Olympic figure skating 2014: final wrap-up
Since my last post about the ladies freeskate was dominated by 'ugh! judging!' woes, I still have to mention the skating itself! I have to say, I was heartily impressed with all the ladies in the free! Even the girls who had falls still brought their A game and delivered fantastic performances. I think it's a very good field of skaters out there right now, and I wanted everyone to do well, and they really did. The best thing was seeing how happy everyone was. So many smiling faces out on the ice! It's like no Olympics I've ever seen! Yeah, I was nervous as hell watching them, but I also had fun seeing them having fun. I literally laughed (in a good way) watching Carolina Kostner, because it was so funny and adorable to see her playing to the crowd; she was just cool as a cucumber and having an awesome skate and I just love her and it was so wonderful that she finally had a good Olympic experience, and made the podium after how awful Torino and Vancouver were for her.
Ashley Wagner was awesome too. I'm really glad she went back to her 'Samson & Delilah' program, since it suits her so much better than that 'Romeo & Juliet' she'd been using this year. She was just aggressive and powerful and both she and Carolina definitely brought a mature and sophisticated presence to the ice. (Along with seven triples!)
Mao Asada was so lovely, probably the best I've seen her skate ever, and I'm just so sad her short was such a disaster, because she gave a medal-worthy performance in her freeskate.
Polina Edmunds and Gracie Gold were both fantastic, even better than at Nationals from a performance standpoint, I felt. I have to admit I wasn't really sold on either of them there, I was worried they might both just be those 'one time only' skaters, but seeing them in Sochi has me convinced they're both the real deal. Both of them were graceful and beautiful and so poised in their first Olympics.
Yulia Lipnitskaya is another impressive skater who is definitely here to stay! Even though she didn't have the best time in the individual event, I think the whole world was impressed with her in the team event! Aside from her astounding flexibility and jumping ability, she has a serious, thoughtful presence on the ice that's just amazing from a girl who's only 15. I can't wait to see what she does next.
Yu-Na Kim was effortlessly perfect, as usual. I think maybe people are just starting to take her for granted, or something, because a skate like she had would have earned through-the-roof marks for anyone else. Every aspect of her skating has such quality, it's just amazing. And apparently she'd been having not the greatest practices in Sochi, so the fact that she could put out two flawless programs is even more impressive. I don't understand why she didn't put in another triple though, she could easily have done it, and there wouldn't be any question of who deserved the gold then. Maybe she really didn't want it as much as she did the first time, I don't know. But there is no question that she's one of the all time greats. Queen Yu-Na, long may you reign.
Adelina Sotnikova had a good solid skate, and I'm glad that she had that moment. She impressed me least in general, since she's still one of those 'going through the motions' skaters. All the other girls were performing to their music, and their programs could only have been skated to that piece, telling that story, whereas Adelina could have been skating to any music, and it wouldn't have made a difference. She's only 17, so hopefully she'll acquire some musicality and polish in her movements in a year or two, because those are things all skaters really should have. There are plenty of skaters, like Ashley Wagner, who go for strength and power more than balletic grace, but Ashley had a smooth refinement to her skating to back up those jumps and make them part of a complete performance.
And the exhibition gala was super fun, as usual! Of course they didn't show all of it in primetime TV coverage, so I'll have to go watch the stuff I missed online sometime soon, drat. But a special shout out to Pechalat & Bourzat for their super fun "Dirty Dancing" routine! They're a great team and I'll miss them now they're retiring. Also Virtue & Moir were gorgeous in the exhibition. But the best of all was Davis & White. Watching them is the only time I literally cried during an exhibition program! They are just so beautiful, so perfect, you can't even describe the spell they cast when they get out on the ice and skate. They have something so special, just go watch them, you'll understand. Love love love them so much. Don't ever, ever stop Meryl & Charlie, you're amazing. ♥
So, all told, I'm going to have quite a few wonderful memories from this Olympics. Except for Meryl & Charlie, none of them are from the gold medalists, but that's sometimes how it happens in skating. Even if you don't win a medal, it doesn't mean you've lost. The great skate is the biggest win of all. Just to be there and do your best in the moment is what it's really all about. I hope the world got the chance to see that here, and maybe they'll come along with us and become skating fans! Magic happens every year in skating, not just the Olympics! Don't wait another four years before you get to witness it again. ;)
Ashley Wagner was awesome too. I'm really glad she went back to her 'Samson & Delilah' program, since it suits her so much better than that 'Romeo & Juliet' she'd been using this year. She was just aggressive and powerful and both she and Carolina definitely brought a mature and sophisticated presence to the ice. (Along with seven triples!)
