17 year old Evgenia Medvedeva of Russian Federation successfully defended her figure skating World Championship for the second year in a row, this time in dominating fashion.
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Tarasova, who was unsure if she would be able to compete after Morozov’s skate sliced into her knee during Wednesday’s morning practice, was hailed “a hero” by her partner after finishing third with 79.37, less than half a point behind the Germans. It’s the first time Canada has had two women in the top three of the world short program.
“There were a lot of doubtful moments where I was right on the edge of a collapse”, she said.
Former world champion Carolina Kostner of Italy finished sixth ahead of American Ashley Wagner, a silver medalist in 2016. The X-rays shows the bones bent sideways like broken toothpicks.
“I have been watching figure skating for a long time”. Osmond broke her leg in 2014, and many, Osmond included, thought her injury was a career ending one. With the crowd clapping along to her music, she went on to land a triple Lutz and double Axel en route in a clean program worth 75.98 points.
“I’m really excited to compete for the next world championships also because it’s the next qualifying event for the (2018) Olympics”, said Martinez, whose first Olympic stint was in Sochi, Russia, four years ago.
“We are sending two rookies in but I think that I have the experience”, she said.
“Knowing I wanted to be like Joannie since I was a little girl, and now that it’s all come to reality, I’m just starstruck, I don’t even feel like this is real life”.
In recent years many of her countrywomen have shone brightly on the global stage for one season before fading just as quickly into the background. “It’s an awesome character, confident character”.
“It was only after I got off the ice today that I realised that I could qualify, and then I got anxious”.
Evgenia Medvedeva isn’t your typical Russian figure skating champ. Osmond placed behind Russia’s Evgenia Medvedeva who won gold with a score of 233.41.
Canadian skaters had to settle for both the silver and bronze medals. She seems to have effortlessly leaped from junior world champion in 2015 to senior ladies victor in 2016-her first year of age eligibility-to nearly every other title of significance in between.
Osmond credits work with her sports psychologist for helping her to overcome the mental blocks which often saw her score well in the short program but lose focus in the free skate.
But the battle will be tight with Osmond and Daleman still in with a shot of a first women’s gold for Canada since 1973. “I hope Sui can stay healthy”, he said.
The results have also thrust the young skaters into the spotlight for next year’s Olympics. Standing at the board, animated coach Brian Orser virtually skated every step with her, jumping high in the air when she landed her triple Lutz. “But I still want to enjoy why I loved skating to begin with”.
There are several events for Saturday and Sunday in Helsinki.
I doubted myself so much last season, she said.
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That was within two points of Yuzuru Hanyu’s world record.
