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News Archives from Season 2001/2002 Note: Some older links may not work anymore.
April 5, 2002:I found two recent interviews of Evgeni, here is what he is saying about his injury and about the last season:
Q: Zhenya, how would you explain the fact that this season you won nothing but the Russian Nationals?
- An athlete can have fallbacks, after all. It’s difficult to always win, even if one really wants to, and even if everything seems to be set up for it. Somehow, the season went badly for me from the very beginning - our first free program was not at all valued by the judges. We had to redo everything. At the same time I was bogged down by injuries and illnesses. Due to an inflammation of my knee bone, I could not even go to the World Championship in Nagano.
And in an other interview he said:
- Thanks God, the health is getting better. My
leg ached terribly. We thought that it was the
inflammation of periosteum, but it turned out that it
is just my leg is growing. Sometimes it happens at my
age.
Here are the links to these interviews:
There are still no news about what program he is showing at Champions on Ice where he is on tour in the USA now. March 12, 2002: Evgeni has withdrawn from the World Championships! He injured his knee, it isn't serious but he need to rest for a while. Later he will be at Champions on Ice exhibition tour through the USA from April 3th till August 11th for Champions On Ice tour in United States.
March 6, 2002: Here are parts of the first interview with Evgeni after the Olympics. He also said that he will do a new exhibition program and may show it first at the World Championships:
Q: What made you change your free program so shortly before the Olympics?
Evgeni: I really liked the last program. It was truly different from all the others it was a story about the fate of an artist. But
the judges told Alexei Nikolaevich Mishin, "The program is good, but we don’t understand what exactly he is trying to express there". They could not
see the drama in it. So we decided to do something more traditional for the Olympics and prepared a program with music from Carmen.
Q: What do the upcoming World Championships mean to you?
Evgeni: It’s another competition demanding responsibility. And I am ready to fight.
Q: Silver in Salt Lake City is it devastating?
Evgeni: It’s sport. I am able to win, but I am ready to lose. And this is not my first time losing. After 4th place in the short program, which I
really did skate much worse than the others, it was unreal to fight for gold. That is why second place overall was not quite so upsetting.
Q: How did you feel when it became clear that it is practically impossible to win Olympic gold?
Evgeni: The hardest time was during the night of the short programs. You see, after finishing my skate I had to wait for Eldredge, Stojko, Abt, I was already in fourth, and I could have dropped to 7th or 8th, which would indicate a loss of any hope for a medal.
Q: In less than 20 years Plushenko has become not only the favorite for No.1, yet also the face of the Olympics. Did your immeasurable popularity bother you at all?
Evgeni: No. I tried not to spend too much time looking at all the magazines, Internet articles, and banners Maybe this sounds indiscrete, but I have gotten used to it all, just like I’ve gotten used to fighting for first place.
March 1, 2002: Evgeni is still No. 1 in the ISU (International Skating Union) ranking! With 4.175 points over Yagudin with 4.021 points. Click here to see the full ranking site.
February 26, 2002:Evgeni was not at the closing ceremony of the Olympic Games, he returned home to St. Petersburg on sunday. Now he is preparing for the World Championships.
February 16, 2002: This what Evgeni said after the competition: "I did my personal best, but Alexei gave a splendid performance, if after the short program I was in second place, then I would have room to fight for the gold medal.''
About the missed tripple Salchow he said: "I don't think it would have any effect on the outcome of results."
February 14, 2002: Evgeni is Silver Medalist of the Olympic Games!!! After he was only 4th after the short program, he was great at the free skate with his new program Carmen! He opened his program
with the combination 4 Toeloop-3 Toeloop-3 Loop, he stumbled a little bit but he landed the Loop. Then 4 Toeloop, 3 Axel- half Loop-3 flip (wow), 3 Axel, 3 Lutz, 2 Axel, 2 Salchow. Evgeni's marks:
Tech: 5.8 5.8 5.7 5.9 5.8 5.8 5.8 5.8 5.8
February 12, 2002: Short program results: Evgeni is 4th after the sp because he fell on the quad and 1st is Yagudin 2nd is Honda 3rd is Goebel. Marks for Evgeni:
February 11, 2002:In the starting order of the short program tomorrow Evgeny skates as 18th after Yagudin who skates as 14th. There are 29 skaters all together and after Evgeny there is: Goebel, Abt, Eldredge, Stojko and others to skate.
