Interview Mikhail Kolyada: "Ideally, we all should strive to be like the ice dancers"

[Eislauffan]

Interview with Mikhail Kolyada on the ISU website. He talks about why he feels spins are harder than jumps, on why he looks up to ice dancers and what is the best way for him to relax:

http://www.isu.org/figure-skating/f...rviews/11861-mikhail-kolyada?templateParam=15

 

[Ananas Astra]

Thank you very much! I just love this kid. He always is so well-spoken and has a good head on his shoulders.
I really think he might be the dark horse in Pyeongchang.

 

[PRlady]

Nice interview. I admire his admiration for the dancers. He's one of the four guys I want to medal....

(I know, I know.)

 

[barbk]

Great interview. She asked good questions and he had thoughtful answers.

 

[Eislauffan]

I am glad you enjoyed the interview. Mikhail is a really nice kid and smart, too.
The Men's event in Pyeongchang is wide open, much more so than the other events. Anything can happen. I do believe he has a chance to get on to the podium if he skates very well.

 

[Darkverse]

Actually I would say this season he's felt much less like a kid and more like an adult (considering his age, it's not exactly unexpected). I think the pressure and responsibility of being #1, as well as the experience bring maturity. Not that it worked for Kovtun, but Mikhail is both older than Maxim was and brought up to take his responsibilities more seriously.

 

[Eislauffan]

Actually I would say this season he's felt much less like a kid and more like an adult (considering his age, it's not exactly unexpected). I think the pressure and responsibility of being #1, as well as the experience bring maturity. Not that it worked for Kovtun, but Mikhail is both older than Maxim was and brought up to take his responsibilities more seriously.

Interesting comment. I agree that the character and personality of an athlete are an important factor. I am afraid that Maxim was spoiled too much. He is the youngest child in the family and his brothers are significantly older. So he was the "little one" (and probably everyone's darling). Then he was spoiled by the Federation, Tatiana Tarasova etc who thought he would be the next big thing in Russian men's skating. As you said, he was maybe too young to deal with all that.

Mikhail's situation was very different. He is the oldest of four children in his family and had to take responsibility for the younger siblings. He does not have a famous coach that could open doors for him in way like more prominent coaches could. His success did not come when he was a junior (and he lost a season due to his injury). He also was unable to finish the free skate in the pre-Olympic Russian Nationals due to equipment failure. He was in sixth place after the short and could have drawn attention with a good placement.

 

[Vash01]

Great interview. I like Misha.

I had to laugh when he listed a bunch of pairs team, including Sui-Han, but when was asked about his favorite lady (singles) skater, he named only Carolina Kostner and not One Russian lady

 

[caseyedwards]

I totally believe him! Has a step sequence from him ever not been level 4!?!?

 

[Tinami Amori]

Great interview. I like Misha.
I had to laugh when he listed a bunch of pairs team, including Sui-Han, but when was asked about his favorite lady (singles) skater, he named only Carolina Kostner and nit One Russian lady.

I can give a long story... but, let's just say, given where his head is at, the "russian ladies" are too young for him to "like the forms and movements" on the ice...

On another subject, Kolyada's whole family, taking his brother to his first year of school. https://www.instagram.com/p/sZntMohqMS/?hl=en&taken-by=mikhail_kolyada

His mother is so beautiful... just out of a Russian folk-tale..
https://www.instagram.com/p/sZoJTwBqMq/?hl=en&taken-by=mikhail_kolyada

 

[shine]

Great interview. I like Misha.

I had to laugh when he listed a bunch of pairs team, including Sui-Han, but when was asked about his favorite lady (singles) skater, he named only Carolina Kostner and nit One Russian lady.

I love that he has great tastes.

 

[Ananas Astra]

I can give a long story... but, let's just say, given where his head is at, the "russian ladies" are too young for him to "like the forms and movements" on the ice...

On another subject, Kolyada's whole family, taking his brother to his first year of school. https://www.instagram.com/p/sZntMohqMS/?hl=en&taken-by=mikhail_kolyada

His mother is so beautiful... just out of a Russian folk-tale..
https://www.instagram.com/p/sZoJTwBqMq/?hl=en&taken-by=mikhail_kolyada

I know, they are adorable.

