Sports
The controversial Russian teenager closing in on an Olympic medal
The world has not known much about Russian figure skater Adeliia Petrosian – though that could be about to change.
One of the most controversial athletes at these Winter Olympics finally took her bow to a medley of Michael Jackson hits and duly underlined her medal credentials as he crooned about being misunderstood.
The teenager’s involvement at these Games is layered with controversy and intrigue, and it is hard to know whether a podium finish this week is something the International Olympic Committee would welcome or dread.
The 18-year-old lies fifth heading into Thursday’s decisive free skate but, given she possesses the ability to land jumps her rivals cannot, this is far from over, especially after the drama of the men’s competition.
Japan’s Ami Nakai narrowly leads the way ahead of teammate and three-time world champion Kaori Sakamoto with American Alysa Liu, the currently world champion, in bronze followed by Japan’s Mone Chiba. However, margins are tight and mistakes may well decide it.
Skating is about more than technical skill and Petrosian’s artistry ranks her behind her principal rivals. But her trademark triple axel and quadruple jump firepower are elements others may struggle to match — an enticing prospect ahead of Thursday’s free skate at the Assago Forum.
“I would like to keep that a secret,” she said, when asked about her plans for her next appearance here.
“I am very happy with my skate. At first I was worried — not about my skate, but about my emotional state. This was the most important start of my life.
“I’m feeling really calm, and I hope this will help me with my free skate because this [short programme] has already helped me.
“The audience was very warm and very loud, and every time I thought it could not get louder, it did.”
At the practice rink, Petrosian has been watched closely by the contentious coach Eteri Tutberidze, who remains one of figure skating’s most divisive figures.
Tutberidze was the mentor of Kamila Valieva, the face of the Beijing Games for all the wrong reasons when, aged just 15, she failed a drugs test.
How Tutberidze is accredited here defies logic: she is officially a member of the Georgian team delegation and is not permitted to coach Petrosian, who instead is formally guided by Daniil Gleikhengauz, dubbed “Eteri’s shadow” by skating insiders.
Credibility is being stretched to breaking point.
The continued exclusion of Russian athletes amid the war in Ukraine means Petrosian, a three-time national champion, has had almost no opportunity to test herself abroad.
In fact, the only senior-level competition she has skated outside Russia was the qualifying event in Beijing that secured her entry into Milan as a neutral competitor.
Valieva was dubbed “Miss Perfect”, despite ultimately being anything but. Petrosian, by contrast, is simply “Miss Mystery”.
She’s proved she can do it in Omsk, Chelyabinsk, Saint Petersburg and Krasnoyarsk but what about on a wet Tuesday in Milan under the bright lights of the world stage?
Her opening short programme showed her class — a little cautious, perhaps — but only five skaters have scored higher in competition this season.
It was clean: a double axel, a triple lutz, a triple flip and a triple toe loop. The only blemish was minor deductions in spins and step sequences.
In two days mystery may give way to clarity or just to further complication. This is figure skating after all.
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