※posted 2006/05/14 投稿MOSNEWS.COM
06.03.2006 12:55 MSK (GMT +3)
Smelling the Roses--Russia’s Olympic Lessons
Russia’s figure skaters were as brilliant as ever, and for thousands of her fans even Irina Slutskaya’s bronze proved dearer than all the gold in the world.
From the very beginning of her first appearance on the Turin ice, Slutskaya was under enormous pressure as Russian sports officials were rubbing hands in anticipation of Russia’s monopoly of the skating titles, after Yevgeny Plushenko won gold in the men’s event, Tatiana Totmianina and Maxim Marinin led in pairs, and Tatiana Navka and Roman Kostomarov were the best in ice dancing.
But, contrary to all expectations, Irina Slutskaya, brilliant as she was in her short program, finished third in Turin after a free skate. Shizuka Arakawa put Japan was the best, while Sasha Cohen earned silver.
As she stood there on the medals podium with a bronze medal around her neck, Slutskaya couldn’t even manage a smile or a wave, Reuters correspondent reported.
For the second straight Olympics, the Russian star failed as the final skater of the women’s free program. Both times, the gold medal was within reach. Both times, she failed to grab it. In Salt Lake City, though, she carried away silver and the hope of doing much better at these games.
“
That’s competition. It’s pressure all the time,” the 27-year-old Slutskaya said. “
You never know what can happen. ”
I’m just happy what I got. There are some girls who came and competed and got 18th and 20th places. I’m happy I have something.“
Life has not been easy for Slutskaya in recent years. Her mother has kidney disease and requires dialysis treatment three times a week. Slutskaya usually drives her to the doctor. In 2004, Slutskaya was diagnosed with a heart ailment that sidelined her for almost the entire season. She even was told she might never skate again, but last season she was back on the ice and swept everyone off their feet.
”
I’m so happy that I’m here because the last four years have been really, really hard for me,“ she said.
Her fans in Russia were happy for her too.
English Translation by Free Online Translator "WorldLingo"
Утро Utro.ru
27 февраля, 05:49
Слуцкая решила уйти Slutskaya decided to leave
Значение Олимпийских игр для любого спортсмена сложно преувеличить. Многолетние тренировки, серьезные травмы, сильнейшее психологическое напряжение - такова цена, которую приходится платить за олимпийское золото. У прославленной российской фигуристки Ирины Слуцкой много чемпионских титулов: она пятикратная чемпионка России,
семикратная чемпионка Европы, двукратная чемпионка мира и вице-чемпионка Олимпиады в Солт-Лейк-Сити. Ей не хватало лишь звания олимпийской чемпионки. К сожалению, в Турине
Ирина стала только бронзовым призером. Слуцкая, конечно, борец по натуре, однако к следующим Играм ей будет уже 31 год, и с мечтой об олимпийском золоте она, видимо, простилась.
The value of the Olympic Games for any athlete is complicated to exaggerate. Long-standing trainings, serious injuries, strong psychological stress - this is the price, which it is necessary to pay for Olympic gold. The renowned Russian figure skater Irina Slutskaya has many champion titles: she is the five-time Russian champion, seven-time European champion, two-time world champion and the vice- champion of Salt Lake Olympic. To her the title of Olympic champion did not be sufficient only. Unfortunately, in Torino Irina became only bronze medal-winner. Slutskaya, of course, champion on the nature; however, to the next Olympic games she will be already 31 years, and it, apparently, said good-bye with the dream about Olympic gold.
После неудачного проката произвольной программы в разговоре с журналистами Слуцкая заявила, что "счастлива, что у меня просто есть медаль", хотя глаза у нее были мокрыми от слез. "То, что творится сейчас в душе у Ирины, не сможет понять никто. Четыре года она шла по одной-единственной дороге, причем дороге трудной, с ухабами и выбоинами: на Турин, на Олимпийские игры, - за золотой медалью... Думаю, сейчас даже она сама толком не ответит, что будет дальше, чего она хочет. Очевидно, что Ирина испытала мощный стресс, который только усилился от того, что она очень талантливый, неординарный человек. Однако уже в ближайшее время мы обязательно с ней сядем, поговорим, определимся с будущим. Каким будет ее решение, я сейчас даже не могу предсказать", - рассказал агент фигуристки Ари Закарян АСИ "Весь спорт".
