The Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva, already a European champion and Olympic team champion, spoke candidly about her coach Eteri Tutberidze in an interview with Woman Shot. In recounting the mentor she would want by her side, Valieva highlighted several leadership traits that have shaped her approach to the sport and life on the ice.
Valieva emphasized Tutberidze’s perseverance and self-confidence as core qualities she admires. She noted that her coach remains calm in tense situations, an attribute Valieva herself seeks since she often experiences emotions deeply while competing. The skater made it clear that the path to the top was not a solo journey; Tutberidze and her entire team played pivotal roles in her development. Valieva expressed sincere gratitude, saying that without them she might not be the athlete she is today.
Recent performances at the Russian Championships underscored the ongoing challenges and milestones in Valieva’s career. During the free program, she encountered a fall while attempting a quad, a moment that contrasted with another Tutberidze student, Adelia Petrosyan, who clinched the title. Sofia Muravyova, a pupil of Evgeni Plushenko, secured second place. After the short program, Valieva led the field by nearly three points ahead of Petrosyan, illustrating the competitive depth present within the training environment.
In the 2023/24 season, Valieva demonstrated strong results on the Russian Grand Prix circuit, claiming first place in Moscow and finishing fourth at the Kazan stage. These performances reflect her continued consistency and capacity to perform under varying conditions and pressures across major national events.
Valieva’s career highlights extend beyond national events. She earned the title of 2022 European champion and contributed to Russia’s 2022 Olympic team championship. Her journey, however, has also been marked by controversy when a doping-related issue emerged after a positive test during the Beijing Olympics. The surrounding discussions prompted broader conversations about rules, athlete safety, and the responsibilities of coaching teams in high-performance sports.
Reflecting on the pressures of elite skating, Valieva has previously addressed why she remains committed to competition. The decision to continue, as she explained, stems from a combination of drive to improve, satisfaction from progress, and the support system built around her training group. The resilience demonstrated by Valieva and her teammates continues to define the experience of modern figure skating in Russia and beyond, where coaches like Tutberidze are both celebrated for excellence and scrutinized for the intensity of their programs. The ongoing narrative around Valieva’s career emphasizes not only athletic achievement but also the complex ecosystem that surrounds top-level athletes in skating today, including the mentorship that shapes technique, mindset, and long-term ambitions.
Note: This article synthesizes statements from interviews and competition results reported in public remarks and official results. Attribution is provided where applicable to original sources in media coverage and event records.