The world figure skating champion Evgenia Medvedeva explained that changing coaches from Eteri Tutberidze came after she felt a need to address the question of an unearned Olympic gold medal. The remarks were reported by DEA News. Medvedeva described the decision as beneficial for everyone involved, especially for herself, noting how challenging it was to endure the training environment. She recalled constant comments that suggested two gold medals would have been awarded if such a situation existed, which she viewed as unfair to the value of opponents’ victories and a personal burden to her reputation.
Medvedeva trained with Tutberidze for over a decade, from 2007 until 2018. During that period she secured two World Championship titles in 2016 and 2017, as well as two European Championship titles in the same years. These achievements established her as one of the leading figures in ladies’ singles skating and underscored the impact of the Tutberidze coaching team on her technical development and competitive trajectory.
At the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, Medvedeva and the Russian team faced a highly competitive field. In the individual event, Medvedeva finished in second place, narrowly behind Alina Zagitova, who had also trained with Tutberidze since 2015. The competition between the two skaters was intense, with Zagitova edging ahead by a little more than a point. The outcome highlighted the depth of talent within the coaching group and the ongoing debate about judging and scoring in elite figure skating.
Medvedeva later reflected on the motivation that continues to drive her performances. The sense of striving for excellence, the pursuit of fair recognition, and the commitment to push boundaries in the sport are consistently cited by the athlete as core forces behind her endurance and ongoing involvement in high-level competition. The discussions surrounding her decision to move on from Tutberidze emphasize issues of fairness, competitive integrity, and personal growth within the demanding world of professional skating. These factors contribute to the broader narrative about how athletes navigate coaching relationships, national expectations, and the quest for lasting Olympic achievement, even after years of success and acclaim.