Slutskaya stated after the unsuccessful rental of free program in the conversation with the journalists that “it was happy that in me it is simple to eat a medal”, although the eyes in it were wet from the tears. “That is created now in the soul in Irina, will be able to understand no one. Four years it went along the one- only road, moreover to the road of difficult, with pits and bumps and dents: in Torino, to the Olympic Games, after the gold medal… I think, now even it itself plainly will not answer, which will be further, what she wants. It is obvious that Irina tested the powerful stress, which only was strengthened from the fact that it is very talented, uncommon person. However, already soon we compulsorily with it will sit down, let us have a talk, let us be determined with the future. What its solution will be, I now even cannot predict ", described the agent of the figure skater Ari Zakarian ASI “All Sport”.
Однако, как пишет
"Комсомольская правда", корреспонденты которой смогли побеседовать со Слуцкой практически сразу после оглашения оценок, Ирина улыбнулась и сообщила, что из спорта уходит. "Я сделала все, что могла. А теперь, я думаю, мне пора стать мамой. Я решила, что надо рожать", - заявила фигуристка.
However, as he writes “Komsomol truth”, correspondents of which could have a talk with Slutskaya practically immediately after proclaiming of estimations, Irina smiled and reported that he departs from the sport. “I did everything that she could. But now, I think, it is time to become me mom. I solved, that it is necessary to [rozhat] ", stated figure skater.
Ирина Слуцкая вышла замуж 5 лет назад. Ее муж Сергей далек от спорта и фигурного катания, и
в интервью "Yтру" Ирина призналась, что даже не знает, смотрит ли он ее выступления по телевизору. По ее словам, за пределами льда она живет совсем другой жизнью, не зацикливаясь на спорте.
Irina Slutskaya left marry 5 years ago. Her husband Sergey is distant from sport and figure skating, and in the interview “For y[tru]” Irina acknowledged, that even he does not know, does watch rel.un. of appearance the television set. According to her, beyond the limits of ice it lives entirely another life, not [zatsiklivayas] on the sport.
◆02/23 After Free Skating Press Conference
ESPN.com
Associated Press
Feb. 23, 2006, 7:39 PM ET
Russian star again falls far short of Olympic goldTURIN, Italy -- As she stood stone-faced on the medals
podium, Irina Slutskaya couldn't even manage a smile or a wave. The bronze medal hanging around her neck must have felt like a lead weight.
For the second straight Olympics, the Russian star failed as the final skater of the women's free program. Both times, the gold medal was within reach. Both times, she failed to grab it.
In Salt Lake City, though, she carried away silver and the hope of doing much better at these games. There are no such thoughts about 2010 and Vancouver.
"
That's competition. It's pressure all the time," the
27-year-old Slutskaya said Thursday night after Shizuka Arakawa of Japan won the Olympic's glamour event, with American Sasha Cohen taking silver. "
You never know what can happen.
"
I'm just happy what I got. There are some girls who came and competed and got 18th and 20th places. I'm happy I have
something."
She didn't look it. Not even a glance.
While Arakawa and Cohen celebrated their achievements, sharing their joy with the audience, Slutskaya looked bored. Teary-eyed when she skated out to receive the bronze medal, she barely reacted to the applause.
If bronze was precious to her, she hid it well.
"
That's life again. We can't decide what we like," Slutskaya
said.
Life has not been easy for Slutskaya in recent years. Her mother has kidney disease and requires dialysis treatment three times a week. Slutskaya usually drives her to the doctor.
In 2004, Slutskaya was diagnosed with a heart ailment that
sidelined her for almost the entire season. She even was told she might never skate again, but last season she was back on the ice and swept past everyone.
"
I'm so happy that I'm here because the last four years is
really, really hard for me," she said.
