Russian interview with Duhamel

[Sylvia]

"In an interview with BUSINESS Online, Meagan shared who she is rooting for in pair and women's single skating, how to stay healthy, studying the elements of ultra-C [], and what are the features of raising a child during a pandemic. She also talked about working with a progressive Japanese couple and the difficulties skaters face in Canada." [machine translates fairly well]

«Ты должен быть либо богатым, либо сумасшедшим». Чемпионка из Канады – о Валиевой, Туктамышевой и деньгах в фигурном катании

На топ-спортсмена нужно 60 тыс долларов в год, считает Меган Дюамель.

sport.business-gazeta.ru

ETA link to a translation of this interview:

Meagan Duhamel: “I would like the judging system to reflect the real performance”

Interview with Meagan Duhamel for Russian media. In the interview Meagan shared who she is rooting for in pair and women's single skating, how to stay healthy, working on ultra-c elements. She also talked about working with a progressive Japanese pair and the difficulties skaters face in Canada.

fs-gossips.com

 

[screech]

Surprisingly decent auto-translate on this one.

I agree with her on separating components, allowing quads in womens SP, more choreographic requirements, etc.

Though at one point she says that Eric said "I only train to go to the competition and win." yet was surprised when he didn't want to train for shows, but instead decided to again train for competitions? Based on what she said about how his decision to compete affected other teams, I agree it was a bit of a slap in the face.

Also, though she's absolutely entitled to her privacy, I kind of want to know what the drama was that keeps her from coaching.

 

[maatTheViking]

Also, though she's absolutely entitled to her privacy, I kind of want to know what the drama was that keeps her from coaching

me too, I'm terribly curious. It doesn't seem to have anything to do with Radford, and more with something that happened in the rink? She doesn't even go to the rink at all? that's... odd.


Interesting how much she wanted to say about Radford, I'm surprised she didn't keep it to a generic statement on moving on from it and 'wishign them the best'. I guess she is still upset. Also interesting that she phrased a lot of it as confusion - what are they trying to achieve?

 

[rhapsody]

Also, though she's absolutely entitled to her privacy, I kind of want to know what the drama was that keeps her from coaching.

Meagan wants to coach alongside Bruno but KMT did not want her on the ice for whatever reason.

 

[skatingguy]

Duhamel is an intense person, as are most elite athletes, and I can see how that energy brought to bare on a former rival would make that rival uncomfortable & annoyed. Making that switch from rival would be difficult for most people to make, and I think Duhamel will probably find a place coaching younger teams.

 

[Sonata]

I know this is all speculation, but it doesn’t help that MD went on The Skating Lesson this weekend to discuss how J/R’s return was playing with KMT’s head and then said she had sent KMT/M a message telling them to “get over” J/R’s return and how if she could get over it, they can. I have no idea if KMT’s recent inconsistencies are due at all with J/R’s return, but it would not be helpful at all to have your former teammate speculate on YouTube about this and also spill the contents of the message she sent them. (I would also suggest that saying that you’re “over” something and telling others to get over something because you have highly suggests that you yourself have not truly gotten over it.)

I think MD has lots of strengths, but this pretend “tough talk” in such a public way was rather insensitive and showed lack of discretion. She has helped further an unhelpful narrative about KMT/M. I would not want someone like that on my team.

Edited: J/R, not J/D.

 

[Coco]

Her desire for privacy seems to come and go, smh.

I have never skated at this level, so maybe it makes more sense to people with a technical background, but she seems to compare a pairs skater learning how to land a quad throw with a singles skater learning how to land a quad.

And is she really saying that injuries only happen when people eat right, properly condition themselves and don't attempt skills they can't physically do?

 

[skatingguy]

And is she really saying that injuries only happen when people eat right, properly condition themselves and don't attempt skills they can't physically do?

No.

 

[Karen-W]

So, I'm going to flip the notion around about whatever is going on between KMT and MD. Meagan herself discussed, yesterday in the TSL chat, how she sat in the KnC after 2017 ACI where they skated horribly and she basically was like "I need to fix this." She is, as has been acknowledged, a very intense, take charge A-personality. She's also admitted that she was very confused by Eric's decision to partner with Vanessa. Just spit-balling her, but, maybe at some point this summer/fall after the announcement, she realized she was "wallowing" and that no amount of crying or gossiping, etc was going to change what was - that Eric ditched her and their show opportunities to skate with Vanessa. Jonathan or Dave asked her last night if she thought a bit of what was going on with both MTM and W/M was that they were feeding off of each other's negativity. She didn't really hesitate to agree with their suggestion but did try to move on rather quickly from the topic. So, is it possible that that is what is really going on and she knows it, recognized it in herself and chose to stay away from the rink because she needs, for herself, to be positive and move forward and stop dwelling on it? It might have even been at Bruno's suggestion, becaus he saw how toxic things were becoming, in general. He can't control what is happening with those two teams when they're at Purkiss' rink, but he can control the environment at Oakville.