February 8, 2002: But however it is now, he did great jumps at Art on Ice and he looked very strong and in a
Message to his fans he said he feels good, so we have to wait till the competition to see what happens, I'm confident that he can skate very good and the Carmen program is great, Good Luck Evgeni!
February 2, 2002: An new interview with Evgeni on this site:
Click here to read it
I have lots of photos from "Art on Ice" were Evgeni showed his new fs program "Carmen". I'm still waiting for permission to use these photos on this site.
He wore two different Carmen costumes, a black/silver one on the show on the
January 26, 2002: Quotes from a recent interview with Alexei Mishin: This comes originally from this Russian site www.wsport.ru
The first questions was about Evgeni's health.
Mishin: Zhenya has a groin injury. He got that painful injury in the beginning of
the season. He had injections before he skated at Russian Nationals, he won
and made the team and proved that he is the best. As for Europeans, after
long hesitations, we decided not to go to Lausanne. It's better to heal the
injury and have a normal training before the Olympics.
Q: Will Zhenya have enough time to completely recover before the Games?
Mishin: Sure. Moreover, I'll tell you a secret: there is going to be a big
surprise for Zhenya's rivals at the Olympics. You will learn later what
exactly what it is.
Q: Your colleagues say that you are working on new free program...
Mishin: Yes, it's true. A wonderful choreographer Edwald Smirnov is making a
program for us to the music from Bizet's opera Carmen. David Avdysh will
finish it. I have to say that the new program is more difficult than the old
one. Its difficulty is a head above other main contenders. I won't give the
detail - it's a professional secret.
Q: What made you to change the program right before the Olympics?
Mishin: We made this program in the beginning of the season and some people who
have a definite interested started all the talks. To take all the aces away
from the critics, we decided to make an UNARGUABLE free program. January 24, 2002: Evgeni skated at the exhibition "Art on Ice" in Switzerland today and he skated to his new free skate "Carmen", it is said that the program was great and that he got standing ovations, he will be also on the shows on Friday and Saturday. Here is here is a link to an Article in German The article is saying that the "Carmen" program was already been tried at the beginning of the summer training. Alexei Mishin and Evgeny are taking the oportunity on that exhibition to practice the program in front of an large audience before the Olympics. The "Carmen" program was full of energy, challenging and with extraordinary precise dancingmoves, he does interpret the music of Bizets all new. This is not a sordid toreador fighting against a tired bull, but a young athlete, who managed, the perfection of classic ballett with the expression of black street dancing. What the article did not say was that in the second half of show he was skating when Gloria Gaynor was singing the song "I will survive". He had black pants and a white shirt to this part of the program. All his jumps on that show were clean. January 15, 2002: This article (it is in russian) on this site www.sports.ru/today/other/14000000000016078.html is saying that Mishin confirmed that Evgeni will skate to a new free skate to the music from the opera "Carmen" by Geroge Bizet at the Olympics and not to his FS to the music of "Cirque de Soleil". He showed this program first at the Gran Prix Final in December. The reason for this change is still not clear to me because I think the his FS program "Cirque de Soleil" is really good... January 8, 2002: Evgeni withdraws from the European Championships due to the groin injury wich is bothering him since the beginning of November, I think he needs the rest to heal this injury that he can be at his best at the Olympic Games wich is his next competition in Febuary. He also will be at the exhibition "Art on Ice" in Switzerland on January 24 - 26, but I don't know if he still will be there. January 1, 2002: Evgeni was at the New Years Gala "ZDF Eisgala" in Germany today and in an Interview he wishes us a Happy New Year! Click here to read the full report.
December 30, 2001: The International Gymnast Magazine revealing Russian Athlete of the Year named by Russia's global news agencies ITAR-TASS and Evgeny is in the top six. As follows:
1. Svetlana Khorkina - gymnast
Not a bad achievement for Evgeni since figure skating is not as popular as tennis, track & field and gymnastics worldwide.