A two-time world champion and winner of a record seven European titles, Slutskaya is a contemporary of five-time world champ and nine-time U.S. gold medalist Michelle Kwan. Now, they both own Olympic silver and bronze.
Slutskaya said she missed competing against Kwan, who was
sidelined by a groin injury. Then again, if Kwan had been healthy this season and skated in Turin, who knows how things would have turned out.
"
I was so upset Michelle doesn't come," Slutskaya said with a smile. "
I was waiting for her."
日刊スポーツ 02/25 金運なき女王スルツカヤ銅まつげがぬれ、目は赤かった。「
エキシビションではジャンプの失敗なんてしない。でも試合は何が起きるか分からない」とうなだれた。
「
この４年間はいろいろなことがあって、人生が変わった。この場にいられることがうれしい」。自分自身を納得させるように話していた。
日経トリノオリンピック2006 同内容
日刊スポーツ・
サンスポ(2/23)４年前の雪辱ならず・女王スルツカヤにも五輪の魔物「
何が起こるか分からない。それがフィギュア。それがこのスポーツなの」。スルツカヤが銅メダルに終わり、ロシアは今大会のフィギュア全種目制覇も逃した。個人的にも、チーム全体でも痛いミス。それでも「
また違ったメダルが取れたのだから」と自らを慰めた。〔共同〕
(2/23)銅のスルツカヤ「がっかりしている」イリーナ・スルツカヤ（ロシア）の話
がっかりしているが、オリンピックでもう一つメダルを取れてうれしい。これは試合であり、スポーツであり、スケート。何が起こるか分からない。〔共同〕
最高の輝き逃すも価値あるメダル＝スルツカヤ、女王の誇り忘れず(時事通信)
（02/24 10：43）
女王の誇りだけは忘れなかった。技術面を評価する総要素点が表示された瞬間、思わず左手で額を打った。それでもスルツカヤは、最後まで笑みを絶やさなかった。
珍しくジャンプに苦しんだ。冒頭で予定していた３回転の後の２回転ジャンプの省略に始まり、続く３回転－２回転は回転不足で２回転－２回転に。直後の３回転ループでは転倒した。情熱的なフラメンコのリズムが悲しげに聞こえた。
２日前の
ＳＰ終了後、心境を問われこう話した。「
今の気持ちは話したくない。私の中にしまっておきたい」。心が揺れているかのように落ち着きがなかった。それが滑りにも表れた。
言葉では説明できない特別な思いを胸に、舞台に上がったはずだ。ソルトレークシティー五輪ではよもやの逆転を許し、後味の悪い銀メダル。さらに不幸が続いた。母親が腎臓病で倒れ、自らも心臓に難病を患い、今も闘病を続けている。絶やさない笑顔の裏に悲壮感が漂うが、それでも滑る。メダルの色が最高の輝きではなくても、スルツカヤにとっては価値は変わらない。
今大会開幕前日が２７歳の誕生日。恐らく最後の五輪だろう。悲願はかなわなかったが「
これが人生。すべてを思い通りにはできないわ」と言い切った。（トリノ時事）
◆After Short Program
日刊スポーツ 02/23 ２位スルツカヤ女王の重圧「
今日はとても満足している。２位だとみんな言うけど、いい滑りができたことが大切。どう感じたかは話したくない」と悔しさを押し殺した。ノーミスの演技で大声援の観客に応えたが、普段は８点台を連発する５項目で、いずれも７点台。採点への不満も、やんわりにじませた。
日刊スポーツ 02/22 ２位スルツカヤ「ハッピー」「
いい滑りができたことはハッピーだ。それが重要なことだ。わたしがどう感じたかは話したくない。わたしの心の中にとどめておきたい」。
Yahoo! 02/22 SPドキュメント「
私にとっての3度目の五輪。この4年間で私の人生は変った。私は成長した」
邪心捨て自由に臨む＝女王スルツカヤ(時事通信)
（02/22 09：35）
世界女王のスルツカヤはＳＰ２位のスタートとなった。最終組の一番目の滑走で、自信に満ちた表情でリンクに立つと、いつも通りの安定した演技を披露。「
構成点にはちょっとだけ不満ね。いつもは技術点よりいいのに、きょうは逆だったから」と言いながらも、「
満足している」と笑顔を振りまいた。
銀メダルに終わった前回ソルトレークシティー五輪後は、試練が待ち受けていた。２年前のシーズンは心臓血管の病気で大半を棒に振った。「
４年間でわたしの人生は変わった。フィギュアだけが人生じゃないってことが分かった」と言う。
金メダル争いはコーエン、荒川と三つどもえの様相になった。「