 

[PRlady]

It was smart of him not to mention a Russian lady - any that he named would have been a pissoff for the ones he didn't! Three will be his teammates, after all.

Kostner was a safe choice, mature and with great skating skills and from a neutral country. Smart boy.

 

[skatingguy]

Kostner was a safe choice, mature and with great skating skills and from a neutral country. Smart boy.

Unless Kostner goes and wins the Olympics.

 

[PRlady]

Unless Kostner goes and wins the Olympics.

Not happening.

 

[Cherub721]

Every Russian lady says Kostner is their favorite too.

 

[Tinami Amori]

It was smart of him not to mention a Russian lady - any that he named would have been a pissoff for the ones he didn't! Three will be his teammates, after all.

Kostner was a safe choice, mature and with great skating skills and from a neutral country. Smart boy.

Plus, they both train in St. Petersburg, and cross passes, and Kostner is said to be the sweeeeeeeetest person to be around... always smiles, always pleasant, even during hard practice sessions.... and always says thank you practically after every instruction, and goes and does it, as instructed..
http://cdn.isu.org/images/files/Media-News-Events/Figure-Skating/2017/Pictures/p1280529.jpg
https://78.media.tumblr.com/f58dc5bbaf4913f9e31966e5b193fd2f/tumblr_o8hrqvo5yg1qc5l9co1_540.jpg
https://78.media.tumblr.com/c2b99fbca38a68c1d176f81bac1874fd/tumblr_o8hro1AqRI1qc5l9co1_540.jpg
https://78.media.tumblr.com/11742c673070166ef97789f04620c4db/tumblr_oxs4pfTOK41qd71qto3_1280.jpg

 

[PRlady]

I'm sure she is a lovely person, and accomplished, and many-lingual. She's still not going to medal in Korea unless there are some really epic meltdowns from others.

 

[Eislauffan]

Plus, they both train in St. Petersburg, and cross passes, and Kostner is said to be the sweeeeeeeetest person to be around... always smiles, always pleasant, even during hard practice sessions.... and always says thank you practically after every instruction, and goes and does it, as instructed..
http://cdn.isu.org/images/files/Media-News-Events/Figure-Skating/2017/Pictures/p1280529.jpg
https://78.media.tumblr.com/f58dc5bbaf4913f9e31966e5b193fd2f/tumblr_o8hrqvo5yg1qc5l9co1_540.jpg
https://78.media.tumblr.com/c2b99fbca38a68c1d176f81bac1874fd/tumblr_o8hro1AqRI1qc5l9co1_540.jpg
https://78.media.tumblr.com/11742c673070166ef97789f04620c4db/tumblr_oxs4pfTOK41qd71qto3_1280.jpg

Carolina is indeed a lovely person, honest, open, hard working, no wonder many skaters name her as her role model. When she is training in St. Petersburg, she is at Alexei Mishin's rink "Yubileini", so I doubt Mikhail will meet her in St. Petersburg as he trains in the Figure Skating Acadamy. I guess he is watching her when they are doing the same competitions, and there were a few this season: Finlandia Trophy, Rostelecom Cup, Grand Prix Final and probably watching her on TV, too.

As for Carolina's medal chances in Pyeongchang, I think they are realistic as long as she skates clean. She'll probably get the highest component scores and then she can beat most of the other girls if she does all her jumps.

 

[Tinami Amori]

Carolina is indeed a lovely person, honest, open, hard working, no wonder many skaters name her as her role model. When she is training in St. Petersburg, she is at Alexei Mishin's rink "Yubileini", so I doubt Mikhail will meet her in St. Petersburg as he trains in the Figure Skating Acadamy. I guess he is watching her when they are doing the same competitions, and there were a few this season: Finlandia Trophy, Rostelecom Cup, Grand Prix Final and probably watching her on TV, too.

As for Carolina's medal chances in Pyeongchang, I think they are realistic as long as she skates clean. She'll probably get the highest component scores and then she can beat most of the other girls if she does all her jumps.

You're right about different rinks, i did not mean they skate together. But i also know that SL choreographs for Kolyada, and is friends with Carolina, and they and few other skaters do go out in the same group... seen a few fotos.

But... you know best!..... https://vk.com/mikhail_kolyada?z=photo-24618099_456244281/album-24618099_248637514/rev