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This interview is originally from www.rambler.ru
In Lyon, France, the Europeans had ended with another loud victory for team Russia who won all the gold. Evgeni Plushenko was the final winner. His participation here was questionable as he had a cold and winning his fifth European title was very hard for Zhenia. After finishing his free program, he fell on the ice. Almost all the spectators, including this reporter thought he was just playing it up. Not true - Plushenko was really very tired as he said to Novie Izvestia later. Q: Zhenia, was your fall partly playing it up for the fans? Evgeni: Not at all. I had no strength left. I am not completely healthy and I still cough badly. I started gasping for air in the middle of the program feeling like a fish pulled out of the water. It became so hard, I don't have words for it. I even though I won't be able to keep going and would stop right there. Q: You were probably over anxious knowing that you are sick. Evgeni: Of course, I was very anxious and at the end, it was also emotional. So I fell. You see, I wasthe last to skate and I heard the fans to blow their horns and clap very loud when the French and the Swiss skaters performed. It turned out there was also enough noise for me. So, thank you, fans, for welcoming my program as well. Q: How would you compare your performance her to other times you skated this season? Evgeni: I did everything that was planned and I'm very glad that I finished the program being in such condition. I'm very satisfied I did the triple flip at the very end following by a decent footwork. Overall, it wasn't bad. Q: You did a crazy difficult quad-triple-triple combination in practice here, but you didn't do it in the free program. Why? Evgeni: I decided I don't have to take the extra risk here. I really did that combination in practice, but I'll save it for the Olympics. Most likely, I'll need it there. Q: Early this week, there were doubts about you coming to the Europeans. How high was the chance of you withdrawing from the event? Evgeni: I won't calculate the percentage, but I was sick in bed for the three days right before the flight. Then my coach and I decided to come here and try skating, maybe it'll work out. It did but it was very hard. Q: Maybe you should've not taken the risk and stayed home. Evgeni: No, this is the Europeans, the last event before the Olympics, and the last chance to try your strength in the competition. Q: Do you know what you would do after the Olympics? Evgeni: Of course. I'll skate in the gala and fly home to my wife. (he laughs). Seriously, I don't know. Of course, I'll keep skating. I'm young, I'm only 23. We'll take about my future in detail after Torino. Q: Did you talk to your wife after winning in Lyon? Evgeni: Of couse, she already congratualted me. My parents did as well. Everyone is doing well and they are saying hi!
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