Let's face it - nobody's perfect. And a quick-witted , impish looking 21-year-old is the first to say so: "Sometimes in practice I don't feel so good and go for it but only do a triple."
Oh well, only a triple. This sad state of affairs happens when this spunky Bratislava native doesn't successfully execute his famous quadruple toe loop (or toe walley, to be exact). Still, this jumping wizardry may not be the first thing that will strike you about this young skater.
Do you ever feel that the atmosphere at skating competitions gets too tense or serious? Then take heart, and meet Jozef Sabovcik.
With his astonishing jumping prowess, Sabovcik bested his strong competition to clinch the gold at Skate America last month. But after watching him interact with his fans and fellow skaters for a few days, you might think it was a popularity contest as well that the Olympic bronze medallist had captured that week.
The all-American looking Czechoslovakian skating star brims with energy and good humor. In his company, even the most demure skater seems to loosen up, kid around and overall have a heck of a good time.
Although he trains full-time in Czechoslovakia, his English is fluent, his best friends Canadian and American, and during practice sessions you'll spot him sporting a bright yellow "All Canadian" sweatshirt, and a Coke T-shirt - souvenirs from Brian Orser's family enterprise.
Unlike most of his countrymen, Sabovcik has had ample opportunities to travel around the world from competition to competition. In 1981 he trained for six weeks in Colorado Springs, Colo., under Carlo Fassi.
But his command of the language dates back a good many years: "When I was little my parents wanted me to study English. At the time i didn't like it at all, plus I had too many other things to worry about. But somehow, even when you're not into it, something is still left."
That, plus a generous dose of natural talent makes him the unofficial translator at international events, as he can converse in no less than seven languages.
Nevertheless, it is still his skating talent on which Sabovcik's claim to fame is based. His unique high jumps and consistent figures make him one of the three major contenders for the gold at next year's World Figure Skating Championships, and he hopes, the 1988 Olympics.
Nobody has yet landed a perfect quadruple in competition, but considering the number he has landed in front of an audience (at least six or seven at Skate America practice sessions alone), Sabovcik may someday be known as "king of the quad."
Ironically, these difficult jumps, in the past may have been his nemesis. His long program, especially, used to be an all-or-nothing proposition.
"If I missed the triple axel or the quad, I thought I was finished." he explains. "I could only think of how many more triples I had left to do. But if I landed the axel, I could do all the other jumps."
Now, however, audiences are treated to a more stylistically refined Sabovcik, whose new programs reflect an increase in maturity. "With my new program, if i miss a jump, there will still be a program. Because i like it, it seems easy to me. I don't even realize I'm doing difficult tricks. I concentrate on the artistic aspect, and go with the feeling."
This feeling may have been partially developed during his six week stay in Orilla, Canada, this summer, where he trained together with Olympic freestyle champion Brian Orser. Sabovcik's choice of summer skating school was the result of his special bond of friendship with Orser.
"We met in 1981," he says, "but it all started in 1983 when we spent time together during the world tour. Since then our friendship has continued to grow. We are still rivals on the ice, but we cheer and root for one another. When we go out for warm-up and say 'good-luck,' you can tell who really means it."
With Brian it comes straight from the heart. It doesn't matter who wins, as long as we both do well."
As an only child, Sabovcik follows in his family tradition of excelling in the performing arts. His mother used to be a ballerina and his father a choreographer.
But young Sabovcik was raised and inspired by his grandmother, whom he credits for his success. "She's the one who took me skating, and is still there at every practice watching. But she's so critical! Sometimes I think I skated well, and my coach is satisfied, but she'll say 'Oh, you were so bad today!'"
But she was there to witness her loving grandson land his first quad in front of a large audience. "I did an exhibition in Vienna, and they called me out for a quad," he recalls. "As I was going for it and turned for the three-turn, it suddenly raced through my mind, 'What's she thinking of right now?' - I almost felt her helping me."
And laughing he continues, "She must have sent me some waves, I thought! I just pulled in and landed it. It was a first."
Sabovcik's father used to choreograph his programs at first, but quit soon after. "We always fought, and I'd go 'No, no, this goes on the stage, not the ice!"
Indeed, Sabovcik never went for the theatrics. Although his new program is more stylish, and even scattered with sporadic humor, the jumps are still his forte - and his love.