Mao Asada was so lovely, probably the best I've seen her skate ever, and I'm just so sad her short was such a disaster, because she gave a medal-worthy performance in her freeskate.
Polina Edmunds and Gracie Gold were both fantastic, even better than at Nationals from a performance standpoint, I felt. I have to admit I wasn't really sold on either of them there, I was worried they might both just be those 'one time only' skaters, but seeing them in Sochi has me convinced they're both the real deal. Both of them were graceful and beautiful and so poised in their first Olympics.
Yulia Lipnitskaya is another impressive skater who is definitely here to stay! Even though she didn't have the best time in the individual event, I think the whole world was impressed with her in the team event! Aside from her astounding flexibility and jumping ability, she has a serious, thoughtful presence on the ice that's just amazing from a girl who's only 15. I can't wait to see what she does next.
Yu-Na Kim was effortlessly perfect, as usual. I think maybe people are just starting to take her for granted, or something, because a skate like she had would have earned through-the-roof marks for anyone else. Every aspect of her skating has such quality, it's just amazing. And apparently she'd been having not the greatest practices in Sochi, so the fact that she could put out two flawless programs is even more impressive. I don't understand why she didn't put in another triple though, she could easily have done it, and there wouldn't be any question of who deserved the gold then. Maybe she really didn't want it as much as she did the first time, I don't know. But there is no question that she's one of the all time greats. Queen Yu-Na, long may you reign.
Adelina Sotnikova had a good solid skate, and I'm glad that she had that moment. She impressed me least in general, since she's still one of those 'going through the motions' skaters. All the other girls were performing to their music, and their programs could only have been skated to that piece, telling that story, whereas Adelina could have been skating to any music, and it wouldn't have made a difference. She's only 17, so hopefully she'll acquire some musicality and polish in her movements in a year or two, because those are things all skaters really should have. There are plenty of skaters, like Ashley Wagner, who go for strength and power more than balletic grace, but Ashley had a smooth refinement to her skating to back up those jumps and make them part of a complete performance.
And the exhibition gala was super fun, as usual! Of course they didn't show all of it in primetime TV coverage, so I'll have to go watch the stuff I missed online sometime soon, drat. But a special shout out to Pechalat & Bourzat for their super fun "Dirty Dancing" routine! They're a great team and I'll miss them now they're retiring. Also Virtue & Moir were gorgeous in the exhibition. But the best of all was Davis & White. Watching them is the only time I literally cried during an exhibition program! They are just so beautiful, so perfect, you can't even describe the spell they cast when they get out on the ice and skate. They have something so special, just go watch them, you'll understand. Love love love them so much. Don't ever, ever stop Meryl & Charlie, you're amazing. ♥
So, all told, I'm going to have quite a few wonderful memories from this Olympics. Except for Meryl & Charlie, none of them are from the gold medalists, but that's sometimes how it happens in skating. Even if you don't win a medal, it doesn't mean you've lost. The great skate is the biggest win of all. Just to be there and do your best in the moment is what it's really all about. I hope the world got the chance to see that here, and maybe they'll come along with us and become skating fans! Magic happens every year in skating, not just the Olympics! Don't wait another four years before you get to witness it again. ;)