Неофициальный форум Оксаны Грищук

Длинный вариант пресс-конференции Изы и Оли на англе

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Big surprise at the press conference held yesterday by the French Federation. The (original) press release had only mentionned some "important choices" to be announced by D&S in regard to their Olympic preparation, hence keeping people hanging on.

After a short introduction by Didier Gailhaguet who pointed that the (French) Fed was sometime a place of every surprise, Isabelle Delobel announced she was pregnant. The least we can say is that nobody had expected this...

"I'm going to have a baby in September", she said, beaming, "even if it wasn't really planned. I learnt of it almost at the very moment we withdrew from Worlds. When I phoned Olivier and Muriel to tell them, at first they thought the sky was falling over them but they quickly thought it out in a positive way. Here, I'd like to thank them for their support and their trust".

After a season that began full blast (they won Skate America, the Bompard Trophy and the Grand Prix Finale), their momentum was cut short when Isabelle injured her shoulder in the last seconds of their GPF exhibition number. If all goes well with the rehabilitation of Isabelle's shoulder, it's now a very different challenge she has to face, she and Olivier and all their team in Lyon, with the forthcoming Vancouver Olympics. But to them, the challenge seems to be one more motivation.

Isabelle : "Even if last year we already wondered whether to pursue our career or not, this pregnancy doesn't alter our decision to go on until the Olympics. On the contrary, it gives (us) more punch (biting). It's a huge challenge but it's very motivating. I really take it to heart to show it's possible. I'm in good shape, I'm recovering the mobility of my shoulder, and I am not sick, I am pregnant ! Of course, I won't do any lifts from the 8th month on. But for now, we are not cutting down on anything. It's rather my shoulder that holds us back."

Still, since March, Isabelle has done huge progress in this instance. She can now lift her arm, stretch it back, put her hand on her hip. She goes on with her rehabilitation everyday in a Lyon clinic from 7 to 10 a.m. before heading for the rink. She confirms : "I recovered a lot of deflection. I recently made an important step. I still cannot spin my arm but going back on the ice certainly helped since skating calls up to the upper part of the body ". As confirmed by a medical certificate, Isabelle has now 80% of her physical capabilities back and the improvement of her shoulder is encouraging.

Muriel Boucher-Zazoui : "As a coach, I first had to make Isabelle work again on her placing when she got back to the ice. Consequently we resumed some light training when I came back from Worlds. The shoulder is improving even if she still cannot make some moves. They are part of the programs and we will work on them later, when her shoulder can sustain them (these parts)."

Still, Isabelle's pregnancy doesn't make things easy.
Didier Gailhaguet : "It's a formidable challenge, the challenge of an entire life. We're all supporting Isabelle and Olivier, we will do everything needed to help them". Olivier states that it was "a big surprise when I heard of it but we remain motivated for the Olympics. We're still thinking of a medal. On my side, I'm in the right place to know that (having) a child is wonderful".

On the practical side, the whole end of season preparation, already complicated by Isabelle's rehabilitation, has had to be adjusted. Muriel Boucher-Zazoui, the coach from Lyon, updates us :

"When I came back from Los Angeles, Isabelle called me and asked me if we could meet. She came at my house and told me the news. At first, I couldn't breath properly for 2 minutes. But once the surprise was out of the way, I immediately started to rethink our training schedule. The Olympic preparation will not be truncated, only re-organized. I had planned to go on a vacation in June, I haven't had a holiday for 2 years. But instead, we'll work all summer, every day. In concrete terms, we have already worked on the next season CD. The OD should be settled in July, we built it last week off ice with Parisian choreographer Michel Durand. We are currently working it on the ice.
Then, Marie-France Dubreuil and Patrice Lauzon, who are again choreographing D&S's FD this year, will be there 2 weeks earlier than originally scheduled. The music setting (editing) is done, but due to the Olympics, we aren't going to reveal what it is. But it won't be a long time coming, probably in June. We already have some ideas for the costumes, but we'll wait until September for the last fittings."

