Women’s team selected, but not without controversy

SAN JOSE, Calif. — Bradie Tennell, Mirai Nagasu and Karen Chen, the top three finishers at the national championships, were selected Saturday to the U.S. team for the Pyeongchang Olympics.

Three-time U.S. champ Ashley Wagner, who complained vigorously about the marks after the free skate, was not included. Four years ago, Wagner also finished fourth but was placed on the team ahead of Nagasu. Wagner wound up with a bronze medal in the team event.

“I really took time to remodel myself, because I didn’t want to feel that regret,” Nagasu said during the announcement on NBC’s “Today” show. “This has been about my journey and my goal to get here. To accomplish it last night has been a dream come true.”

Tennell, 19, and Chen, 18, the 2017 U.S. winner, made their first Olympics. Nagasu, 24, was fourth at the 2010 Games.

Alternates are Wagner (first alternate), Mariah Bell (second alternate) and Angela Wang (third alternate).

U.S. Figure Skating uses a committee to decide the squad, and it went with the results of Friday night. Past performances and a variety of other data are included in the decision making.

Tennell’s near-perfect free skate earned her first national crown. Tennell, a long shot entering the season, was spotless in the short program two days ago, then as the final skater in the long program she didn’t miss a trick under great pressure. Her top competitors, Nagasu and Chen, already had put down superb routines.

“I just had to keep calm and focus on what I knew I could do,” Tennell said.

Nagasu, U.S. champ 10 years ago and a 2010 Olympian, capped a sensationally sweet comeback with a flowing performance to finish second, assuring a spot in next month’s Olympics — a berth she was denied in 2014 by the selection committee. That position for Sochi was given to Wagner, who had a better overall record.

MEN: In San Jose, Calif., Nathan Chen dazzled once again with his remarkable athleticism to pull off breathtaking quadruple jumps, skating the final routine to a commanding U.S. national championship Saturday night.

Chen, 18, all but secured his spot for next month’s Pyeongchang Olympics.

Vincent Zhou, another prodigious jumper, was third.

With improved poise and style, not to mention his new Vera Wang costumes, Chen completed five quads to beat second-place Ross Miner with a total score of 315.23 — a startling 40.72-point lead that set him completely apart.

And Chen is considered the Americans’ best medal hopeful if he is chosen for the team.

PAIRS: Husband-wife pair of Chris Knierim and Alexa Scimeca-Knierim captured a national title at the U.S. Figure Skating championships Saturday, likely securing their Olympic berth for the Pyeongchang Games in South Korea.

The Knierims led the short program two days earlier and followed with another strong showing in their free skate, scoring 135.60 points Saturday and 206.60 total. That put them in prime position with the U.S. Figure Skating committee that will pick the top pair to represent the U.S. next month, looking to prove the Americans can make waves in the event despite constant scrutiny on the world stage.