We don't really know except what she said to Kirsten or how she presented it except that she did reach out at some point late this fall. And we don't know much about why she isn't at the rink. What we do know, and it's fairly obvious from KMT's own limited comments, is that she is really struggling right now.

Just some food for thought and musings.

 

[hanca]

We don't really know except what she said to Kirsten or how she presented it except that she did reach out at some point late this fall. And we don't know much about why she isn't at the rink. What we do know, and it's fairly obvious from KMT's own limited comments, is that she is really struggling right now.

Just some food for thought and musings.

But we do know. She made posts a while ago about how she had been stabbed in the back by a person who should be closest to her (it was around the time she stopped coaching an the gossip was that the skaters were not happy about her being a part of their coaching team. The betrayal would have been her husband siding with the skaters rather than with her…) so it seems that it is the truth.

 

[Karen-W]

But we do know. She made posts a while ago about how she had been stabbed in the back by a person who should be closest to her (it was around the time she stopped coaching an the gossip was that the skaters were not happy about her being a part of their coaching team. The betrayal would have been her husband siding with the skaters rather than with her…) so it seems that it is the truth.

Well, maybe she did view it as a betrayal because he was saying "step away, for your own mental health" and now that she has had some time away, she's come to realize that she was helping contribute to a toxic environment for all of them because none of them were really moving forward.

 

[hanca]

Well, maybe she did view it as a betrayal because he was saying "step away, for your own mental health" and now that she has had some time away, she's come to realize that she was helping contribute to a toxic environment for all of them because none of them were really moving forward.

From what I read about it at that time, it wasn’t that she stepped away, it was more that she was kicked out. As in, it wasn’t her decision, it was forced on her.

 

[Karen-W]

From what I read about it at that time, it wasn’t that she stepped away, it was more that she was kicked out. As in, it wasn’t her decision, it was forced on her.

Yes, that seems to be my recollection as well but it doesn't change the basic idea that someone close to her (probably Bruno) recognized the negative attitude and, in essence, staged an intervention with her. I think she's in a healthier place with regard to Eric partnering with Vanessa than she was several months ago and has perhaps had enough time away to recognize how her own negativity was a factor. Who really knows what is going on with KMT and MD. I just don't necessarily think, based on KMT's own recent postings, that MD is necessarily the bad actor in this little drama. We've all said it in, in both the Canadian pairs thread and the pbp of Golden Spin - those teams aren't demonstrating much competitive fight. They're a month out from Canadians. At this point, they either need to dig deep and find some energy reserve and will to do more than just go through the motions.

 

[Mayra]

But we do know. She made posts a while ago about how she had been stabbed in the back by a person who should be closest to her (it was around the time she stopped coaching an the gossip was that the skaters were not happy about her being a part of their coaching team. The betrayal would have been her husband siding with the skaters rather than with her…) so it seems that it is the truth.

We also know the tone of her message to KMT/M because she pretty bluntly described it on TSL. This isn't reading between the lines. They are her own words. She is literally out there talking about her husband's pupils in a way that is neither helpful or positive in any way. IMO

What is she the Canadian Yana Rudkovskaya now?

Someone send Marie-France and Patrice to bring some love and light to Oakville please.

 

[Karen-W]

We also know the tone of her message to KMT/M because she pretty bluntly described it on TSL. This isn't reading between the lines. They are her own words. She is literally out there talking about her husband's pupils in a way that is neither helpful or positive in any way. IMO

What is she the Canadian Yana Rudkovskaya now?

Someone send Marie-France and Patrice to bring some love and light to Oakville please.

I think you are reading WAY more into what Meagan said with regard to the message she sent to KMT. She was fairly succinct in her description on TSL. Furthermore, she did not elaborate on whether she sent that message entirely on her own or at someone else's behest (not necessarily Bruno). Additionally, how do you know it wasn't helpful or positive? If you haven't read the message or heard directly from KMT or anyone else on that team then you can't assume that it was neither helpful nor positive. You are putting yourself in KMT's position and saying "oh, heck no, I would consider this neither positive nor helpful." We simply do NOT know enough about the context of the message other than she sent one that some of us would not be receptive to but others might.

 

[hanca]

Additionally, how do you know it wasn't helpful or positive? If you haven't read the message or heard directly from KMT or anyone else on that team then you can't assume that it was neither helpful nor positive.

I am sure she meant it to be helpful and positive, but telling someone to get over something and cope because even I got over it too, I am not sure if that really is helpful. It can make the people feel like failures that they struggle to get over something whereas she already managed to get over it.

