The future champion was shocked by the outcome of the tournament. But the judges were fair!
An unexpected denouement at the Russian Figure Skating Championships forced the fans to brush up on some of the subtleties of the rules. The competition among men ended in a unique way: two athletes scored an absolutely identical number of points – accurate to hundredths! However, there could not be two winners in the tournament.
The silver medalist recognized the decision as fair.
Unique case
The Russian Figure Skating Championship, which is taking place these days in Krasnoyarsk, continues to evoke conflicting feelings. Athletes who fell twice became champions in ice dancing. In the men’s competitions, there should not be big complaints about the quality of the winner’s skating, however, even here there was an ambiguous moment.
Champion of Russia Yevgeny Semenenko scored a total of 295.07 points and outperformed its closest competitors – Peter Gumennik and Alexander Samarinwho got silver and bronze respectively. Other leading figure skaters of the country, among which are Dmitry Aliyev, Andrey Mozalev and Makar Ignatov, remained outside the top three. Failed to impose competition on the winner also the champion of Europe and the Olympic Games Mark Kondratyuk. True, for a very unfortunate reason – after a short program, he was forced to withdraw due to health problems.
However, the main drama of the men’s competition was not in Kondratyuk’s illness. The fact is that vice-champion Gumennik scored exactly the same 295.07 points as the winner of the national tournament. The case when the difference in points between the champion and the silver medalist is zero is in many ways unique, but the situation was resolved quite simply. Semenenko became the best in the free program, scoring 195.92 points against 190.6 points from a competitor, which, according to the rules, allowed him to be on the highest step of the podium.
Photo: © Dmitry Chelyapin / Match TV
“Everything is fair”
To say that Gumennik was robbed is wrong in this situation. He really gave out two good rentals, but Semenenko also performed great. Even Tatyana Tarasova, who has worked with many bright skaters, gave generous compliments to both. But what is more important here, perhaps, is not third-party assessments, but the feelings of the skaters themselves. Judging by their comments, no one considers the final decision unfair.
— I usually watch the scoreboard. And then somehow did not pay attention right away. Even when Petya was given marks, he did not fully understand what was happening. It seems that he needs so much for leadership, but it seems that the points are equal … We were in shock, ”Match TV quotes Semenenko.
The champion noted that his own rental suited him, but there was no certainty that it was he who would win. At least Evgeny himself spoke about the possibility of catching up with Gumennik in the expressions “as fate decides.” The decision was in favor of Semenenko, and the opponent, by the way, did not complain about fate.
– I knew how much Zhenya scored. When I saw the scores after the skating, it was as if my eyesight had dipped a little, and at first I thought that I was the first. But then I looked at the points. As I understand it, in such a situation, the one who is first in the free program wins. Therefore, I am the second, everything is fair, ”Gumennik told Match TV.
Photo: © Dmitry Chelyapin / Match TV
True, at the same time, the athlete noted that he was not against it at all if two gold medals were awarded, or even three at once, probably implying a medal for Alexander Samarin. But the most experienced athlete in the company of winners, it seems, was pleased with the very fact of getting on the podium.
– I am very happy for myself, despite the fact that the third. I am glad that after a long streak of failures, the team and I did not stop. We keep going. It’s getting harder every year. But the main thing is that we continue to work, to move. What are the plans? I have a session ahead. I hope to become a master. Can you help? Help, the athlete joked.