read the fs gossip interview.... i like that part about sochi
You said so calmly that I you missed the boat…
– What’s the big deal? When an athlete realizes that he will not be the first, even if he skates the program of his life, it hurts, but actually this is the most valuable experience that sport can give. At this moment you really start to understand what is the most important thing in your life. Medals? Nonsense! Any medal is just a momentary material thing. If you make it the only meaning of your life, then you will be left with nothing, if you don’t win. Even if you win. To have a long life in sport, and so it doesn’t become a torture, you need a completely different motivation, an ability to enjoy even very hard work, an understanding that you skate because you want to, because you love it. And this should be at the forefront. Just a few think about it. You need a certain inner maturity to realize it.
Tonight, your crown was given to someone else. I feel good that it went to someone you know well and who showed a lot of perseverance in the last few years... Also happy because your crown went to someone who performed well. The entire event was very exciting, though I missed you... very much. I went back to watch some of your programs...and it reminded me the meaning of my username here... 4everchan..... I realised watching black bird that nobody would ever truly own your crown... at the same time, though it took a while, I am ready to cheer on the new generation... hoping that one day, some of your students are the ones who fill this void.
Canadian excellence in Olympic figure skating continues to shine in the all-new 2019 Stars on Ice tour!
Relive the amazing artistry, excitement and athletic triumph of Canada’s beloved Olympic Team Gold Medalists including Patrick Chan, Kaetlyn Osmond and Meagan Duhamel & Eric Radford; plus Canadian icons Kurt Browning and Elvis Stojko, Olympic Medalist Evgenia Medvedeva, three-time World Medalists Kaitlyn Weaver & Andrew Poje, two-time Canadian Champion Nam Nguyen and seven-time Canadian Medalists Piper Gilles & Paul Poirier!
This post will probably seem really random to the rest of you and it is “old news,” but I’ll share it anyway. I love what Javi said about Patrick when he and Nathan introduced Patrick at The Legends Medal Winners Gala last year. The YouTube video with the intro is now gone, but thankfully someone saved it in a tweet. I found the tweet in Nathan's Fan Fest and downloaded the video from the tweet. Here it is, for your viewing pleasure. I think it is significant that Javi introduces Patrick as a friend first and then as a legend. This shows what kind of a person Patrick is. Patrick is memorable as a good person, a good friend, as well as a good skater, among those who know him best. It wasn't only Javi's words that touched me, but his delivery was so sincere. It warms my heart. I think this intro needs to be transcribed so it's not lost to history. It belongs in this thread.
Nathan: This next skater has truly mastered and transformed the sport of skating. I remember growing up watching him skate. Every time he skated I became more inspired, more awed by his beautiful skating. Unfortunately I've only been able to skate about two years with him, but someone who's skated with him for most of his career is standing right beside me.
Javi: He's one of my favorite skaters from all times. A good, good friend. And he has been in the top of the figure skating world for a while. And he can still surprise me sometimes. The next skater, a friend, a legend, Patrick Chan.
Patrick gives them both quick low fives on the way to his starting pose. Incidentally, at the same show, Patrick introduced Nathan as “the new quad king” and “my friend, Nathan Chan.” (They do share the same surname in Chinese, after all ). It’s nice to see this sort of comradery and respect among skaters!