Post by Shadow on Feb 15, 2006 17:17:15 GMT -5
Delaware Online
U.S. champion admires Russian skaters, culture
By GARY MIHOCES
USA Today
02/10/2006
TURIN, Italy -- Johnny Weir, winner of three consecutive U.S. figure skating titles, was sporting a throwback warmup jacket from the old Soviet Union after his Olympic practice session Thursday.
"CCCP,'' the Russian acronym for the Soviet Union, was lettered across the chest of the red, zippered jacket. On the left sleeve of the jersey he wore in practice, "Johnny" was spelled out in Russian letters.
"It's not that I'm anti-American or anything like that ... I just admire Russian culture and Russian skaters for their strength and their perseverance through everything they go through," said Weir, who trains at the Pond in Newark.
He acknowledged that he's taken some flak about the jacket, which was a birthday gift from Russian skater Tatiana Totmianina
"People are [saying] like, 'What are you doing? Why don't you switch countries?' But it's just for fun," said Weir. "It's a group of people I admire. It would be the same as someone wearing a Madonna T-shirt."
Weir's relationship with Russian choreographer Tatiana Tarasova fueled his interest in Russian culture and its strong tradition of skating.
U.S. champion admires Russian skaters, culture
By GARY MIHOCES
USA Today
02/10/2006
TURIN, Italy -- Johnny Weir, winner of three consecutive U.S. figure skating titles, was sporting a throwback warmup jacket from the old Soviet Union after his Olympic practice session Thursday.
"CCCP,'' the Russian acronym for the Soviet Union, was lettered across the chest of the red, zippered jacket. On the left sleeve of the jersey he wore in practice, "Johnny" was spelled out in Russian letters.
"It's not that I'm anti-American or anything like that ... I just admire Russian culture and Russian skaters for their strength and their perseverance through everything they go through," said Weir, who trains at the Pond in Newark.
He acknowledged that he's taken some flak about the jacket, which was a birthday gift from Russian skater Tatiana Totmianina
"People are [saying] like, 'What are you doing? Why don't you switch countries?' But it's just for fun," said Weir. "It's a group of people I admire. It would be the same as someone wearing a Madonna T-shirt."
Weir's relationship with Russian choreographer Tatiana Tarasova fueled his interest in Russian culture and its strong tradition of skating.