Russian Nationals Results:
December 29, 2001:
Results of the free skate: Evgeni won and he is now a 4 time Russian Champion!!!
Tech: 5.8 5.8 5.8 5.8 5.8 5.7 5.7 5.8 5.8
(results from 5 out of 18 competitors)
1.Evgeni Plushenko
December 28, 2001:
Evgeni has another new MJ costume click here to see it.
At the short program he did a clean 4 toe-3toe combination and then he turned the planed 3 Axel into a double because he said he suddenly felt pain in his groin, it seems it is not be healed yet, but the ankle injury is already healed. Then he did a clean 3 Lutz. Tomorrow is the Free skate, he said he won't try the 4 Lutz there because of the groin injury.
December 27, 2001: Yagudin did withdrawn from Russian Nationals yesterday due to foot injury, so there will not be the meeting with the main rivals Plushenko and Yagudin. The next meeting between them will be a the European Championships from January 14 - 20.
Results of the short program: (results from 5 out of 18 competitors)
1. Evgeni Plushenko
Evgeni's marks are:
Tech: 5.9 5.8 5.8 5.8 5.8 5.8 5.8 5.8 5.8
Gran Prix Final News and Results:
December 17, 2001:
At the exhibition yesterday he skated Sex Bomb again with the jumps: 3 Toeloop, 2 Axel, 3 Lutz, 3 Axel.
December 15,2001:
Second free skate "Super Final":This time Evgeni lost the Gran Prix Final, it was extremely close between him and Yagudin, the judges decided 3:4 for Evgeni and 4:3 for Yagudin.
These are the marks for Yagudin:
And the marks for Evgeny:
More about the free skate in the GPF report.
The music to his new fs is "Cirque du Soleil" and "Moulin Rouge".
December 14, 2001:
First free skate Evgeni won the first free skate too!!! He skated fabulous!! First he did 4 Toeloop-3 Toeloop-2 Loop and then second 4 Toeloop!!, 3 Axel-3Toeloop, 3 Salchow, 3 Lutz, 3 Rittberger, 3 Flip.
Evgeni's marks are:
Tech: 5.9 5.8 5.8 5.9 5.8 5.8 5.7
Short Program: Evgeni is so GREAT he was participating at the short program and is first now!!! It was unsure if he would compete at the sp cause of his foot injury he got at practice yesterday, it is hard to say
how serious it is but he won the sp!! Today he also will skate the first free skate to "Once upon in a time in America" and tomorrow he plans at the "super final" to show his new free skate! Yagudin who is second now seems to be very good too he had
marks in Tech. all 5.7 and one 5.8 and at Pres. all 5.9.
Evgeni's marks:
Tech: 5.7 5.9 5.8 5.8 5.7 5.8 5.8
He also has a new MJ costume!! It is GOLD overall!!
December 13, 2001: During the morning practice Evgeni fell at the quad into the boards, he hurt his ankle and is questionable that he will compete tomorrow at the short program and the first free skate :-((
December 10, 2001: Evgeni is already in Canada! He will be at the GPF, it was said cause of his injury he may not be there but at the practice he was landing quad lutz and the combination 4 Toeloop-3 Toeloop-3 Rittberger!!! Wow! he seems to be healthy again! I think we can expect an exciting competition!!
Cup of Russia results:
November 25, 2001: 2 photos of the free skate and victory ceremony.
November 24, 2001:
Evgeni won Cup of Russia!! At the beginning of the free skate he made an attempt to the 4 lutz, landing the jump in a low position, he then slipped off the edge and fell. He almost made history and this with an groin injury! I still don't know how serious it is...I don't think if this quad attemt was wise doing it at that point. But he knew if he fail with this jump, he will not lose the competition.
But he deserved all credit trying it! After that, he fell on the 4 toe attempt, next was the combination 3 Axel-3 Toeloop and puts his hand on ice on the 3 Toe, but then landed 3 Slachow, 3 Lutz, 3 Loop, and a 3 Flip-3 Toeloop combination.
Tech: 5.6 5.8 5.8 5.8 5.6 5.7 5.8 5.6 5.8
He probably withdraws from the NHK Trophy wich it is in a few days at Nov 30 - Dec 2.
