“If the ISU gives us a quota for the Olympics, it will already be a success.” Interview with Daniil Gleikhengauz

Daniel Gleikhengauz – choreographer and director of programs for Olympic champions, who works at the headquarters of Eteri Tutberidze. Gleikhengauz also loves football and is a fan of Spartak Moscow. On Saturday, the specialist attended the red-white match for the second time this season. His student, Olympic figure skating champion Anna Shcherbakova, also attended the match in September.

The correspondent spoke with the coach about the prospects of Dejan Stankovic’s team for the current season, the last ISU congress and the quadruple throws of Boykova and Kozlovsky.

“I would like the team to compete for the top 3 of the RPL”

— How often do you attend Spartak matches?

— I have been a fan of Spartak for a long time – since childhood. My father also supported Spartak. I haven’t been to the stadium often in my life, but lately I’ve started going more often. This is the second time in a month. I always watch the matches on TV.

— How do you find the results?

— Some things I like, others I don’t like. When I was in the match against Dynamo, I really liked the first half, but I didn’t have the same feeling in the second half. We played in the majority, and instead of going to put pressure, we started to get nervous and ended up losing the advantage.

— What can the team hope for this season?

— My impressions of Stankovic so far are positive, but few rounds have passed so it’s too early to talk about anything specific. I would like the team to confidently fight for the top three. I doubt the championship. It takes time. If Stankovic works for at least two or three years, it will be possible to wonder about serious results.

— What do you think of Sobolev’s transfer?

— This is neither the first nor the last time that a footballer moves from Spartak to Zenit, it was the other way around. I take this calmly: each player wants the best for himself. Yes, these days we miss the idea of ​​playing for a club. This means that there will be new leaders.

— Who is your favorite Spartak player?

— There was Quincy. Now I look at Ugalda and Barco. The Argentinian stands out from the rest – excellent dribbling, ball control.

— Does it surprise you that Anya Shcherbakova is also interested in football?

— You see how lucky it turned out – the coach and the student support the same club and go to the same stadium (smiling). I was happy to see her!

— Do you discuss football with her?

“She’s very busy at the moment.” We rarely see each other. Instead, at the match, they discussed how she was doing.

— This is the first round of the RPL after a break during which the national team held a training camp. Should it even meet when there are no official matches?

— It is clear that today it is difficult to adapt to the conditions in which we find ourselves. I think it’s useful to get together and get to know the players, look at their form, try different combinations. Sooner or later the time will come when we will be allowed. Such gatherings have meaning.

“Until the ISU increases the cost of the quadruple throw, there is no point in practicing it competitively.”

— At the next stage of the Grand Prix in Magnitogorsk, there will be four sporting couples. What does this mean?

— Injured couples out of season were supposed to perform there. As a result, their number has decreased. But there are many stages, as well as beautiful couples. Boykova and Kozlovsky, Mishina and Gallyamov are particularly high-level couples. I think they would be in first or second place everywhere if they were now allowed onto the international stage.

— Do Boykova and Kozlovsky plan to continue practicing quadruple throws in competition?

— This is a very difficult discussion. I would like to point out that the cost of this element is very low, it does not correspond to its complexity. Even if it’s done poorly, it will cost less than a high quality triple ejector. So until ISU raises its price, it is of no use.

However, this element is rather the desire of the guys themselves. They jump and do it in practice, they showed it on the show. There was a desire to do it during competitions. Since we showed this element during the preparatory competitions, it’s normal that it didn’t work there. Now there will be the stages of the Grand Prix, the Russian Championship – we will think about whether the risk is worth it.

— Do you rule out that, despite the low cost, attempts at quadruple throws are still possible during competitions?

– Yes. It depends on the composition of the participants and the fitness of the athletes. If it’s safe, why not try?

— Recently, Tatiana Tarasova said that there are no more athletes who will be remembered for centuries. Do you agree?

— Not so long ago there was the 2022 Olympic Games, where our girls wrote their names in history. Nathan Chen was great there. Now there’s Ilya Malinin, who jumps a quadruple axel – an element no one has ever done. I wouldn’t say that such a thing doesn’t exist at all. The season will pass and there will be an Olympic year – then we will be able to compare who will remain in the history of figure skating. This opinion is influenced by our detachment.

— Were you surprised by the ISU’s decision not to review our suspension?

– Absolutely not, it was entirely planned. I hope we get a quota and the opportunity to qualify for the Olympics. At least one athlete in each event. If this happens, then there will be success.

— Is there any hope for the admission of juniors?

– Don’t think. If they are allowed, I will only be happy. Here, nothing depends on us.

— How has the level of figure skating in Russia changed since the suspension?

— As we can see, pair skating is in perfect condition. The boys have only improved. There was a slight shrinkage among the girls, that’s the impression we got from the test skates. We’ll see how it goes this season. I think the level will be high for the Russian Championship.

— How has your job changed?

– Not really. It has become a little calmer: there is no racing. We understand that it is necessary to gradually bring athletes towards the main competitions. And then – I’m just waiting for the ISU decisions. There are plans and a desire to participate in the Olympic Games.

— How is world figure skating evolving without us?

— In each type, everything is individual, because interest diminishes in the absence of competition. Ice dancing exists just fine without us. But we lack pair skating: the level is not that high. When our 3-4 couples perform at the Grand Prix, each stage seems stronger. If we talk about girls, then, of course, we do not see any ultra-si elements, and for the viewer this is disadvantageous. The public is declining.

“I love traveling, but Moscow is number one for life”

— You recently started working with a group of amateur adults. What are the main differences compared to training professional athletes?

— This is my outlet, I like working with adults: they come to training with the most determined mood, with the desire to gain knowledge and skills, and ask questions about every movement. Ideal to help you change.

—How did you come up with this idea?

— I worked so much in the summer with Eteri Georgievna that we spent dozens of hours on the ice. Once the production period was over, I thought it would definitely not be difficult for me to work a little more once a week.

— What are you like outside of work? What are your hobbies?

— My wife and I love traveling and visiting tourist sites. I also like cinema and sport. I follow football in different countries and am interested in e-sports. Sometimes I play dotka (Dota 2, video game – approx. “”).

— Has it become more difficult to travel?

– Certainly. But I always try to visit a large number of countries. I was recently in Europe, in Jordan, in Bali.

— Top 3 most beautiful cities in the world?

— Tokyo, Paris and Moscow. Actually, I love Moscow. It is the first city to live in.

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