Sotnikova wants to come back!

[medvedevasocks]

One thing to remember about these hypotheticals is the mindset of the athletes based on their placements after the SP. Irina would have faced more pressure to defend her position had she led after the SP, whereas Michelle may have attacked her program more had she needed to come from behind, as she did at the previous Worlds. Sarah skated her LP and did not receive a mark higher than 5.8, so there was room for any of Sasha, Michelle and/or Irina to top her performance. They did not, although only 2 of the judges had Sarah winning the event; 4 went for Irina, and 3 more had Kwan in second behind Sarah in the LP, which would have given Michelle gold.

This is true, but I am not trying to make a case Irina was blatantly robbed of a gold medal in SLC anyway. I am just making the case Sarah Hughes was far from an uncontested winner as jenaj seems to think. Numerous things that were neccessary to Hughes's gold medal- her 4th place finish in the short which could easily have been lower (probably should have been), Kwan and Irina switching out orders in both the SP and LP when various people debate the opposite order in both programs- just as many had Irina winning the short, many had Kwan 2nd over Irina in the long even with the skates they gave, are oft debated. Hughes is far from an uncontested winner overall.