Isabelle and Olivier are very serene. They have garnered a lot of experience along all these years of competitions. They have been skating together for almost 20 years ! That's what make them different and that's the ground I'm using to work with them. Then Isabelle will rest for a little while. As a mother of two children, I understand her position. While I was pregnant, I used to work 9/10 hours a day as a coach, I did it until the end then I had contractions on the ice... but I put my skating boots back on very quickly. It's a big challenge but Isabelle is ready and highly motivated. I'm sure she'll do the same (as I did). I know she'll skate until the end. She is very determined. And Olivier won't be in holidays ! Like during Isabelle's convalescence, Olivier will practice on his own. He won't need any Isabelle clone. Just like in the past weeks, he'll have to follow a very strict training. Everything is perfectly scheduled."

Will the programm conception be altered by Isabelle's pregnancy ?

"No, it's her shoulder that currently acts upon her capacities. We improve on this particular point step by step. On the other hand, even if ice dancers don't do jumps, they often fall while practicing as well. But Isabelle knows how to fall. We will all remain very watchful, I, Olivier, and all the other couples who practice at the same time.

Little digression, we can't help but ask how Capellini/Lanotte are doing on Lyon ice since they have recently joined the team :
"Everything is alright, they are adorable and very talented. They have a bit of Dubreuil/Lauzon's spirit when they were training side by side with Isabelle and Olivier. They presence hasn't aroused any jealousy, even if they are quite close to Pernelle and Matthieu in the (world) ranking. There is a huge emulation within the team. They are very nice young people. But for next season FD, we'll forget the slightly hackneyed big classic themes, it's their wish too."

To get back on track, Olivier details their schedule for the beginning of next season : "Next year, the (French) Masters, beginning of September, are of course out of the question. Same for Bompard Trophy, which will be the first Grand Prix. But, if it's possible, we'll try to enter one or several competitions before the Olympics. Maybe one GP, say 2, among the latest in the serie. We'll see, the reference will be to be ready"
Didier Gailhaguet specifies : "Nominations for the GPs have to be done before May 30. Isabelle and Olivier aren't ranked in the World 6 firsts, what would give them liberty in their choice, but we hope the ISU will show some understanding towards their case."

Muriel adds : "At worse, it's very conceivable to go to Olys without prior competitions. They can do it because they are both highly experienced. It has already happened in the past, even if the reason was more to keep some programs secret."

With a world class skater as a mother, and looking back on a long career, one can wonder if Isabelle will turn her child towards the skating world or not.
"I think the most important will be to let the liberty of choice and ot to impose anything.
"But with an athlete as a father [Ludovic Roux, the baby's father that Isabelle will soon marry, has won a bronze medal in nordic combined with his team in Nagano],says Didier Gailhaguet, "there will be several possible choices !"

"Then", adds Isabelle, "anessa Gusmeroli and Matthieu Jost will have a little baby girl in June. If my baby is a boy, we can imagine a new couple in the future, since we know them well, we are good friends. But for now we don't want to know about the baby's sex. We may fall for it and ask on the way but, while we're at it, better to keep the suprise until the end !»

Whatever Isabelle's future in sport next season will be, come back to the international level, eventual medals, etc, we can only congratulate her for these very good news. The course of events, whatever people think, fades in the background when compared to the birth of a child. After all, skating is "only" a sport...

Isabelle will have to make a very difficult choice : to go and compete on the other side of the Atlantic (the lest two Grand prix are held in the USA and Canada) or stay with her baby.

"It's a choice that I'll have to make but it will be ponctual somehow since the Olympic season will (also) be our last season. I won't be away for long and my baby will stay in Lyon where there will be a whole organization to deal with the situation.

Плечо восстановлено на 80%, оригинальный поставлен на полу, у Зазуи опять не будет отпуска

И если будет мальчик Иза планирует породниться с Матеь Жостом и Ванессой Гусмероли - у них в июне будет девочка.