Why the Figure Skater Evgenia Medvedeva (Babasyan) Did Not Take Her Father's Name?

• 03.02.2018, 11:55
•  World,  No-politics

© Sputnik/ Asatur Yesayants

The figure skater Evgenia Medvedeva makes her father proud not only with brilliant successes on the ice, but also with her drawings from which he has a big collection already. Arman Babasyan, the father of the famous skater Evgenia Medvedeva, told this in an interview to the Moscow Komsomolets.

She has got the charm and some "stubbornness" from her mother but there are also paternal features, he added.

Father tells Zhenya was very curious as a toddler. "She was interested in all the lockers, boxes, everything. We had to keep an eye on her every now and then, and from the age of three in Zhenya's life there was only figure skating," says Arman.

Zhenya’s mother, Zhanna Devyatova, a former figure skater, is a champion of Moscow. She had to quit sports after a serious injury.

Particular attention by the local media in Armenia was paid to name changing from "Babasyan" to Medvedeva. And here, like nowhere else, everybody wants to know why the daughter did not take her father's surname.

"I was waiting for this question, because the change of name (to the grandmother's maiden name - ed.) occurred solely with my consent, and at that time this decision was right. We got divorced with Zhanna, but we managed to keep warm, friendly relations, as Zhenya's parents we constantly communicated and communicate until now. I want to say that Zhanna is a wonderful mother to our daughter ", says Arman Babasyan.

Arman does not watch Zhenya’s live broadcasts. "This is a very heavy emotional burden, and I do not want to give her extra tense feelings," he says.

He did not talk with his daughter before the Olympic so that not to worry her even more. "I only sent my daughter a short SMS with warm wishes," he added.

As for the talisman for luck, Arman Babasyan said: "We have baptized Zhenya, and I think that she kept the cross on her neck and it will always keep my daughter."

"I've always been and will be there for her!"assures the father.