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Plushenko: Nothing strange in Russian Olympic medalist Medvedeva’s parting with coach

According to Plushenko, Canada’s Orser "is a very good coach" and Medvedeva may benefit from her work with him

MOSCOW, May 7. /TASS/. Russian 2018 two-time Olympic silver medalist Yevgeniya Medvedeva’s decision to part with her coach Eteri Tutberidze is normal for the career of the 18-year-old figure skater, two-time Olympic Champion Evgeni Plushenko told TASS on Monday.

The news of Medvedeva’s decision to break partnership with her long-standing coach was announced last Saturday by Renat Layshev, the director of Sambo'70 Center for Sports and Education, where Tutberidze is training female figure skaters.

Russia’s Match TV sports channel reported later that Canadian Coach Brian Orser was one of the most possible candidates to start working with Medvedeva.

"This news is normal and means that the athlete decided that it would be more comfortable for her to begin working with another coach," Plushenko said in an interview with TASS. "I believe that a very good result is highly possible."

"Yevgeniya is set for a very tough and long-term work for another four-year (Olympic) cycle," the world’s famous figure skater said.

According to Plushenko, Canada’s Orser "is a very good coach" and Medvedeva may benefit from her work with him.

"After all, he (Orser) trained two-time Olympic Champion Yuzuru Hanyu and also Javier Hernandez," he said.

Orser 56, works with two-times Olympic champion in men's singles Yuzuru Hanyu of Japan and two-times world champion Javier Hernandez of Spain, as well as with ladies' singles skaters Elizabeth Tursynbaeva of Kazakhstan and Sonia Lafuente of Spain.