 

[Karen-W]

I am sure she meant it to be helpful and positive, but telling someone to get over something and cope because even I got over it too, I am not sure if that really is helpful. It can make the people feel like failures that they struggle to get over something whereas she already managed to get over it.

I don't disagree. On first blush, I don't know that it would have had the intended positive effect, but it's also really hard, without having the full message to read for ourselves or being part of KMT's inner circle (partner, coaching team & mental health professionals, family, friends, federation) to come to much of a conclusion beyond "ehhhh, maybe not the best idea". I think there is an assumption that Meagan was her usual direct, brusque self in whatever message she sent to KMT, but it is possible that it was more sensitive, thoughtful and respectful than that.

 

[puglover]

No secret I have always been a huge fan of Meagan and find her very interesting. I don't personally know her at all but I have followed her career. Although my husband is not talkative, I see similarities between them. They both have a mental toughness and ability to put their minds to something and just push through. In earlier years and partnerships, I recall watching Meagan somehow land throws that appeared impossible but she just would not give up on them. I think the challenge for people with that amount of self control and direction is understanding why the rest of us struggle with control of - eating, exercising, disciplining ourselves, staying motivated, etc.

 

[Mayra]

I think you are reading WAY more into what Meagan said with regard to the message she sent to KMT. She was fairly succinct in her description on TSL. Furthermore, she did not elaborate on whether she sent that message entirely on her own or at someone else's behest (not necessarily Bruno). Additionally, how do you know it wasn't helpful or positive? If you haven't read the message or heard directly from KMT or anyone else on that team then you can't assume that it was neither helpful nor positive.

We can sit and conjure up scenarios in which their coach or some random person at Skate Canada prompted her to send that message, or if she had other words of wisdom in that message, but I'm simply going by HER own words...

Per Meagan this is what she sent after the short program at RC:

"You don't have to read this if you don't want to, but if you want to, here is my honest truth..."

"Yes, there was a time where you had the right to feel sorry for yourself, but that ship has sailed and you need to stop feeling sorry for yourself."

You are putting yourself in KMT's position and saying "oh, heck no, I would consider this neither positive nor helpful." We simply do NOT know enough about the context of the message other than she sent one that some of us would not be receptive to but others might.

Agreed. I could be very off the mark. This is why I put IMO. Only they know their truth, and I hope it works out for all involved.

 

[Spun Silver]

I wonder how Meagan would react to someone giving her the same advice (including the dig, "that ship has sailed"). Sure seems like she's still upset over Eric's "sudden" decision to skate with Vanessa. (And the more she talks about it the more understandable it is IMO.)

 

[Cherub721]

Mishina / Galliamov perform a combination of triple salchow + oiler + triple salchow, and Sui / Han cannot even make one triple salchow.

Ouch

 

[Judy]

I wonder how Meagan would react to someone giving her the same advice (including the dig, "that ship has sailed"). Sure seems like she's still upset over Eric's "sudden" decision to skate with Vanessa. (And the more she talks about it the more understandable it is IMO.)

Pretty hard to judge when we’re not involved in it the message personally. Likely it is some wise words.

 

[sap5]

Listening to her on TSL, I wonder how good Meagan is at listening to and understanding people who approach responsibilities and difficulties in ways that are different from her own.

 

[Vagabond]

Listening to her on TSL, I wonder how good Meagan is at listening to and understanding people who approach responsibilities and difficulties in ways that are different from her own.

Ask Eric Radford.

 

[skatfan]

Good interview with Megean. She's such a competitor and figured out a lot about being a champion.

 

[mackiecat]

i remeber her being upset that her sister-in-law was on the coaching team of J/R and didn’t warn her ahead of time. I think this is the person close to her that “stabbed her in the back”

She did post on twitter about how an employer needed to give her a private place to breast feed when she was working. This seemed to be a huge issue with her at the time. In Ontario, most coaches are not employees, they are free-lanced self-employed professionals. In that case, there is no requirement fir the employer to offer this kind of space as the relationship is not a employee/employer relationship. I wonder if this was the reason that she is no longer coaching.

 

[Japanfan]

No secret I have always been a huge fan of Meagan and find her very interesting. I don't personally know her at all but I have followed her career. Although my husband is not talkative, I see similarities between them. They both have a mental toughness and ability to put their minds to something and just push through. In earlier years and partnerships, I recall watching Meagan somehow land throws that appeared impossible but she just would not give up on them. I think the challenge for people with that amount of self control and direction is understanding why the rest of us struggle with control of - eating, exercising, disciplining ourselves, staying motivated, etc.

I've always liked and admired Megan.

I remember an interview with her in which she said she knew early on that she would never be the prettiest skater, or the most graceful, or the most popular. So, she vowed to be the hardest working - and that paid off in spades.

No comment on the current situation, I have not followed the story closely enough. Though from what I do know, it's makes sense to me that Meagan would feel betrayed.