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Olga Ermolina's interview with Maksim Kovtun `First money I earned I spent on a coat for my mom' for fsrussia.ru
OE: Maksim, what is the mood entering the season, had your motivation changed?
MK: The training camp in Novogorsk is nearing it's end. For me the summer preparations are the most important and tough periods, because you get back to work after the vacation, after you left all behind and mentally recovered. We were supposed to start working on the new programmes on June 5th, but we began on 2nd.
A huge thanks to Novogorsk centre for the great conditions, there is all that is needed and we are always treated so well here. We have a great team: my coach Inna Goncharenko, choreographer Anna Bilibina. This time we collaborated with the gym coach from St. Petersburg Mikhail Voinov.
OE: Did Ilya Averbukh choreograph both of your programmes?
MK: Ilya did together with Elena Maslennikova. Misha Ge helped with the exhibition, Sergey Verbillo also helped with the SP. We started working on the SP before the varation, but then I went away and Sergey couldn't start working immediately and we had to work on things. On June 1st I came back from my vacation and was on the ice on the 2nd, because there was not much time left. We asked Misha Ge to help and I loved working with him. He is full of energy and has so many ideas. I think I'll work with him in the future.
OE: Was the music for the programmes chosen by Averbukh?
MK: I voiced my ideas about the new programmes at the end of the previous season. I said I'd love to have a Spanish theme in the SP and the LP has to be something not classical - a rock or a blues. In the end the SP music is a flamenco and the LP is to Pink Floyd.
OE: The male skating is developing in the jumps: the leaders are attempting 5-6 quads in one programme. What is your goal?
MK: The same - 2 quads in the SP and 3 in the LP. While pervious season I had a variation with 2 or 3 quads in the LP we now choreographed the programme with 3 quads. In the SP - two quads (a toe and a salchow) and a 3A in the 2nd part of the programme. In the LP besides the quads - two 3A in the 2nd part of the programme. So the programmes will be loaded.
Of course there is more work to do. Besides the jumps I would like to have the transitions, steps, a programme more full and we were putting a stress on that during the preparations. I think the programmes came out interesting and well packed.
This is the Olympic season, hence all has to be done faster and I have to work more. In September - the test skates. Comparing to the same time last year am better prepared. I already land the quads in the practices, the tripples, do the 4/3. Of course the practices are not the competitions and I realize to get in the shape faster I need to work more.
OE: Were you able to visit home during the vacation?
MK: I try to go home to Ekaterinburg whenever I have an occasion, at least for a couple of days. This summer my parents visited me in Moscow. Well, they went to my brother in Dnepropetrovsk, Ukraine. My other brother came there as well. so my whole family except for me were there, together, resting. All that time they kept in contact with me. Then my parents came over. They also came over for a couple of days before visiting my brother. I showed them around. There are always places in Moscow they haven't visited before and I want to show them everything, make sure they enjoy their time, take them to good restaurants.
OE: What is the role of the family in your life, how important is your parents' support?
MK: Very important. I know my parents will always support me. They never tell me what to do or give orders. It's not the way our family is. In any situation I can call home and ask `Dad, this is how things are, what is your advice?'. He will start with `take into an account what I'll say, but make your own decision'. It was always like that. Often when there are tough moments I ask my parents advice, they give me the right solutions. They are the only people who I can come to and feel their warmth even when I'm falling. I know its' my home and I can breath there freely. Going home is like a breath of the fresh air for me.
OE: Is it true you spent your first earned money on your mom's winter coat?
MK: Not the very first, but not far from that. True. I was not earning really back then. Think I was given a price money for Spartakiada, saved some money aside and spent it all on my mom's winter coat. I wanted to show her that I'm a real man and in the future will be able to support dad and her. They never lived for themselves. 3 kids. I have 2 older brothers. We were never well off, actually we were quite poor. The older brothers helping our parents in other things. They can't really support them financially since they have their own families. Hence I try to fill that gap. I want to allow my parents enjoy their life. To celebrate mom's birthday so she can invite people. Or send my parents to a vacation.
I bought them a car. It was my dream - to make father drive. First I had to convince him - he was against, was afraid he'd wreck the car and will not be able to pay back. I explained there is an insurance and it's not something to be afraid of. I started teaching him how to drive. When father was visiting in Moscow I would put him behind the wheel and we were driving around TSKA in circles. With time I saw his fear was going away and he was more comfortable. Later dad got his driving license and he's a great driver now.
OE: Once you moved to Moscow you set up your place quite fast. Did it move your sport goals to the background?
MK: Not at all. I needed the flat and the car to be able to breath and not worry about the living. When I moved to Moscow I realized I had to take care of that fast, so I would not be dependent. No one knows what will happen tomorrow - sport is a certain time of my life/
Now I have all that I need to focus on the training. The Olympics is the goal of every athlete. It's my goal. I will not talk much or promise anything. My goal is to do the best I can. To skate clean and confidently every competition
OE: Maksim, what is the mood entering the season, had your motivation changed?