わたしはベストを尽くしたいだけ。勝とうとか考えないわ。自分に集中するだけ」とスルツカヤ。邪心を捨てて自由演技に臨む。（トリノ時事）
フジテレビ・奥寺アナ「＜日本選手と、格好良い“悪童”の競演＞～フィギュア女子・ショートプログラム～」荒川選手の少し前に滑ったもう一人の素晴らしい選手、イリーナ・スルツカヤ選手(ロシア)について触れましょう。彼女については「悪童」という本来ネガティヴな言葉を、尊敬をこめて使ってみたいと思います。
ここ何日かの練習のリンクにはまさに「悪童」のような風貌で登場した彼女。黒が基調のシャツとジャージのような練習着と、その上に着る柄物のジャンパ－もしかり。少し猫背でしかし肩で風を切るように歩いたり、一寸弾むように歩きながらやおら笑みを浮かべたり、リンクサイドのコーチと頬杖をつきながら談笑したりする様は、他の選手とは明らかに違う空気をもっています。荒川静香選手が、非常に落ち着き払った態度で練習に臨んでいるのと好対照。“静”の荒川、“動”のスルツカヤです。スルツカヤ選手は、自分の空気を常に周囲に振りまく感じ。そして、こなれた技を次々に繰り出し、観る側はいつのまにか息の根をとめられてしまう風なのです。他の選手には無い「悪童」っぽさが何とも格好いい！ そして本番の時も、演技がスタートする前から周囲を自分のペースに巻き込み、あっという間に会場が乗っ取られたように感じました。
私は、彼女は“勝ちに行く”意思をよほど強くもっているものと思っていました。しかし演技後のインタビューは、とても意外なものでした。「
勝とうという意識はあまり持っていません」。またベストの演技に見えた本番について「
本番では流石に緊張しました。でも、私は緊張をコントロールする術を身に付けているので大丈夫。練習についてもいつもと同じ。何かを変えたり新しいことをしたりはしないんです」とのこと。普段通りの振る舞いを続けることで、自分の気持ちを制御するのは、どんな選手にとっても常套手段。彼女の場合は「悪童」的振る舞いが、その手法の一つなのかもしれないと思いました。先日八木沼純子さんが「スルツカヤ選手は、本番のプレッシャーにも負けない精神的タフさを持っているんです」と教えてくれたのは、なるほどこういうことがしっかりできるということなのか、と思いました。
MOSNEWS.COM
22.02.2006 09:28 MSK (GMT +3)
Slutskaya’s Bid to Win Turin Gold in the Balance With Cohen Ahead of Russian in TurinIrina Slutskaya’s bid to become the first Russian to win the women’s figure skating title at the Winter Olympics hung in the balance after she was left trailing in second place by Sasha Cohen on Tuesday, the Reuters news agency reported.
The American performed a dazzling short program to score 66.73, just 0.03 more than the Russian favorite going into Thursday’s free skate. Japan’s Shizuka Arakawa was lying third.
Slutskaya is unlikely to get too flustered as the lead held by Cohen is negligible under the new cumulative-points scoring system. “
I am happy. I skated well. This is a competition and sometimes things don’t go as you’d like them to,” said Slutskaya, the silver medallist from four years ago. “
Everybody thinks about (me making history) but not me.”
If Slutskaya wins on Thursday, Russia will become the first nation to sweep all four figure skating titles at the Games.
Cohen, second behind Slutskaya at last year’s world championships, looked nervous as she skated on the ice to perform the last short program of a long evening. She hardly acknowledged the crowd, thick with U.S. flags.
