2022 Olympics Team Event Day2: Women's Short Program

[CanadianSkaterGuy]

You'll know tonight. If the US man skates decently I think the door is completely shut

For sure. Japan was always a solid bronze and required the US to not as been so fortunate in their first 3 events building a gap by beating Russia. But it’s a pretty solid bronze they will get. So thrilled for Wakaba coming second. I think the tech caller was a bit favourable but she was def the second best on the night.

Kamila of course was superb but no to the +4/5 on the 3A that clearly landed on a bit of an inside edge (+3 for me).

 

[lunastartron]

And there it goes. I don't know why they think she came out okay under pressure before. Those were not pressure situations. It was unexpected that she did well at Worlds in a couple of situations and brought back 3 spots. She needed to pull it out here., where there was much more pressure to perform. All the other ladies so far did it. Karen did NOT.

I would have went with the U.S. National champion, Mariah, not Karen. It is what it is though. The gold is definitely lost. Let's see about the silver. This puts a ton of pressure on Vincent Zhou to go first in the fp. Or else, they would need to send Madi & Evan out again in the fp, and give Mariah a chance in the fp. I doubt they are going to do that though, which would rob Maddie & Evan of their chance to contribute.

It's going to be 6 points for the U.S. in ladies in the sp, which means a 2-point deficit behind Russia going into the men's fp round. I think I got the math right. Under even more pressure in the ladies fp, I don't trust Karen. That said, Karen is a very sweet person and a lovely skater. Similar to her good friend, Camden Pulkinen, neither have completely fulfilled their talented promise, UNDER GREAT PRESSURE.

Canadians are going to be thrilled that Schizas beat Karen Chen. LOL! Schizas is looking like the real thing -- someone who can improve and challenge themselves to go clean in high pressure situations. It's not a knock if you can't do it, but it means you aren't cut out for the championship mettle internationally in figure skating -- a very tough sport.

Again, realistically, both Mariah and Karen have issues with consistency under pressure. But Mariah hasn't really been given enough opportunities. The only pressure Karen was under during those Worlds events was her own individual pressure to do well for herself, not necessarily for her country. She was not expected to place fourth, both times that it happened. There wasn't pressure on her therefore to do it.

The premise that Karen has a record of “delivering under pressure” has always been curious to me. She had falls
each time she finished fourth at Worlds and those kinds of tumbles are always going to be costlier in a narrower field like the team event unless others implode.

 

[*~RussianBleux~*]

Maddie is on her way straight to the top for Canada. She can now hang with the American, Korean, and top European women and on any given day she can beat them! I knew this girl was special and she showed the world!!

 

[BlissfulSynergy]

Oof, that should pretty well take the US out of the gold conversation. Karen should certainly be below Gubanova.

Actually, the judges were fairly kind to Karen. She could have been dropped down further for sure. But I guess her other exquisite qualities are what saved her. I still don't trust her for the fp. She had serious nerves at the last Olympics, and she wasn't even part of the team event. She was the third place U.S. lady.

Honestly, both Mariah and Karen have issues with nerves, as does Amber Glenn. None of them are like Michelle Kwan. Few people are like Michelle Kwan (and even she had difficult nerves at the Olympics, though I would have loved to see Michelle perform in an Olympic team event, sigh).

Schizas, from what I have seen of her so far, looks likes someone with some gumption and emotional strength. Maybe she will be a rival to up-and-coming U.S. lady, Isabeau Levito (who also so far, seems hungry, driven, and emotionally strong).

Again, Karen did nothing at U.S. Nationals to truly trust her to go twice in the Olympic team event. That's a lot of pressure right there. I understand hands being tied because of the rules. My pick would be to ask Nathan to carry a heavy load and do two programs in the team event. Mariah for ladies, H/D and C/B for ice dance, and split the pairs teams. OR: Nathan/Vincent; Mariah both programs; H/D and C/B; K/F both programs. Tough choices all around.

 

[skatesofgold]

Stop being a misery!! Do you?? she is isn't she, absolutely wonderful.

I just don't understand the hype for her on an artistic level. Maybe it's the music choices I can't get into? I don't know. It's a confusing thing. We don't chose the skaters. The skaters chose us. I loved Zagitova, but it was easy to get into her Olympic programs because I love ballet music.

 

[figureskatingandrainbows]

Yeah, okay, bye folks! Have fun arguing or whatever it is you're doing

 

[Amei]

The premise that Karen has a record of “delivering under pressure” has always been curious to me. She had falls
each time she finished fourth at Worlds and those kinds of tumbles are always going to be costlier in a narrower field like the team event unless others implode.

