ELENA GRUSHINA: FIGURE SKATING IS MY LIFE

2006 Olympic bronze medalist in ice dancing, World and European Championships bronze medalist and European Championships silver medalist Elena Grushina is our October's guest of honour

Elena and her husband and skating partner Ruslan Goncharov are taking part in the Russian version of the popular Dance on Ice show on Russia's Channel 2 (RTR). Their training sessions are taking place at different hours, and Elena is answering my questions while Ruslan is still in the rink.

-Elena, you were born and raised in Odessa, weren't you?

-That's right. Both my husband and I were born, raised, and started training in Odessa.

-Odessa is a beautiful southern port, and one would expect to see the development of summer sports there. Nonetheless, this city gave the world several Olympic champions and World and European Championships medalists in figure skating. How can you explain that?

-Odessa is a city of versatile culture, and figure skating as a most beautiful sport has always enjoyed immense popularity there. And figure skating does not need special winter weather.

-Israel is a southern country without its own ice or snow. We are working on making figure skating a mass sport in Israel. Odessa's example is very encouraging. And how did you get to train in figure skating?

-Like most children, I was introduced to figure skating by my mother. I was 4. I started training, and got to like it.

-Many athletes told me that they went into ice dancing because they were not particularly good at jumps. What was your case?

-My first coaches, husband and wife Alexander and Maria Tumanovsky recommended that I go into ice dancing.

-They most likely paid attention to your artistry, which is not affected by the stress of competition. I vividly remember your dazzling performance at the 2006 Olympics, when the pressure was palpably fiery. How do you manage to cope with it?

- Agitation is inevitable before any competition. I don't have any particular tips for channeling myself into the competitive mood. I just pool myself together. I presume my artistry is retained by many years of training. They make me sure that everything will work out.

-Do you have your favourite programmes?

-Ice dancing is getting more complex every year, and my last programmes are my favourite because there was a lot of effort and heart put into them.

-You have been training and living in the US in the past 10 years, while you grew up in Odessa. In the past two months you have been staying and performing in Moscow. Where do you feel at home?

-It is hard to say. Odessa is my parents' home; the US is my actual home, while Moscow is a stunning city, which is not a stranger to me. I feel comfortable anywhere if I am doing my favourite job.

-What can you say about the Dance on Ice show, in which you have been the leader after practically every round?

-I think it is very interesting to observe how non-professional skaters are transformed on the ice. They are learning how to push themselves to new boundaries. Each pair is given two hours of practice a day, but actually they are training much longer. I admire them – it is a bold effort to try such an unpredictable sport! They are great!

-You are having an excellent skating partner in this show, who is a famous TV news presenter. At the last round, like at most of them, you got a row of perfect sixes. But will we be able to watch Elena and Ruslan performing at the closing gala?

-I can't tell you yet. Preparations are still on, and nothing has been decided yet.

-I once came across an interview of yours, in which you said that you and Ruslan have different hobbies, which helps you "unwind" from each other after so many hours of training together. Is that so?

-I don't know if there is any time left with such a strenuous training and performance routine. If we have some free time, we prefer to talk with friends or stay at the seaside.

-How do you see the beauty of figure skating?

-I see it in the perfect lines and shapes the figure skater creates. It is the aestheticism of beauty.

-So, for you figure skating is more of art than sport?
-It is my life. As simple as that.

-Elena, after such an answer I can only wish you to win in the show and overall success. Thanks for visiting our website.

-You are welcome.