The Russians finally have a gold medal at the Pyeongchang Olympics, thanks to a 15-year-old who beat the fellow teen who inspired her to become a figure skater. The American women also made history, but not in a good way.
Alina Zagitova won one of the games spotlight events Friday, edging her friend and training partner 18-year-old Evgenia Medvedeva. That ended the gold drought for the Olympic Athletes from Russia — the designation given to the nation’s competitors after the IOC banned the nation because of a doping scandal. Zagitova and Medvedeva tied in the free skate, a rare occurrence, but Zagitova had won the short program Wednesday.
“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.”
As for the Americans, they secured their worst showing in modern-era Olympic women’s figure skating.
Mirai 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 for the 24-year-old. 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. Since World War II, at least one American woman finished sixth or higher.
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.
As for Zagitova, her 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.”
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.”
Medvedeva seemed well on her way to Olympic gold as she went unbeaten for two seasons. But she battled a cracked bone in her right foot this season and Zagitova emerged, eventually surpassing Medvedeva.
On Friday, Zagitova went first, greeted by loud chants and cheers from the Russian fans desperate for that first gold.
She nailed everything with fluid flair and technical brilliance. Zagitova earned 156.65 points for her program to “Don Quixote,” laying down the challenge for her countrywoman.
“I didn’t feel competition, I felt I didn’t have the right to a mistake,” she said. “That gave me a boost, and nerves, too.”
Medvedeva matched the performance, but that was not enough.
“I wanted to leave everything out there on the ice,” she said. “I’ve got no regrets.”
Zagitova backloaded her program that featured 10 jumps, earning bonus points for difficult tricks late in the free skate. She needed every point.
Her poise on the ice and off — unlike many of the other competitors, no tears flowed from Zagitova — belied her years. Whether she can follow up this triumph with more, unlike 2014 Sochi winner Adelina Sotnikova, who has struggled since — will be fascinating to watch.
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