Anna Shcherbakova Fan Thread

BlueRidge

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The Washington Post had this article yesterday:

Who is Anna Shcherbakova? The Olympic gold medalist has a championship history.

But to those who closely follow the sport, the 17-year-old Shcherbakova was neither a surprise figure nor an unlikely winner. The reigning world champion wowed judges throughout the 2021 season, managing to remain elite through her speed, musicality and dramatic presence even if her jumping program was not quite as explosive as those of her fellow Russian teens. She was twice a silver medalist at the European championships, and she took third at the most recent Russian championships — behind her training partners, Valieva and Alexandra Trusova, the silver medalist in Beijing.

Perhaps surprisingly, Shcherbakova is a big fan of U.S. figure skater Nathan Chen, this year’s men’s Olympic gold medalist.

“Probably he made an even greater impression than usual, because I usually watched him skating on the Internet, and this is completely different than live,” she said in April 2021 after watching Chen win the world championship in Stockholm. “I watched with bated breath, my legs were shaking, it seemed that I was worried more than during my own skate. Here I had the opportunity to see his training, to see how he prepared for his performances. All this is a great experience for me. I am extremely happy that I was able to see it.”
 

mjb52

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Ah, that's a reminder of how they had him bring her a birthday cake didn't they? Was that at Worlds during the gala? That was such a cute moment.
 

Sylvia

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Scott512

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I had to search for this thread because there were no recent posts. This beautiful skater has the best chance of winning the OGM, based on the mental toughness she has displayed the last three years. I don't understand why she is not as popular as some of her teammates, who are great skaters too.

I was very happy to see her land the quad flip recently in the Italian GP. I was hearing that she has lost the quads. She proved them wrong. From her interview it seems she will have the quad lutz next time or at her nationals. I am rooting for her to make the Olympic team.
Bruh bruh you were right, spot on etc. ;)

Who did you have in the Super Bowl?

Anna has an amazing pedigree she stays to herself does her work never causes a commotion and she should have been very pissed off she was left off the roster for the team event as a reigning world champion.

If sasha had been on the team at 1 gold I think her anger might have been a little less.

It was really an incredible competition and Anna rose up after sasha broke everyone's minds with those 5 quads. I sort of thought sasha had it at that point and then when you saw the little scoreboard with a technical scthe technical score and that Anna was getting to 70 and 80 and 90 and I've already done her 2 quads and a lot of skating wizard rate I thought oh my God she's going to beat sasha her friend. She did.

Is Anna now the greatest female skater Russia has ever produced? Holding the Olympic title and world title at the same time against the competition she's gone against is staggering.

I hope Anna can stay healthy and skate for a few more years whether she's the top lady or not. But just a few days ago we were hearing stories about boot problems or an ankle injury or a neck injury and then she goes out and wins Olympic gold topping someone just nailed 5 quads which may never be done again by a lady at the Olympics. I just hope now Anna can go home and enjoy herself for a while.

The stress on her and all the skaters from all the countries the last 2 years has to be off the charts and then they lived in a bubble they have to wear masks everywhere. I give them so much credit because I could never do it.
 

Vash01

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Bruh bruh you were right, spot on etc. ;)

Who did you have in the Super Bowl?

Anna has an amazing pedigree she stays to herself does her work never causes a commotion and she should have been very pissed off she was left off the roster for the team event as a reigning world champion.

If sasha had been on the team at 1 gold I think her anger might have been a little less.

It was really an incredible competition and Anna rose up after sasha broke everyone's minds with those 5 quads. I sort of thought sasha had it at that point and then when you saw the little scoreboard with a technical scthe technical score and that Anna was getting to 70 and 80 and 90 and I've already done her 2 quads and a lot of skating wizard rate I thought oh my God she's going to beat sasha her friend. She did.

Is Anna now the greatest female skater Russia has ever produced? Holding the Olympic title and world title at the same time against the competition she's gone against is staggering.