Her 2 Worlds appearances, which has helped secure third spots, she has done what she could do - she was relatively clean. She benefited from the fact that in 2017 Pogorilaya imploded in the FS and in 2021 Rika did.

 

[CoyoteChris]

It is. Which is great. But it will clash with Swedish curling instead...ah these Olympics....so much to watch

I am watching the new sport, biathalon curling!

 

[R.D.]

If Alysa was unable to skate, they should have picked Mariah Bell. PIcking Karen Chen was a big mistake. She is too inconsistent. If Karen Chen skates both the short program and free skate,

I disagree - between Bell and Chen I think they made the right choice, she just didn't deliver. Simple as that.

I would have picked Liu over both of them, but that's water under the bridge at this point.

 

[skatesofgold]

Why was Alysa not picked for the team competition, she is the most reliable skater the US has.

She could have played it safe with a double axel and USA would have been better off.

 

[CoyoteChris]

Why am I afraid for Vince?

 

[nickp91]

15 year old kamila valieva just skated a the highest scoring olympic short program ever in honour of her grandmother

 

[Jontor]

Hmm maybe that's why her height is good and she under rotates

Yes, she gets the best height but starts the rotation too late.

Interestingly, they also explained the opposite. This start of rotation already on the ice, that some call "pre-rotation". It is not against the rules, and it actually makes the jump harder to land. But you get the rotation quicker.

 

[CanadianSkaterGuy]

Not really, she's not been ultra consistent this year and that was before the hail mary coaching change mid-November and the bout of covid in January.

She still would have done way better than Chen, having pulled over 70 all but once this year and having a reliable 3-3.

Karen gets the Jeremy Abbott free team medal award. Meanwhile superb skates from Gubanova, Schott, Schizas get nothing. This is why I loathe the team event.

 

[flipsydoodle]

THAT IS THE PRETTIEST DRESS IN THE COMPETITION

I’m thinking you are referring to Karen’s? I felt Wakaba’s was more contemporary and fresh. I suppose a requiem might call for a black dress, but it certainly doesn’t have to. IIRC Gordeeva and Grinkov’s Verdi Requiem program (presciently right before his death) didn’t have black costumes.

 

[Jammers]

Not really, she's not been ultra consistent this year and that was before the hail mary coaching change mid-November and the bout of covid in January.

How do you figure that she won the first 3 competitions she entered this season.

 

[ramurphy2005]

Again, Karen did nothing at U.S. Nationals to truly trust her to go twice. That's a lot of pressure right there. I understand hands being tied because of the rules. My pick would be to ask Nathan to carry a heavy load and do two programs in the team event. Mariah for ladies, H/D and C/B for ice dance, and split the pairs teams. OR: Nathan/Vincent; Mariah both programs; H/D and C/B; K/F both programs. Tough choices all around.

I'm thinking the fact that Mariah and Alysa both had covid played into this. Whatever lady was picked was likely going to have to skate four programs. I think it ended up being Karen by default, and hoping that rolling the dice worked like it did at Worlds.

 

[BlissfulSynergy]

The premise that Karen has a record of “delivering under pressure” has always been curious to me. She had falls
each time she finished fourth at Worlds and those kinds of tumbles are always going to be costlier in a narrower field like the team event unless others implode.

Yeah, that's what I said. Realistically, everyone knows that it was a crapshoot who they picked. But why NOT go with the U.S. National champion, if you have to go with one lady in order to protect Nathan Chen going for gold in the singles event.

With this result, it certainly seems like Davis/White and the Shibutanis were made of steel. They def got the job done in both team and individual events. Although some people felt that the Shibs were being selfish. They did choose to do both programs. But if they hadn't performed in both programs, a tough choice would have had to be made for the ladies event, i.e., just picking Bradie or Mirai to do both in the team event, instead of splitting. I thought that would have been fairer actually for Hub/Don, but it would have sucked for either Bradie or Mirai to not have a chance for an Olympic medal.

This whole team drama has turned out to add a whole extra dimension to Olympic figure skating viewing. They should think about having more team events of this nature over the four-year span.

 

[purplecat]

I'm so sad for Karen! I hope she got the nerves out and will skate better in the freeskate.

 

[mrrice]

Karen Chen fans might want to avoid the US ladies thread for a couple days...

Fact