While she was off the ice, another Russian teenager was quickly filling her void and becoming someone who could challenge Medvedeva for the gold in PyeongChang.
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The two Russians finished in first and second place in the women’s short program on Wednesday as Medvedeva broke her own world record score minutes before Zagitova broke it again. She won the Grand Prix final earlier this season with Medvedeva out injured.
Russians in Pyeongchang are competing as neutrals, a penalty imposed over allegations that the nation had systematically manipulated anti-doping testing at the 2014 Sochi Games. In doing so, they sent a powerful message to the rest of the figure skating world – and the once dominant United States, in particular. Canada’s Kaetlyn Osmond was the third.
Zagitova backloaded her program that featured 10 jumps, earning bonus points for hard tricks late in the free skate.
“It was not my best but it was okay”, Medvedeva told reporters. Russian fans swayed together in the stands and chanted her name when that number was posted.
“I’m satisfied with my performance today”. The third-best Russian skater could very well prove to be the third-best skater at the Olympics.
Zagitova, a 15-year-old skating phenomenon, and Medvedeva, 18, tied in the free-skating program in a rare occurrence.
Zagitova echoed her teammate’s sentiment: “During practice, during competitions, I get this feeling of rivalry”, she said. “She did everything she could”. She never got elevation for the triple axel Friday and ended up 10th.
“A few imperfections”, Zagitova explained. She scored 82.92 and set a new record with the program.
Gabrielle Daleman reclaimed the Canadian title last month ahead of Osmond.
Medvedeva burst into tears following her performance, to “Anna Karenina”, as the crowd in South Korea showered her with love and stuffed toys.
It was not a good day for the Americans, who each had a major mistake.
Meanwhile, Sofia Goggia shed the chaotic “crazy horse” of her reputation and embraced her inner Samurai to give Italy its first women’s Olympic downhill champion on Wednesday.
Both Zagitova and Medvedeva are already medalists in PyeongChang, capturing silver for their contributions to the team event. At the Vancouver Olympics in 2010, she finished fourth. “When we take the ice, this is sport”. The U.S. Figure Skating Association banned her for life after her motley crew of hangers-on bashed Nancy Kerrigan’s knee in 1994, launching one of the most weird sports stories ever. As she skated off and hugged her coach, she began crying openly. She blushed with excitement, jumping up and down.
2017 U.S. Champion Karen Chen put her hand down on her triple lutz jump and wasn’t able to execute the triple toe of the planned combination. Can she make it three medals for Japan? “I’m disappointed with the result but I did the best I could and that will put me in good stead for the next competition”. “We each struggle with our individual obstacles”, Chen said. “I could have more speed going into the jumps, the landings could have been smoother, there could have been more emotions”.
The unbeaten Czechs play the OAS in the first men’s ice hockey final of the day. The U.S., which got goals from Ryan Donato and Jim Slater, looked tired after facing Slovakia in the qualification round and was outshot 29-20.
The new challenger came not from Japan or Canada or a re-emerging US program, but from her own Moscow rink. Ridzik picked himself up and raced down for bronze.
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A year ago, Alina Zagitova was competing at the world junior championships (and winning).