I hope Anna can stay healthy and skate for a few more years whether she's the top lady or not. But just a few days ago we were hearing stories about boot problems or an ankle injury or a neck injury and then she goes out and wins Olympic gold topping someone just nailed 5 quads which may never be done again by a lady at the Olympics. I just hope now Anna can go home and enjoy herself for a while.

The stress on her and all the skaters from all the countries the last 2 years has to be off the charts and then they lived in a bubble they have to wear masks everywhere. I give them so much credit because I could never do it.
Thanks. I thought the Rams would win but I was rooting for the Bengals. I never liked the Rams and they won in the last few minutes. I was disappointed that they proved me right. LOL.

My gut feeling is that Anna will be around a few more years. I think she enjoys a challenge. I don't know if she will be around till 2026,but if she makes the Olympic team, I wouldn't bet against her to win backto back OGM.
 

Scott512

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Thanks. I thought the Rams would win but I was rooting for the Bengals. I never liked the Rams and they won in the last few minutes. I was disappointed that they proved me right. LOL.

My gut feeling is that Anna will be around a few more years. I think she enjoys a challenge. I don't know if she will be around till 2026,but if she makes the Olympic team, I wouldn't bet against her to win backto back OGM.
I was rooting for Cincinnati as well but thought they the rams would win. It's very disappointing because it looks like Cincinnati might do it and they kind of collapsed in the 4th quarter. Anna does not collapse she does not win all the time but the time but she never blows it. She has something inside of her that is championship material. She may have even been able to beat KV with that skate if there was no controversy about Kamila. Having a 15 year old skate last at the Olympics is tremendous pressure and Alina skated 2nd to last 4 years ago and that really helped her.

I think Anna having a very calm cool and collected personality helps her in tough times as well. I don't think we will ever see her raging or angry in public.

I hope to see Anna's gala performance at the Olympics. I'm sure it will be amazing like like the one at Europeans.
 

Vash01

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I was rooting for Cincinnati as well but thought they the rams would win. It's very disappointing because it looks like Cincinnati might do it and they kind of collapsed in the 4th quarter. Anna does not collapse she does not win all the time but the time but she never blows it. She has something inside of her that is championship material. She may have even been able to beat KV with that skate if there was no controversy about Kamila. Having a 15 year old skate last at the Olympics is tremendous pressure and Alina skated 2nd to last 4 years ago and that really helped her.

I think Anna having a very calm cool and collected personality helps her in tough times as well. I don't think we will ever see her raging or angry in public.

I hope to see Anna's gala performance at the Olympics. I'm sure it will be amazing like like the one at Europeans.
My read is that Anna gets it done when she must, like the LP at the nationals. Her Olympic chances depended on it, after her subpar SP. The GP were not That important, but she won anyway, without quads. Her LP in 2000 was amazing, considering she had been sick. Somehow she has a knack or intuition about when she must play her Ace, so to speak.
 

Fadeevfanboy

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My read is that Anna gets it done when she must, like the LP at the nationals. Her Olympic chances depended on it, after her subpar SP. The GP were not That important, but she won anyway, without quads. Her LP in 2000 was amazing, considering she had been sick. Somehow she has a knack or intuition about when she must play her Ace, so to speak.
Ashley Wagner put it best. She is a ferocious competitor.
 

mjb52

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I always thought Anna had a chance too. In one article, it was pointed out that her quads are harder - the flip and lutz - so really what she was missing was the triple axel and the sort of mystique. But I never ruled her out. I just wish we had a chance to find out under better circumstances.
 

becca

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I always thought Anna had a chance too. In one article, it was pointed out that her quads are harder - the flip and lutz - so really what she was missing was the triple axel and the sort of mystique. But I never ruled her out. I just wish we had a chance to find out under better circumstances.
Anna is a champion. Period I didn’t agree with folks who were throw her out after one bad skate
 

Scott512

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My read is that Anna gets it done when she must, like the LP at the nationals. Her Olympic chances depended on it, after her subpar SP. The GP were not That important, but she won anyway, without quads. Her LP in 2000 was amazing, considering she had been sick. Somehow she has a knack or intuition about when she must play her Ace, so to speak.
It's got to be an intuition she instinctively knows when to strike when to raise the bar when to do her best when people don't expect it.