Once she had landed her first two jumps performed to a medley of Russian folk music, she started smiling, when she landed the next one, her shoulders relaxed and she swung through the rest of her routine with ease.
When she finished, she punched the air and cried, “Right on!” before skating around the rink to receive deafening applause. As she saw her marks flash on the scoreboard, it gradually dawned on her that she had scored high enough to challenge the top field. When she was announced as being in first place, she leapt in the air with one arm raised, a huge smile across her face. But she refused to get carried away by her achievement.
“The free program is going to be like starting over, like tonight didn’t really count. It’s back to square one,” said Cohen, who finished fourth in the Salt Lake City Games. “We are separated by so little that anyone could win.”
Sporting a sparkling catsuit, Slutskaya was the 18th out of 29 skaters to perform and her dramatic routine to Liszt’s Totentanz remained the benchmark for most of the evening until Cohen squeezed past her.
The Russian executed a series of soaring jumps and artistic spins to draw loud cheers from the crowd and will fancy her chances of overhauling Cohen on Thursday as she will be the last competitor to take to the ice. The top three were separated by only 0.71 of a point after Arakawa led a strong showing by the Japanese contingent.
ESPN.com
Associated Press
Feb. 22, 2006, 1:18 AM ET
Cohen wins short program, but Russian is not far behindTURIN, Italy -- It's becoming an Olympic tradition: An
American woman wins figure skating gold and the Russians claim all the other titles.
Sasha Cohen took an important step toward keeping the tradition alive Tuesday, winning the short program with a brilliant performance. She capped off the spectacular skate by snapping her fingers and double-pumping her fists as if to say, "Top that."
Cohen will need to be just as dynamic and sassy in the free
skate Thursday. That is because world champion Irina Slutskaya is as close as a skate blade's edge to Cohen in the standings -- and the Russian has a better track record.
"It's going to be like starting over. Like the short didn't
really count. Back to square one," Cohen said after beating
Slutskaya by .03 points -- a mere slip or bobble in the four-minute program they will perform Thursday. "Anybody in the top three can win."
The top three also includes Japan's Shizuka Arakawa, the 2004 world champion. Cohen has a pair of world silvers and won her first national title this year, but her resume isn't quite as complete as her two closest challengers.
Indeed, both Cohen and Slutskaya were in range to win gold four years ago at Salt Lake City. But neither skated particularly well in the free program and Sarah Hughes burst through the opening, giving the United States its third Olympic champion in four games -- and seven overall.
"Salt Lake was very different for me," Cohen said. "I was a
different person, a different athlete. I've learned and matured so much and learned how to handle the nerves a bit better since then. I've just evolved."
So much that skating last Tuesday didn't bother her a bit.
With U.S. flags waving and chants of "USA! USA!" rocking the
arena, Cohen dazzled the judges with a sensational short program.
Cohen's spectacular spirals and crisp footwork had the crowd
clapping to the beat of "Dark Eyes," a Russian folk tune.
John Nicks, her on-again, off-again coach, credited Cohen's
emergence into adulthood -- Cohen, an ice pack wrapped around her right leg, claimed she's the "grandma" of the U.S. team at the ripe old age of 21.
"She's been very much more mature and trained very hard," he
said. "Tonight was a good start. It was a very good start. But it was only a start."
Both Slutskaya, seeking to finish off an unprecedented sweep of the gold by one country, and the elegant Arakawa got out of the blocks superbly, too.
Slutskaya drew the anchor spot in the free skate; Cohen goes
second in the six-woman final group and Arakawa will be right after Cohen.
Slutskaya's performance to Liszt's peppy "Totentanz" was so
perfectly in unison with the music that her spins matched the crescendos. Her tempo could have overhauled some speedskaters competing down the block.
Her countrymen in the crowd waved flags, shouted "ROS-SI-YA!
ROS-SI-YA!" and erupted in a loud ovation for her score of 66.70. Slutskaya, sitting with her fingers crossed, then walked off to wait and see if her marks held up.
