Chen doomed by ‘mistakes’
Fremont skater docked points on 4 of 7 jumps while finishing 12th
U.S. champion Karen Chen continued to struggle with her jumps Saturday while finishing 12th at the Four Continents tournament in the 2018 Winter Games ice rink in Gangneung, South Korea.
Judges docked points on four of the Fremont teenager’s seven jumps as Chen finished 10th in the free skate a month after winning her first U.S. title. She was 12th in the short program, which is where she ended after two frustrating performances.
“I do feel that I made a lot of mistakes and those are things that I can go home and work on,” she told reporters. “I am happy that I really attacked this program despite all its flaws. I tried to sell it as best as I can.”
Chen, 17, has a lot of work to do with coach Tammy Gambill in Riverside to prepare for her first senior World Championships that start next month in Helsinki.
“I really want to focus on what I can do and put out what I know I’m capable of doing — putting out two strong performances to end my season,” Chen said. “I’m going to start training really hard back home and really work on my runthroughs. I’m going to work on my consistency and get my confidence up. I’m going to believe in myself. I’m going to be confident so that when I come to compete, those nerves aren’t there anymore.”
U.S. officials might want to change who they send to Finland after what transpired at the Four Continents meet. Three-time U.S. champion Ashley Wagner will lead a contingent in Helsinki that includes Mariah Bell, who was sixth Saturday, and Chen.
The United States needs to have its top two skaters at the World Championships finish with a combined total of 13 to earn three places for the Pyeongchang Winter Games.
Suddenly 2010 Olympian Mirai Nagasu looks like a better choice after she won a bronze medal. Nagasu was second in the free skate with a personal best of 132.04, just behind winner Mai Mihara of Japan. Gabrielle Daleman of Canada was second.
MMA
Patricky “Pitbull” Freire spoiled Josh Thomson’s homecoming at the Bellator 172 event at the SAP Center. The 38-year-old San Jose native elected to stand and trade shots with the younger Freire as opposed to his usual ground-and-pound wrestling style. The result was a knockout victory for Freire (17-8) just 40 seconds into the second round. The matchwas bumped up to the main event after the heavyweight bout between Fedor Emelianenko and Matt Mitrione was called off. Mitrione fell ill with a kidney stone just hours before the event.
Motor sports
The first official NASCAR event of Speedweeks was postponed by rain at Daytona International Speedway. The Clash is the first event leading into the Feb. 26 season-opening Daytona 500. NASCAR will stage the event Sunday, just a few hours before qualifying for the Daytona 500.
Football
Cameron Wake didn’t just earn a Pro Bowl nod and Comeback Player of the Year consideration with his dominant 2016. He earned another year with the Miami Dolphins, and some more guaranteed money. Wake signed a contract extension through 2018 season Saturday. The terms: two years, $19 million, including $11 million guaranteed, ESPN reported.
Tennis
Top-seeded Kei Nishikori disappointed home fans and beat local wild card Carlos Berlocq 4-6, 6-2, 6-3 to reach the Argentina Open finally. Nishikori will face Alexandr Dolgopolov of Ukraine in the final2.
n Ryan Harrison beat fellow American Donald Young 6-4, 6-4 in 90 minutes Saturday night at the Memphis Open semifinals, finally advancing to his first career final in his eighth try. Harrison will play Nikoloz Basilashvili of Georgia, a 7-6 (5), 6-1 winner over Mikhail Kukushkin of Kazakhstan, for the championship Sunday.