How about goofy reporter that asked her at the press conference after Nationals why do you deserve to be on the Olympic team? Lol. Anna should have been in the team event too.
 

Scott512

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She looks delicate on the outside, but tough as nails inside.

Earlier when people didn't even want her on the Olympic team, I (and a few others) kept saying she is the toughest competitor Russia has right now.
No question about it. She has the class she has the brain she has the heart she has the guts she has the clutch gene. I think sasha was blown away that she could do 5 quads and then have the next skater her good friend Anna do even better and beat her. It was staggering to watch unfold. Forget about the tears and anger afterwards from a couple of the girls. The sasha versus Anna showdown was the best in the history of ladies Olympic figure skating. I just hope sasha can recover. if Anna had ended up with the silver it would not have had the same crushing effect on her.
 
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Vash01

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Her ability to peak at the right time year after year reminds me of Kwan as does her personality. That’s something you cannot teach.
Funny I was thinking this afternoon that Sasha Cohen had the misfortune of competing against Michelle Kwan,who always delivered at the nationals, and Sasha finished second. I am seeing something similar here. Anna always delivers her best at the right time, and Sasha Trusova had to settle for the silver, despite her five quads. Last year Kamila was in Second place at the nationals, after a clean LP. Somehow Anna gets it done. Very Michelle like.
 
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NAOTMAA

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No question about it. She has the class she has the brain she has the heart she has the guts she has the clutch gene. I think sasha was blown away that she could do 5 clodge and then have the next skater who good friend Anna are do even better and beat her. It was staggering to watch unfold. Forget about the tears and anger afterwards from a couple of the girls. The sasha versus Anna showdown was the best in the history of ladies Olympic figure skating. I just hope sasha can recover. if Anna had ended up with the silver it would not have had the same crushing effect on her.
I was blown away too! I had to get ready for work so I was only looking at the ISU results page on my cell and when I saw Aleksandra's marks I thought oh my god holy shit she did it, she landed all her quads, it's all over (for Anna at least). I had to leave as Kaori was skating. I remember rushing to my work desk and pulling out my phone to see what the standing were and my eyes literally bugged out of my head when I saw Anna in first. I had to cover my mouth to stop myself from laughing out loud I was in shock. And then a few minutes later saw Kamila 5th in the free and was off the podium. It all happened so fast I couldn't believe any of it.
I've been watching skating since 1996 and will never forget this. It's the first time my absolute favorite lady competing has won the Olympics and I'm still smiling.
 

Scott512

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I was blown away too! I had to get ready for work so I was only looking at the ISU results page on my cell and when I saw Aleksandra's marks I thought oh my god holy shit she did it, she landed all her quads, it's all over (for Anna at least). I had to leave as Kaori was skating. I remember rushing to my work desk and pulling out my phone to see what the standing were and my eyes literally bugged out of my head when I saw Anna in first. I had to cover my mouth to stop myself from laughing out loud I was in shock. And then a few minutes later saw Kamila 5th in the free and was off the podium. It all happened so fast I couldn't believe any of it.
I've been watching skating since 1996 and will never forget this. It's the first time my absolute favorite lady competing has won the Olympics and I'm still smiling.
I hope you got to watch the replay at night if you were in America because it was incredible the entire free skate was incredible from the middle of the pack on down to Anya. I have no doubt KV was bothered by the doping controversy and all the fuss and craziness around the world acting like it was some kind of nuclear accident. But what I think it is Anna knows how to handle big time situations much more than KV does and I think she could have beaten her anyway. Also the fifteen-year-old phenom in my opinion was handicapped having to go last after kaori and Sasha and Anna freaking killed it. She had also never lost at the senior level before. To me Sasha won her silver medal she didn't lose a gold medal.

On a side note I wonder if Annas relationship with Sasha will change at all after this.
 