They did until the very end, when Cohen was just as fast and a bit more magical.
"
I skated great and this is important for me," Slutskaya said. "
I had the best skating today. I'll prepare the same way I'll always prepare for the long program. Nothing changes, nothing new."
Nope, nothing new. An American is in position to take the gold -- the only Olympic figure skating medal no Russian woman has ever won -- and foil Russia's title sweep in Turin.
Russians have already won golds in the men's, dance and pairs figure skating events in Turin. They pulled off the same feat in 1992, 1998 and 2002 only to watch American women win gold. In 1992 it was Kristi Yamaguchi; in 1998 it was Tara Lipinski; Sarah Hughes did it in 2002.
Of course, Arakawa could also spoil Russia's chances for a
sweep.
Arakawa's jumps were smooth, and her spins were high-level and high-quality. But it was her spirals that were show-stoppers. In one, she pulled her leg up to the side in the splits position. Then she let go and the leg stayed completely still, a testament to her superior strength and muscle control.
"I was really surprised," Arakawa said of her score. "That's
the best I've done under these kind of conditions, although I've done better in practice.
"I think I can do much better than this, but I don't want to
make my expectations too high."
Maybe she should. She trails Cohen by only .71 points.
The 16-year-old Meissner, skating second, showed no stage
fright. She hit all her elements, and although her footwork was somewhat faulty, it was a strong start.
"I was a little excited and I think I got trippy," said
Meissner, who walked to the rink pulling a rolling suitcase with her skates inside. "I wanted to do a clean short. I feel like I get an 'A' on that."
ESPN.com
Associated Press
Feb. 21, 2006, 8:12 PM ET
Cohen wins short program, Slutskaya secondCohen scored 66.73 points, edging Slutskaya by a mere .03
points. Arakawa, the 2004 world champion, had 66.02 points. The razor-thin margin means Cohen will need to be at her very best again in Thursday night's free skate if she wants to stand at the top of the podium. Suguri was fourth and fellow American Kimmie Meissner was fifth, one of only two skaters to complete a triple-triple combination.
Cohen's program was far from perfect, and it showed in technical marks lower than both Slutskaya and Arakawa. The landing of her double axel was curvy, and she had to fight to save it. The takeoff on her triple lutz could have been cleaner, but she made up for it in her connecting steps, transitions and spirals.
And no one sells a program better. Skating to "Dark Eyes," a
Russian folk song, she was expressive for the entire program. She made eye contact with all of the judges, as if she was skating just for them.
When she stood at the edge of the rink, just before starting her straightline footwork, she gave a little shimmy of her shoulders and the crowd roared. When her music stopped, Cohen threw her fist in the air and grinned.
Slutskaya and Arakawa won't simply give Cohen the gold.
Doctors weren't sure Slutskaya would even skate again when she became ill two years ago, but she defied the odds and has been virtually unbeatable since she returned. Now she's looking to make history: the first Russian woman to win Olympic gold and complete an unprecedented Russian sweep of the titles.
Her performance to Liszt's peppy "Totentanz" was so perfectly in unison with the music that her spins matched the crescendos. She was so quick, she could have left the short-trackers who share the Palavela in the dust.
Her countrymen in the crowd waved flags, shouted "ROS-SI-YA!
ROS-SI-YA!" and erupted in a loud ovation for her marks. Slutskaya smiled, and shook the fingers she had crossed for luck.
Arakawa's jumps were smooth, and her spins were high-level and high-quality. But it was her spirals that were show-stoppers. In one, she pulled her leg up to the side in the splits position. Then she let go and the leg stayed completely still, a testament to her superior strength and muscle control. "I think I can do much better than this, but I don't want to make my expectations too high," the 2004 world champion said. "I just want to stay relaxed."
