2003 ISU Grand Prix Final

1 March

Men, Free Program A

Min Zhang (CHN), 2003 Four Continents silver medallist
I was very sleepy right before the Free Program, because of the late arrival yesterday and because of the time difference. It’s now two in the morning in China. It’s my first time to skate two programs in one day. It’s such a short time to recover.

Chengjiang Li (CHN), 2003 Four Continents bronze medalist
I was a bit tired in my second program today. I’m not satisfied with my skating, but I’m sure I’ll do better in tomorrow’s Free Program.

Brian Joubert (FRA), 2003 European silver medalists
I just can say that it was very, very hard. This was last year’s program, so I skate it with less pleasure. It’s my first time in the Grand Prix Final, and it’s almost impossible to do the two programs. I never did that before. It is very difficult to prepare for this.

Alexander Abt (RUS), 2002 European silver medalist
I’m so tired, I’m almost dead. I tried to rest between the competitions and to prepare.

Ilia Klimkin (RUS), 1999 World Junior Champion
It was so very hard to skate for the second time today. I felt like an empty bottle after my program this afternoon. But I managed somehow. I had some sleep after the Short Program. I still have a lot of pain in my back. Until tomorrow’s competition, I need to have a lot of rest. I have to take some energy from somewhere, I just don’t know where from!

Evgeni Plushenko (RUS), 2002 Olympic silver medallist
I’m tired, but it was a great pleasure to skate at home in St. Petersburg. (On skating his Olympic “Carmen” program) I didn’t think about the Olympics or about anything else when I skated it. I chose it because it’s last year’s program. I skated it during the Tom Collins Tour in 93 shows, and so I feel this program really well.