interested in whether it will work or not.

— If we compare it with the Russian Championship?

— Every start is important in its own way. I can't say which ones are better. A medal is a medal, I'm glad.

— Did you ever think that this tournament has a lot in common with the Russian Championship in Omsk? You have gold, Zhenya Semenenko has bronze.

— I'm just glad! I am glad to have a medal. I got a good ride, I'm glad.

— To whom would you dedicate your victory?

— Oh, there's a lot of people to list... To all the coaches, parents, girl, girl's parents! (Laughs.) To all my favorite fans, to my grandmother, of course, to my sister, to everyone.

— When you return to St. Petersburg, where will you go first?

— I'm going to the ice. We're supposed to have test rentals soon. Well, I'll go to a restaurant with my parents, with a girl, we can celebrate. But then — get ready!

— What are you going to eat at the restaurant?

— I really like steak.

— Tomorrow is the last day in Japan. What will you do?

— I'm going to the Shibuya area. We were already on Ginza yesterday with Petya [Humennik] for a walk. He told you that, too, didn't he? I went after one brand, it wasn't there. So we just took a walk, looked, and took pictures. Very cool, very beautiful. And tomorrow, Shibuya. We'll go with Oleg Stanislavovich. About 12 o'clock. I'll buy gifts for all my family!

— The phrase "I didn't suffer today, but rolled" got into the broadcast. Can you say that you feel like you've matured, reached a new level?

— I have more confidence in myself. After an unsuccessful last season, the bream is back, and let's go. (Laughs) Just kidding, it wasn't like that, of course. But the conversations were different. When you consciously exit and roll out the program, you realize that you won't die at the end, you've been working. It's very soothing.