The groin injury is still bothering him and he needs time to rest wich I can understand,
he has a very close schedule and on Dec. 14th. there is the Gran Prix Final were he will
show his new free skate first.
Photos of the short Program: Photo 1, Photo 2, Photo 3
November 23, 2001: Evgeni won the short program, there was not a strong field against him, Ivan Dinev who is second has much lower marks, his marks are:
Tech: 5.9 5.8 5.8 5.8 5.8 5.8 5.9 5.9 5.8
At the practice, Evgeni did three good attemps for the 4 Lutz, the last one which was only slightly two-footed. I'm a bit surprised about that he can do the 4 Lutz because he did on the 3 Lutz the most mistakes as far as I know...
Sparkassen Cup results November 11, 2001: Today Evgeni skated was absolutley great!! He won!! It was again a perfect free skate, he skated his last season program "Once upon a time in America". He said: "I am preparing a new routine, but it just wasn't ready because I want to work on other elements and other quads, and to go into a competition with a program that is not ready is not my level."
4 Toeloop-3Toeloop-2 Loop, 3 Axel-3 Toeloop, 3 Axel, 3 Salchow, 3 Lutz, 3 Rittberger, 3 Flip. One judge gave him a 5.7, I don't understand it, the program was flawless and very expressive. He really improved this program. The marks are:
Tech: 5.9 5.9 5.8 5.8 5.9 5.9 5.7
As an exhibition it was today too, he skated Sex Bomb again, it was very funny, as an encore he danced with an little girl who was on ice at that momment to pic up the floweres, this was really cute!
November 10, 2001: Evgeni won the Sparkassen Cup short program but his jumps were not as save as always, he had a shaky landing on the 3 axel, but the footwork was gorgeous!!! His victory was in no way in danger, Timothy Goebel who is second had only 5.3-5.7 in tech and pres 5.4-5.7 and one 5.8. These are Evgeni marks:
Tech: 5.8 5.8 5.8 5.7 5.8 5.8 5.6
November 8, 2001: Yesterday at the Sparkassen Cup, he was scheduled for the practice but he didn't practice, he was there with Sasha Abt sitting in the nearly emty icerink, he watched the whole practice of Sasha. There also were only 6 of the 12 men skaters. He said that he will not show his new FS there.
November 6,2001: On the German website of the German skating union (DEU- Deutsche Eislauf Union) there is an article about Evgeni and the Sparkassen Cup, it says that he will probably show his old FS and the new FS will be shown first at the Russian Nationals. I'm not sure if this is true, but I'm going tomorrow to the practice and then I maybe see what he will doing...
November 3, 2001: Today is Evgeni's 19th BIRTHDAY!!!
Evgeni's new car, Audi S4!
It seems that he bought himself a birthday present, Evgeni said: "I love it because it is a sportscar and it is sooo fast. Driving in Russia is very different than in the States, we don't have much rules and we can really drive how we want. But I am not dangerous, so nobody has to worry about that."
September 21, 2001: Evgeni is not participating at the Finlandia Trophy any more, he isn't listed any more on the Finlandia Trophy site. His next competition will be the Sparkassen Cup.
September 18, 2001: Evgeni's message of support for the USA: "I want to tell all my fans in United States how I feel so sad about this terrible disaster and I hope that nobody was hurt or had any friends who was hurt. I never imagine something so bad happening in the U.S. I love U.S and send everybody all my good wishes". This message comes from his official site.
Current news News archives:
Season 2002/2003
News of his former official site with messages of Evgeni
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February 22, 2002: Evgeni skated at the exhibition with parts of his Carmen program, it was not sure if he could skate because a couple of days ago he was ill with fever, but he is ok again. He had a new costume, a red top and black pants and his hair was brushed back what looked really nice.
He did 3 Toeloop, 2 Axel, 3 Toeloop and Biellmann spin!! He was so expressive! As an encore (what you in the US did not see on tv) he did and 3 Toeloop but fell badly but he took it with humor, laughed as he would not care about the fall and showed the 3 Toe again clean, that exhibition performance was awsome!
