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Post by deedeelocks on Dec 14, 2009 17:00:18 GMT 1
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Post by deedeelocks on Dec 15, 2009 17:27:16 GMT 1
part 1:
Figure skater Verner before the OG: It would be a huge honour to be a flagbearer.
It's exactly 60 days before the olympic flames will start to burn in Vancouver at the XXI olympic games. Last week Pravo started a series of 10 articles in which we will put another medal contender for the olympic games in the spotlight every week. in this second edition we have an interview and a portret of figure skater Tomas Verner.
14. 12. 2009 09:00 PRAHA
Q: During every competition this year you try to imagine that you are skating at the olympics, so that you will be prepared in your head. Did you already dream about Vancouver?
A: I dreamed about Vancouver once and it was quite intense. And it rather shocked me because what happened was quite good! But dreams like that I'd like to avoid. The comfort is dangerous, when a person thinks that he has something and all the time this small step is missing and in the end it will just kick you. I would like to dream about my olympic programs, but I don't want to see the results. In that dream I ended up with a nice result.
Q: that means...?
A: I didn't win, but I finished second. And even that would be an awesome result.
Q: did it ever happen to you, that dreams came true?
A: When it comes to girls, then yes, but when it comes to figure skating, it doesn't really work like that. For that I will still have to do my best. *smiles*
Q:The olympics are harder psychologically, do you work on that harder that in the past?
A: Not much more than in the past few years. But as I developed I changed my training and also things so that I'd be aware of what I have and feel and not be distracted by people around me or even my own thoughts. Lately a very known doktor told me that it doesn't really matter what I will think of, as long as I'm thinking about just one thing and not about a lot of things happening around me, because it takes away from the focus. For example if I would have concentrated on my flu at Skate America too, I wouldn't have been able to pull so much together.
Q:Do you have some trick how to prepare for the stress?
A: I have this friend Monika, and she made me 2 flags with olympic rings on it. One hangs in my room and the other is for during my practice, so that I have some olympic atmosphere around me and these olympic rings. It will be different there, because when I will skate at the olympics there won't be sponsors on the boarding but rings. It looks different and a person is reminded that this is that one and only competition. I won't be completely calm though, I take that on forehand. Without nerves is impossible.
Q: In the olympic village you will meet a lot of famous people and people who will want to say hello to you and wish you good luck. It won't be easy to concentrate on the competition.
A: I had some good practice in Torino with Carolina Kostner. I already competed, we trained together, I accompanied her and everywhere were so many people who wanted to stop her and say hi. Just it doesn't work at that moment. Even when people will think that she is just arrogrant, she goes and takes notice only of her trainers, fysiotherapist and maybe me. I will do that as well, so I won't be talking to anyone, not even with officials. Those who understand sport, will understand I am there because of a competition.
Q: The president of the czech olympic commitee Frantisek Dvorak already dropped some words that he would like to see you as a flagbearer.
A: Originally I wasn't planning to go to the opening ceremony, because I am going to the olympics mainly to skate a good competition. At my first olys I of course didn't wanna miss the opening ceremony and I stood there cramped already 4 hours before it started. But when they should offer me to be the flagbearer, that would be a huge honour for me, which I wouldn't refuse.
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Post by deedeelocks on Dec 15, 2009 17:45:15 GMT 1
Through the eyes of Trainer Vlasta Koprivova
"he does everything for success"
"The last couple of competitions didn't go well for Tomas, but I don't think that it should knock him down psychologically, he realizes that it was the illness that caused it. Maybe we were too hasty with going to GPF and should have waited a little. Or maybe he shouldn't have skated in the USA. But it's hard to estimate how the body will react. In training he looked allright, but maybe everything just added up for him inside, also the exhaustion from the long trip.
It's true that Tomas is fixed on the olympic games, and it's hard to get his mind off of it, it's always the main goal of every athlete. I believe that some psychological meltdown won't happen to him anymore, he has the power to be the winner. He is well trained, just because of the virus he lost a lot of energy, but he does everything for success. His programs are distinctive and will easily be remembered. I think we did good to change both skates.
On top of that he has the advantage that he has been jumping the quad toe already all season. He has it for certain. I think that the winner of the olympic games should jump a quad, it has always been like that in the past years.
Fysiotherapist Fransesco might go with Tomas to the olympic games, we are still looking for a way to get money for that. SInce carolina left it's even trickier. Both me and Tomas miss her in our group. Like a lady she was exceptional, she was always there and always prepared."
