Russia (bbabo.net), - Freestyle skiing ranks second after speed skating in the number of sets of medals played at the Olympic Games in Beijing: 13 vs. 14. But until yesterday, Russian freestylers could only boast of Anastasia Smirnova's bronze medal in Mogul - the first in 28 years. The 19-year-old athlete was not yet born when Elizaveta Kozhevnikova climbed the podium in Albertville 1992 and Lillehammer 1994. But Ilya Burov remembers well his bronze somersaults and pirouettes, which he did in Pyeongchang 2018. Getting into the top 3 again at the main start of the new four years is a good result.
Moreover, not everything worked out in ski acrobatics, which they relied on in Beijing. The Russians entered the team Olympic tournament in the status of the strongest team on the planet. But the world champions in the end took only fifth place. In the women's tournament, Lyubov Nikitina, winner of the world championships, was only 21st. Three-time world champion in ski acrobatics Maxim Burov could not reach the final at all. But Ilya framed his brother's shoulder. In the last attempt of the main final, he snatched "bronze!". "Gold" was won by the representative of China Guangpu Qi (129.00). Ukrainian Oleksandr Abramenko (116.50) became the silver medalist. Burov's points, which are made up of scores for flight (20 percent), shape (50) and landing (30) - 114.93. Moreover, in the final, Ilya was originally going to perform a very difficult jump, but together with the coaching staff he decided to approach the attempt "more pragmatically" so that there would be no unnecessary difficulties on landing.
But there were problems. Only they were created not by athletes, but by judges. What the president of the Russian Freestyle Federation Alexei Kurashov told reporters.
Ilya Burov competed for himself and for his younger brother, three-time world champion Maxim Burov, who failed to reach the final
- We always rejoice at the Olympic medal. But from a sports point of view, we believe that Ilya Burov's performance was better, and he should be one step higher, - said Kurashov. - Yes, he was not the first place. But a sure second. There are a lot of questions for refereeing, not only from our side, but also from other teams. But I don't want to talk about ratings anymore. This is the expert part of the issue, and we will deal with it. Today we are glad that there is a medal. Although we always strive to win gold.
Stanislav Nikitin, who did not make it into the top 6 (119.00), also expressed his claims to refereeing in ski acrobatics.
- In principle, everything worked out. But I didn't understand the grade I got. And I don't agree with her. Yesterday in qualifying I made a weaker jump and got more. Now the jump was more difficult, I jumped no worse, and got less for it, - said Nikitin. - For the next Olympic cycle, we need to add stability and complicate the programs. Do it in such a way that there is nothing to complain about. Everything is ahead and the next Olympics will be behind me. We will work, I never give up and never give up.
Another case was discussed the day before in the women's slopestyle. Anastasia Tatalina, the world champion in big air, was objectively unable to compete for prizes in the discipline that debuted at the Games. Left tenth. And in slopestyle, Tatalina was sued - they did not appreciate the most difficult trick in her performance and put her in an offensive fourth place.
bbabo.Net