◆Before Short Program
ナフカ組、貫録の舞い＝ロシア勢、完全制覇に王手(時事通信)
（02/21 10：32）
重厚かつ華麗なステップに難度の高いリフトの数々。赤と黒の衣装をまとった長身の２人が、「カルメン」の情熱的なストーリーをリンクの上に描き出した。
最後のポーズを解いたナフカとコストマロフは息を弾ませ、勝利を確信して抱擁。規定では元世界王者のイタリア組に小差で首位を譲ったが、現在の世界王者の貫録で若いベルビン、アゴスト組ら挑戦者を退けた。
ナフカの夫アレクサンドル・ズーリン氏の指導を受ける２人。１９９９年、当時のコーチの意向で１シーズン限りで一度は解散したが、翌年にコストマロフが産休中のナフカに呼び掛けて「復縁」。その後、成長を遂げた。
「ペア、男子とロシアが勝っていたし、重圧があった」とコストマロフ。ロシア勢のフィギュア完全制覇に王手をかけ、「
これで（女子の）スルツカヤは大変だね」と普段はクールな表情を緩めた。
ナフカは「金メダルは小さいころからの夢。母や５歳の娘がここに来て力をくれた」と家族に感謝。「私の本の今の章はここで終わり。これから新しい章が始まる」と競技生活の締めくくりを示唆した。（トリノ時事）
Lastampa.it
21/2/2006
Irina: I'am feeling very good
At a practice session a few days before her short program on Tuesday night, Slutskaya appeared in solid form, and said she was ready to compete. «
I’m feeling good,» she said. «
I’m very happy to be here».
ESPN.com
Associated Press
Feb. 21, 2006, 12:20 AM ET
Cohen chasing Russians and Japanese for medal"I want to have a great time out there and enjoy it, give it my all and go home feeling great about the whole experience," Cohen said Monday. "I'm not putting any pressure on myself to win or to be perfect. It's about enjoying the process."
It all begins Tuesday night with the short program. The free
skate is Thursday.
Cohen didn't do much during practice, sticking to some footwork and spins and consulting with coach John Nicks. That was in direct contrast to the energized workouts by Japan's Fumie Suguri, Shizuka Arakawa and Miki Ando.
Like Cohen,
Slutskaya spent much of her session marking sight lines for her jumps and spins. But unlike Cohen, who spent a few minutes before a packed-in media throng in the mixed zone, the world champion declined interviews.
"
Maybe somebody is thinking I'm a favorite, but it's the
Olympic Games and you never know who can win because it's a
competition," Slutskaya said earlier this month. She was the 2002 Olympic silver medalist behind Sarah Hughes -- Emily Hughes' older sister.
"
I don't hear this, and I don't talk with people who always tell me, 'You will be first,' because it will be hard to hear. I just want to do my best."
Kostner, the world bronze medalist and perhaps the skater
feeling the most pressure, also didn't do interviews.
CBS
Feb 19, 2006 8:54 am US/Pacific
Slutskaya To Skate 18th In Short ProgramAssociated Press
Olympic favorite Irina Slutskaya will skate 18th among 29 women for Tuesday night's short program. American champion Sasha Cohen skates last, following Italy's Carolina Kostner. Kimmie Meissner drew the second spot in Sunday's draw, and Emily Hughes will skate 15th. Japan's Miki Ando, the 2004 junior world champion, drew the 14th spot, while former world champion Shizuka Arakawa will go 21st and Fumie Suguri skates 27th.
Slutskaya, the world champion, arrived in Turin from Moscow on Saturday, and practiced on the Olympic ice for the first time Sunday afternoon. Her jumps looked strong, including a solid triple-triple-double jump combination, and she appeared very comfortable on the ice.
She did only bits and pieces of her long program, mostly the spins and the spirals, and did one triple toe loop jump. Most of the time was spent "marking" her program so she'd know exactly where she was on the ice when she was doing her elements.
"
I'm feeling good," she said afterward. "
I'm very happy to be here."
And much happier now that she has her luggage and her dress for the long program. Slutskaya's luggage was lost for about an hour after she arrived Saturday night, and Hughes gave the Russian the dress before the draw Sunday.
Slutskaya and Hughes both have their dresses designed by Tonia Bass in New York. "She said, `Oh, you're going to Torino, can you take Irina's dress?'" Hughes said earlier Sunday. "I haven't touched it!" she added, laughing.
