TV interview before Worlds 2000: Q: How are you feeling, are you better prepared this year than last year? Evgeni: We are working more with Alexei Nikolaevich Mishin and David Avdysh, my choreographer. Actually I feel I could win. I always wanted to be first and I always wanted to win. Even as I was four years old when my mother brought me to the rink, in Volograd, I was totally fascinated and I began to think I could be first and that I could be the best in figure skating. Q: Does the competitors weight havily on you? Evgeni: In the past, yes, when I would come to a competition and I had not participated in International competition yet. I saw Todd Eldridge, Elvis Stojko, Alexei Urmanov and I thought, "how should I skate and how should I jump?" Now that time has passed and I can participate more often in competitions, on the contrary, it inspires me. Q: Evgeni, are you taking it to heart if you lose and are you upset? Evgeni: Well, I can say in the past that was the case. I was very upset when I was second or third, but not anymore. It is just how the life is going. Q: What bothered you most that you did not win last year? Evgeni: I can tell you, physically I was ready, but I simply could not handle my nerves. I was in great condition physically, but my nerves just failed. Q: Is the music inspiring you in some parts of your programs? Evgeni: Yes, especially at the beginning, when the audience supports me. They begin clapping at the start of my program. I love that! Q: Does it happen sometimes that you get goose bumps in a specific part of your program? Evgeni: Yes, that happens sometimes. Here in St. Petersburg, at Cup of Russia, as I was standing at the beginning position of my program, the music began and suddenly people started to clap before I did anything. That was just great for me!