Spun Silver

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I hope you got to watch the replay at night if you were in America because it was incredible the entire free skate was incredible from the middle of the pack on down to Anya. I have no doubt KV was bothered by the doping controversy and all the fuss and craziness around the world acting like it was some kind of nuclear accident. But what I think it is Anna knows how to handle big time situations much more than KV does and I think she could have beaten her anyway. Also the fifteen-year-old phenom in my opinion was handicapped having to go last after kaori and Sasha and Anna freaking killed it. She had also never lost at the senior level before. To me Sasha won her silver medal she didn't lose a gold medal.

On a side note I wonder if Annas relationship with Sasha will change at all after this.
Anna beat Kamila at Russian Nats in 2020. I'm glad you posted because I've been feeling like a chump for finding this the most thrilling Olympic ladies comp ever. My heart broke for Kamila but I suppose the whole drama heightened the emotion of the event, then the incredible skating of Gubanova, [I missed Kurakova], Hendricks, Yelim Kim, Young You, Mariah, Alysa, Wakaba, Kaori, and Anna had me gasping. When it was over I spent half an hour describing the whole thing to my husband who is clueless about skating since about Dick Button and John Misha Petkevich and couldn't care less, but could tell it really really mattered to me so he sat listening politely. I'm a big Anna fan. She seems like a total class act, with the most astonishing contrast between her slight, demure appearance and her tiger-like demeanor on the ice. I love how she's grown into this free program with its kind of black swan glittering personification of evil. She was commanding. And to do that after what Sasha put down and with all the Kamila-Eteri drama in the background was unbelievable. And then the despair that followed pushed it over the top. I've never seen an Olympics like this, ever.
 

Scott512

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Anna beat Kamila at Russian Nats in 2020. I'm glad you posted because I've been feeling like a chump for finding this the most thrilling Olympic ladies comp ever. My heart broke for Kamila but I suppose the whole drama heightened the emotion of the event, then the incredible skating of Gubanova, [I missed Kurakova], Hendricks, Yelim Kim, Young You, Mariah, Alysa, Wakaba, Kaori, and Anna had me gasping. When it was over I spent half an hour describing the whole thing to my husband who is clueless about skating since about Dick Button and John Misha Petkevich and couldn't care less, but could tell it really really mattered to me so he sat listening politely. I'm a big Anna fan. She seems like a total class act, with the most astonishing contrast between her slight, demure appearance and her tiger-like demeanor on the ice. I love how she's grown into this free program with its kind of black swan glittering personification of evil. She was commanding. And to do that after what Sasha put down and with all the Kamila-Eteri drama in the background was unbelievable. And then the despair that followed pushed it over the top. I've never seen an Olympics like this, ever.
It was an incredible olympic competition. A lot of the ladies skated the best of their lives including Nastia who skated so beautifully and did two 3 - 3s in her free skate. But Anna beat Nastia by almost 55 points! Staggering. That shows how great Anna is and how she can rack up the points in so many ways. Anna never got flustered about the controversy about KV, about Sasha's mind blowing 5 quads or about being left off the team event which was absolutely ridiculous. She just did her work and had the greatest skate in the history of the Olympics for the ladies to take the gold from the quad queen in the most stunning fashion ever! That's all. ;)

I'm glad your husband watched with you. He probably cannot believe how the sport has advanced in the last few decades.
 
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Scott512

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I hope this isn't considered board-dragging, but I wanted to share this spectacular shot and couldn't find it anywhere else.


Thanks for the unique and beautiful photo.

Anna is a phenom in her own right and she's even more unbelievable in these gala shows than in competition. Her Ave Maria gala is one of the best I've ever seen. This is very natural for her she understands the artistry and the musicality.

3 national championships one world championship and an Olympic championship is quite a resume for a 17 year old girl / woman. Anna holding a world title and an Olympic title at the same time as quite remarkable. And I think she could have even beaten Kamila even if there was no controversy swirling around her 15 year old teammate. Anna has the goods and it can't be denied anymore.
 

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