Russian figure skating champion Evgeny Plushenko should hire choreographer Pasquale Camerlengo, the Italian’s former mentor and renowned Russian coach Tatiana Tarasova told RIA Novosti on Sunday.
Seven-time European champion Plushenko is in talks to work with Camerlengo on his new program as he looks to the 2014 Winter Olympics, the Italian told RIA Novosti on Saturday.
“If nothing puts him off, then I think he will help Zhenya [Plushenko] to reveal his full talent,” she said.
Tarasova said she had seen Camerlengo develop into a top choreographer.
“He’s my protege. I worked with him for many years when he was an athlete. Now he’s a creative person who makes very interesting programs.”
Plushenko, 29, won three Olympic medals, three world titles and seven European titles, in a career punctuated by two lengthy breaks from skating.
He returned to the sport late last year after a period away due to injuries and suspension, and has since won gold at the 2012 European championships and Russian national championships. He decided to miss this week’s world championships in Nice, opting to have much-needed surgery on his knee instead.
Plushenko's current choreographer is David Avdish, who has worked with the Russian for years.
