'She wouldn’t have gone to Canada without a reason': Elizaveta Tuktamysheva defends Evgenia Medvedeva’s decision to leave Russia
World and European figure skating champion Elizaveta Tuktamysheva has defended her colleague Evgenia Medvedeva’s decision to go to Canada to train, saying that she wouldn’t have left Russia without compelling reasons.
Tuktamysheva said 20-year-old Medvedeva’s abrupt split from former coach Eteri Tutberidze was down to her desire to move forward, even if that meant changing her life.
“If she did it, that means there were serious reasons behind her decision. Much has been said about it, I don’t want to expand on this topic.
“I know Zhenya well, she wouldn’t have done it without a reason. Sometimes you need to fundamentally change your life if you want to be happy,” Tuktamysheva said.
Also on rt.com ‘I want to be friends with my coach’: Evgenia Medvedeva reveals why she left Eteri TutberidzeTwo-time world figure skating champion Medvedeva ended her 11-year-partnership with Tutberidze after she failed to win an Olympic gold at the 2018 Winter Games, losing to younger rival Alina Zagitova.
The skater moved to Canada to train under famed coach Brian Orser, but their partnership has so far fallen short of expectations, with world championship bronze being Medvedeva’s highest achievement so far.
This season she didn't represent Russia at major international skating events after missing a spot on the team following her withdrawal from the national tournament due to problems with her skates.
