Officially Evgeni Plushenko announced his retirement.

It can not be said that this was some kind of revelation. In the end, nothing lasts forever, and the stars fade and collapse, and the "barons grow old." I do not argue, in recent years, Zhenya reminded herself more often of scandals and shows than sports achievements, and yet, I'm sad. Whatever one may say, Plushenko is an epoch, and now this era is going away completely.

In my family, there was an irreconcilable war between "Plyushchenkov" (in my person) and "Yagudin" (in this role my mother was speaking). We grew into chairs and clung to the screens during the broadcasts of the olympiads and world championships in figure skating. In 2006, in Turin, I think, the ice god himself was speaking. Such a splash of adrenaline in my life I rarely had to experience.

The further, the less often Evgeni appeared at major tournaments - and still dragged the national team, getting medals and supporting the flag of the male Russian skating so markedly sagging. So it was at European championships in Tallinn, in 2010, and in Sheffield, in 2012.

I will not forgive the judges of Vancouver 2010 and the victory of the faded Lysacek, which was forgotten literally in a year.

Of course, Plushenko-athlete and Plushenko-man are two different categories, incomparable. But, however that may be, time ranks all in rank.

And I know that always, after hearing the name of Evgeni, in any context, I will remember Salt Lake City 2002, Turin 2006 and Vancouver 2010.



Thanks for all.



If Zhenya becomes a coach, I wish her to find her pupil and grow a champion out of her.

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