MK: The training camp in Novogorsk is nearing it's end. For me the summer preparations are the most important and tough periods, because you get back to work after the vacation, after you left all behind and mentally recovered. We were supposed to start working on the new programmes on June 5th, but we began on 2nd.
A huge thanks to Novogorsk centre for the great conditions, there is all that is needed and we are always treated so well here. We have a great team: my coach Inna Goncharenko, choreographer Anna Bilibina. This time we collaborated with the gym coach from St. Petersburg Mikhail Voinov.
OE: Did Ilya Averbukh choreograph both of your programmes?
MK: Ilya did together with Elena Maslennikova. Misha Ge helped with the exhibition, Sergey Verbillo also helped with the SP. We started working on the SP before the varation, but then I went away and Sergey couldn't start working immediately and we had to work on things. On June 1st I came back from my vacation and was on the ice on the 2nd, because there was not much time left. We asked Misha Ge to help and I loved working with him. He is full of energy and has so many ideas. I think I'll work with him in the future.
OE: Was the music for the programmes chosen by Averbukh?
MK: I voiced my ideas about the new programmes at the end of the previous season. I said I'd love to have a Spanish theme in the SP and the LP has to be something not classical - a rock or a blues. In the end the SP music is a flamenco and the LP is to Pink Floyd.
OE: The male skating is developing in the jumps: the leaders are attempting 5-6 quads in one programme. What is your goal?
MK: The same - 2 quads in the SP and 3 in the LP. While pervious season I had a variation with 2 or 3 quads in the LP we now choreographed the programme with 3 quads. In the SP - two quads (a toe and a salchow) and a 3A in the 2nd part of the programme. In the LP besides the quads - two 3A in the 2nd part of the programme. So the programmes will be loaded.
Of course there is more work to do. Besides the jumps I would like to have the transitions, steps, a programme more full and we were putting a stress on that during the preparations. I think the programmes came out interesting and well packed.
This is the Olympic season, hence all has to be done faster and I have to work more. In September - the test skates. Comparing to the same time last year am better prepared. I already land the quads in the practices, the tripples, do the 4/3. Of course the practices are not the competitions and I realize to get in the shape faster I need to work more.
OE: Were you able to visit home during the vacation?
MK: I try to go home to Ekaterinburg whenever I have an occasion, at least for a couple of days. This summer my parents visited me in Moscow. Well, they went to my brother in Dnepropetrovsk, Ukraine. My other brother came there as well. so my whole family except for me were there, together, resting. All that time they kept in contact with me. Then my parents came over. They also came over for a couple of days before visiting my brother. I showed them around. There are always places in Moscow they haven't visited before and I want to show them everything, make sure they enjoy their time, take them to good restaurants.
OE: What is the role of the family in your life, how important is your parents' support?
MK: Very important. I know my parents will always support me. They never tell me what to do or give orders. It's not the way our family is. In any situation I can call home and ask `Dad, this is how things are, what is your advice?'. He will start with `take into an account what I'll say, but make your own decision'. It was always like that. Often when there are tough moments I ask my parents advice, they give me the right solutions. They are the only people who I can come to and feel their warmth even when I'm falling. I know its' my home and I can breath there freely. Going home is like a breath of the fresh air for me.
OE: Is it true you spent your first earned money on your mom's winter coat?
MK: Not the very first, but not far from that. True. I was not earning really back then. Think I was given a price money for Spartakiada, saved some money aside and spent it all on my mom's winter coat. I wanted to show her that I'm a real man and in the future will be able to support dad and her. They never lived for themselves. 3 kids. I have 2 older brothers. We were never well off, actually we were quite poor. The older brothers helping our parents in other things. They can't really support them financially since they have their own families. Hence I try to fill that gap. I want to allow my parents enjoy their life. To celebrate mom's birthday so she can invite people. Or send my parents to a vacation.
I bought them a car. It was my dream - to make father drive. First I had to convince him - he was against, was afraid he'd wreck the car and will not be able to pay back. I explained there is an insurance and it's not something to be afraid of. I started teaching him how to drive. When father was visiting in Moscow I would put him behind the wheel and we were driving around TSKA in circles. With time I saw his fear was going away and he was more comfortable. Later dad got his driving license and he's a great driver now.
OE: Once you moved to Moscow you set up your place quite fast. Did it move your sport goals to the background?
MK: Not at all. I needed the flat and the car to be able to breath and not worry about the living. When I moved to Moscow I realized I had to take care of that fast, so I would not be dependent. No one knows what will happen tomorrow - sport is a certain time of my life/
Now I have all that I need to focus on the training. The Olympics is the goal of every athlete. It's my goal. I will not talk much or promise anything. My goal is to do the best I can. To skate clean and confidently every competition
