Figure skating coach Lepina-Lāce: Vasiļjevs skates well and beautifully, but stronger elements need to be shown
Latvian figure skating coach Lepina-Lāce praises skater Vasiļjevs for his performance but emphasizes the need to incorporate more challenging jumps.
In a recent analysis following the Olympic short program, Latvia's top figure skater Denis Vasiļjevs secured a 17th place finish, while 20-year-old Fedirs Kuļišs fell during his quadruple jump, landing in 28th place out of 29 competitors. Coach Lepina-Lāce expressed the beauty of Vasiļjevs' skating, noting that it was his best performance of the season, and praised his efforts under the competitive Olympic pressure.
After the performance, Vasiļjevs voiced concerns regarding his scores, indicating disappointment in the marks he received. Coach Lāce pointed out that this reaction was likely influenced by post-performance emotions, suggesting that the scores given were fair within the rapidly advancing technical landscape of figure skating. Her comments reflect both an understanding of the athlete's feelings and the objective nature of the judging system.
Lāce highlighted the importance of executing quad jumps, as they yield significant technical points that are crucial in today's competitive figure skating environment. She emphasized that athletes must adapt to these technical demands as skating evolves, pushing for enhanced performances in future competitions to remain competitive on the international stage.