I was always late to learn a jump, but once I had it, I'd never ever lose it like other people do. That's what I love most about skating. If I couldn't jump anymore, that would be it for me. I don't like figures."
This comes as a surprise, given his consistently good showing in figures. "I can't really explain it," he shrugs, "I have so much energy, sometimes in a turn, I'll jump, go up and down. But generally I settle down until I almost fall asleep. It's so boring! Sometimes i go with it, but often I'd rather be anywhere than on the ice doing figures."
Skating for Sabovcik is mostly instinctive. "I couldn't even explain to others what I do, because I don't know how I do it. When I feel 'up' I do everything, fell like this [crossing his fingers]. But when I don't feel so good, I have to think about what I have to do, and I don't know what to think of."
This probably explains my inconsistency sometimes. It's all so natural. All I know is that I go for it, take off, pull in, open up. During off moments I'm confused, and that's when i rush it, put too much power and it comes out as doubles."
This is apparently what happened in Tokyo, Japan, this year, and it cost him a world medal. But this intrinsic feel for skating also explains Sabovcik's success in a country which lacks an established skating school.
"We don't have many good skaters." he says with a trace of sadness in his voice. "At best there are six of us on the ice, and we have short practice sessions. A lot of the kids just blow their noses and try to kill time. I'm the only senior skater in my club now."
"After Ondrej [Nepala, 1971-73 world champion] people forgot about skating. Besides, the grandmothers died out," he says, explaining how parents can't afford the time to take their kids skating at six in the morning.
During the summer, the rinks close, and Sabovcik is forced off the ice for three months. Now, after his first summer of skating, Sabovcik hopes his federation will allow him to return to Canada next year to continue the progress he has already made.
"It's been excellent for me. Everybody tells me how much I've changed." But, he chuckles, "I still feel the same."
Sabovcik's career has also been complicated by repeated injuries, particularly by his problem knee: "Everytime I had a cold or applied extra stress, it would swell up," he says. At the Olympics the knee lasted until the end, but as I finished my long program, it felt funny. An hour later I couldn't bend my knee, and had to stay out of the exhibition."
Still, that triumphant moment in Sarajevo, Yugoslavia, when he accepted the Olympic medal was the highlight of his career, to be equaled only by his win at Europeans this year.
"Europeans were held in Gothenburg this time, where Robin Cousins [his first idol] won his first title. To win there in the same place was very special. Too bad he wasn't there."
Sabovcik hopes he won't have to hang up his skates for a long time to come. But should that ever be necessary, there will always be something for him to fall back on. Other than being an uncertified linguist, Sabovcik is also a college student, majoring in economics. Why economics?
"We were in the classroom having to decide what we wanted to do next. There were a lot of athletes in the class, and we just looked at each other when somebody said 'Economics'. We were all good friends and wanted to stay together, so we all went 'Economics it'll be.' But I'm glad, because I can take languages, even though I don't have to. Others complain about how difficult it is to study English," quips Sabovcik with a sneaky smile, "so I say: 'Oh well, see you later."
On top of it all, Sabovcik finds time in his busy schedule to read, play soccer and tennis, and practice gymnastics - he's working on the back flip and on-ice aerials. How does he manage to juggle them all?
"Hmmm..." he contemplates, running his fingers through his blond mop of hair. "I can't really. My father complains I don't study enough. But i just passed my first geography exam, so I'm happy."
Sabovcik has committed himself to competing through the next Olympics, where he hopes to match his country man Nepala's feat of bringing home the gold medal. Beyond that, his options are limited more than those of his western friends. The Czech federation has a contract with International Holiday on Ice, so his post-amateur-on-ice future is programmed for that show. But with his many talents, Sabovcik could also choose another career.
Still, skating is his first love; the Olympics his guiding star. Along the long, hard road to the top, Sabovcik wants to also open his eyes to the rest of the world - to stop and smell the roses. In his own way, that's what he told me on a beautiful October day.
Monica Friedlander is a recreational skater from Washington, D.C. who has reached freestyle 5 level in the ISIA system. She attended the University of California (Berkeley), where she majored in political science. She is a development director for Campaigns and Elections a non-partisan campaign management and technology magazine and is also a free lance writer whose work has also appeared in Tracings.
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