Alexander Enbert, a silver medalist from the Pyeongchang 2018 Olympics in figure skating, gave his take on the favorites at the Russian jumping championships in an interview with socialbites.ca.
According to Enbert, Dikidzhi appears to be the top choice in the men’s singles, Petrosyan is favored in the women’s singles, and the duo of Anastasia Mishina and Alexander Gallyamov looks strongest in the doubles event.
He also offered his view on the coaching landscape, predicting that the three prominent teams led by Eteri Tutberidze, Evgeni Plushenko, and Alexei Mishin will not clash as rivals this season. Instead, only two teams will compete in the team tournament, with current skaters Alexander Gallyamov and Dmitry Kozlovsky serving as team captains.
Enbert described the team dynamics as highly fluid. He compared the setup to color-coded groups, suggesting the names could be seen as Yellow, Green, and Purple, or simply Team A, Team B, and Team C. He believes the heat of competition will persist regardless of these labels and that the real draw lies in the athletes themselves rather than the brand of their teams.
Looking ahead, Enbert noted that fresh formats are emerging in the sport. Observing Mishin, Plushenko, and Tutberidze’s teams in previous showdowns, fans will now see different structures take shape. A shift in leadership might occur, and there is even room for a team featuring Moskvina, Slyusarenko, or Moser to step forward. What truly matters, he said, is supporting the athletes who perform on the ice.
The former Olympic medalist also hinted at what fans might witness, including the potential appearance of a standout quadruple program from Tuktamysheva at the Russian jumping championships. Enbert emphasized that the audience will rally behind the skaters, regardless of the team names that appear on the lineup.