A magnificent woman takes a bow

Anna Semenovich was among the leaders of figure skating in Russia before quitting to take up music as a career. The Russian newspaper Moskovsky Komsomolets yesterday published an interview with the 24-year old half-Ukrainian star. She talks about her achievements, the price of success and her lifelong dream of visiting Malta which she realized this year:

For example, the judging is prejudiced in figure skating. It is not a secret for anyone, we saw it even in last Winter Olympic Games. Somehow to get up in the ranks one needs connections. I did not have those. Therefore, although our pair was second in the Russian rankings after Ilya Averbuh and Irina Lobacheva, we were seldom in first place. I was tired of such unfair refereeing. Besides, the big role in my decision to quit was certainly my trauma. I had a meniscus operation

In general they write mostly good things, such as "you are the most beautiful and charming.” And it is certainly pleasant. To tell you the truth, when such words are written on the dusty glass of the car, it is one thing, but when someone scratches them on the paint of my black Toyota Jeep, it is somewhat different. I go constantly to body-shops for painting.

And my superstitions do not depend on a season. For example, I would enter the skating rink always only from the left foot! In the world championship in Nice in 2000, I entered the rink from the right foot and fell in the original program! Ten seconds before the end - on such an element on which I never in my life fell before. And I always put my shoes on from the right foot. There are other signs, but they are very personal. For example, I have a talisman. But I shall not talk about it as to not to jinx my luck

It was a very good year for me. I became more popular than one year ago. I acted in a movie. My brother has been admitted to the university. I flew to Malta which I have dreamed of visiting for all of my life. And in general there were many happy moments.

Translated by Genrikh Sivorinovsky