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Post by monika7 on Dec 15, 2009 19:48:36 GMT 1
Thanks, deedeelocks, for the translation.  |
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Post by deedeelocks on Dec 15, 2009 20:59:31 GMT 1
there is more Q: You have a Canadian choreographer, will that be an advantage for the olympics? Would you be able to change the programs a bit according to the mood of the audience? A: I taught myself that during exhibitions, but not while skating in competitions. I will perform them in the way they have been made and I hope they will love it on one side of the world and also on the other side of the world. I won't for example change my Godfather suit to a Japanese costume, should I skate in Tokyo. Q:4 years ago you skated at the olympic games already with the new judging system without the 6.0. Is figure skating more fair now? A: I don't want to step on anyones toes, but in my opinion judges have more powers now than they had before. They can express their 'opinion' more even about the technical aspects. Objective it will never be, because all 10 people sitting there have a different opinion, but when there are 5 people there coming from the former soviet union, we know that the judging may not be so objective. I hope hoewever that the draw of the judges will be this way, that it will be fair for everybody. Q: Aren't you afraid that the referees will take your free skate with this Mafian atmosphere as some kind of hint to them? A: I think not, I think it would be nice if they say "Hey, a Mafian, watch out for him" *smiles* Q: When did you experience the greatest injustice in figure skating? A: I remember one moment. But right now when I look back at it again, and after having been to the euros and worlds, it looks a bit childish to me. But I guess about 8 years ago in Pribrami I lost against this competitor from Brno and there I was really upset and I thought it was unfair. But things compensated that from then on. Once they held me up at this junior grand prix in Sofia. I jumped nice jumps in the SP, but in the end during the double axel, which should be a formality, I crashed after 1.5 revolutions. However they still put me into second place. Q: Often figure skaters quit after the olympics and become a proffessional, could it happen that you will do that as well? A: Unless something unexpected happens, I am not planning that. I like this sport and I have this relationship with it, I invested a lot of time in it and as long I have fun doing this sport, I will keep on skating. Q: How long will you be able to bear this tension? A: I won't skate competitively till I'm 30. I know I won't be there again and again and again and I know that it won't be the end of my life and so I don't fear that I won't have anything to do after that. At most I can see myself continue untill the olympics in Sochi, but further defenitely not. I found this article pretty hard to translate...some parts I think I know what I meant but wasn't so sure...I hope I succeeded  |
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Post by Lilla on Dec 15, 2009 23:54:54 GMT 1
At most I can see myself continue untill the olympics in Sochi, but further defenitely not. Yess,Tomas,you see right !!!! Daph,thanks for the translate,it made my day next to my law books  ! |
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Post by leana on Dec 21, 2009 12:48:31 GMT 1
Many thanks, deedeelocks, it's very interesting, indeed
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Post by deedeelocks on Dec 29, 2009 17:36:32 GMT 1
www.mediafax.cz/sport/2974069-Tomas-Verner-Dostal-jsem-za-vyucenou-snad-se-blysknu-na-olympiadesummary: He wasn't at his ideal form at Czech nationals, but he takes the defeat as something to learn from. And he says it's a good sign that there are other good skaters in CR. THey are thinking about having just one quad in the LP, it depends on his form. He says that you can also win without one, but that's not the direction he wants to go to. He says that he believes that his training will help him to get back on top, because he wouldn't want to finish behind Brezina at the Olympics. He also says he has to take care of his weight, because during christmas he lost 3 kilos because of health problems. He didn't watch Plushenko at Russian nationals, but he knows that Plushenko is a great jumper and has good technic, but he knows that plushenko skated these programs at home with 10 russian judges so that explains smthing. *********** 3 kilo!?!? that's a lot :/
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kira
ASrookie 
Posts: 13
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Post by kira on Dec 30, 2009 15:55:31 GMT 1
yes... 3kilo is a lot... i hope he will be healthy soo
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Post by deedeelocks on Jan 5, 2010 20:09:43 GMT 1
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Post by peta on Jan 27, 2010 8:31:25 GMT 1
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Post by ninadel on Jan 27, 2010 14:00:56 GMT 1
Interesting. I looked through the transcript with google translate. Most of it is not new information. Sounds like he is not focused on medals or placement, he just wants to be happy with his skate. I think that's the best mentality to have, otherwise he'll get too stressed out! Also he was asked a couple times about coaching changes (because of Carolina)... I think he said not now, but he'll consider it in the future. My czech is horrible so let me know if I got this wrong. |
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Post by peta on Jan 27, 2010 20:08:29 GMT 1
Also he was asked a couple times about coaching changes (because of Carolina)... I think he said not now, but he'll consider it in the future. he told smt like that there are lots of things he thinks about towards future, but changing coaches certainly isn't one of them |
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