Russians go 1-2 as U.S. skaters flop
GANGNEUNG, South Korea — A few years back, Alina Zagitova nearly was sent home from training for not working hard enough. Now, she heads home with Olympic gold. A grateful nation — upset that their flag, anthem and dozens of athletes were banned from the games because of a doping scandal — can thank the 15-year-old who beat the 18-year-old who had inspired her to become a figure skater, Evgenia Medvedeva. And thank their coach, Eteri Tutberidze, who gave the lessthan-diligent Zagitova one more chance to prove herself when she wanted to quit. “My hands were shaking, but my body was doing everything I’d trained to do,” Zagitova said Friday after a rare tie in the free skate earned her the top spot because she beat Medvedeva in the short program two days earlier, when both women broke the previous world record score. “I can’t believe I am the champion.” Kaetlyn Osmond, who had considered quitting the sport, won bronze to give Canada four overall medals in figure skating. “I felt strong and in the best shape that I’ve ever been in my entire life, she said. “I can’t believe that I ever thought about retiring.”
Other than Mirai Nagasu’s triple axel, it was not a memorable Olympics for the American women. They finished ninth, 10th and 11th, their weakest showing since World War II. Sixth place had been the low point.
Zagitova’s victory in one of the games’ spotlight events ended the gold drought for the Russians and added another chapter to her battle with her friend and training partner. It could become a skating rivalry for the ages.
“I’ve got a big life in sports ahead of me, and I want to keep going for many years,” Medvedeva said.
“I can do more in this sport,” Zagitova added. “There are a lot of titles to win and the Olympics is the biggest.”
Nagasu, fourth at the Vancouver Games in 2010, became the first American woman to land the 3¹/2 -revolution triple axel in an Olympics, helping the U.S. take the team bronze. From there, it was downhill. She never got elevation for the triple axel Friday and ended up 10th. She was one spot in front of Karen Chen, the 2017 U.S. champion. Bradie Tennell, this year’s winner at nationals, was ninth.
Chen fell once and had bobbles on other jumps and moves. Tennell, who heading to South Korea hadn’t missed a jump all season, twice stepped out on planned combinations.
“I think we all could have skated better, but you know, you knock us down and we get up to fight,” Tennell said.