Posted on 01/22/2022 10:17:23 AM PST by CondoleezzaProtege
Barring a minor miracle, three Russian teenagers would have battled it out for the podium places: 16-year-old Alena Kostornaia and a pair of 15-year-olds, Anna Shcherbakova and Alexandra Trusova. The trio have revolutionized figure skating.
What makes them so good? Well, owing to their remarkable jumps, they maximize the technical points on offer. Trusova and Shcherbakova have both mastered skating’s holy grail: the quad, an exhaustive element – and up until recently an unheard-of feat for ladies, which is four full rotations in the air.
However, there are concerns. First, rather than a skating competition for women, are we now dealing with a jumping competition for girls? Second, and much more importantly, what’s the cost of success – physically, emotionally and psychologically – for this collection of raw, developing children?
All three Russian teenagers boast the same coach: Eteri Tutberidze, who has built a stable of female talent. She is a divisive figure, though not much is known about her – unusual for a skating community that can border on the incestuous...
Zagitova, the reigning Olympic and world champion. Still just 17, she announced in December that she was taking a break from skating for an indefinite period. The previous month, she had admitted finding it difficult to keep up with younger competitors, who she still trained alongside in Moscow. Most worryingly of all, she described how even attempting a quad jump was unrealistic for her until she got slimmer.
...And this is a cornerstone of the debate surrounding the jumping phenomenon in women’s skating and the rise of the so-called Russian Dolls: the female body.
Puberty can vastly change how a skater performs...Most critically of all, it’s natural. But in some skating quarters it’s seen as an unwanted development and detrimental to skills such as the quad jump...
(Excerpt) Read more at theguardian.com ...
Ping!
Anti-white hatred going over to sports coverage now.
Imagine them doing such a story on, say, Simone Biles? Never happen.
Part of the propaganda effort to create white hatred.
We need to make sure that Female competitive sports do not become an endangered species.
Thank you for the article C.P.!
In a world with "trans" athletes I find this refreshingly quaint
Reminds one of the evolution of women’s gymnastics in prior decades.
Interestingly, the ethnic group of some of these skaters (Tatar Muslims) have historically been discriminated against in Russia...
Yep agreed.
Russia’s top skaters are of Tatar Muslim descent ironically.
In other news, this American is too young to compete but has Russian coaches. To me, Russia’s best contributions are usually in the field of graceful artistry, musicality, etc…
Some male will manage 5 in the woman’s competition and those girls will come in 2nd ...
*groans*
“what’s the cost of success – physically, emotionally and psychologically – for this collection of raw, developing children?”
The Russians don’t care, it’s all about medals and glory.
These girls who do quads are just that - girls, not women. By age 17 or 18 at best, they’re washed up, either from injuries, or from nature taking its course with their bodies finally developing beyond a pencil shape.
What exactly is this article complaining about?
Sports change. Women’s balance beam and floor whatsit changed.
Heck..if they want something to complain about they should be griping about the Designaged Hitter.
The U.S. Men’s Heterosexual Figure Skating Championship - SNL
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s1ZYTQToX9A
Bill Clinton says four rotations is no big deal.
It has become gymnastics on ice. The balance and grace that used to be part of it has been phased out. All that remains is how many jumps can you do on the ice. “Figures” have been eliminated - in more ways than one!
It’s just physics, the tighter they can be to the center
of rotation the faster they can spin.
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