Caroline Zhang - Is She an Oly Contender? | Page 2 | Golden Skate

Caroline Zhang - Is She an Oly Contender?

Particle Man

Match Penalty
Joined
Mar 23, 2008
I think Caroline (and also Rachael) has the potential to sneak in for the bronze if a lot of the ladies bomb, but she'll probably only reach real contender status at the 2014 Olympics in Sochi.

Ha, well said. :laugh: Doesn't matter who we send, no US lady at this point would be anything more than an underdog for bronze. That even includes Sasha Cohen if she comes back - though in her case it would be more an issue of being gone so long than an issue of scoring ability. And yes, even bronze would likely require a few major screw-ups by Japanese and European skaters.

Oh, as for the 6.0 slander -- Shizuka A. would have still easily won OGM under 6.0, so I don't get the point of that argument. Tara L. and Sarah H. had amazing amounts of triples and skated clean programs. I guess some people must be terminally obsessed with UR calls? That's a sad mentality, and even after many years of CoP it's still one the audience doesn't share. Michelle and Irina and others ALWAYS scored more points because of the "quality" of their skating. Sometimes that wasn't enough.
 

ks777

Record Breaker
Joined
Aug 15, 2003
I don't know. Zhang and Flatt are very consistant. If their bodies stay the same, they will probably skate pretty clean since they are not the favorites so there isn't a big pressure on them. But I don't know if they get high enough PCS to medal. Zhang is still very slow and awkward when jumping. Her technique on her 2axel is just really weird.

I think they are like Kim Meissner(I put kim instead of kimmie because she is like 20yo now?) They have a better chance at 2010 worlds if some of Yuna, Mao, Miki and Rochette decide to skipp that event.
 

R.D.

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
I think they are like Kim Meissner(I put kim instead of kimmie because she is like 20yo now?) They have a better chance at 2010 worlds if some of Yuna, Mao, Miki and Rochette decide to skipp that event.

Well, she still goes by Kimmie on her Twitter (and her site) so that's what I'll continue to call her. I don't think she'll be 20 until the fall (?).

As for Olympic medal hopes, I think it's out of the question for the Americans unless one of Asada, Kim or Ando pull out due to injury. And that would just be too bad if that happened, really.

2010 just won't happen for the US in ladies. We should look elsewhere...perhaps Lysacek now is the favorite for the men's Olympic Gold??
 
Joined
Jun 21, 2003
I guess it is a foregone conclusion that it will be Asada or Kim for gold. Just like the showdown in 2002 between Slutskaya and Kwan. ;)
 

bekalc

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 1, 2006
I guess it is a foregone conclusion that it will be Asada or Kim for gold. Just like the showdown in 2002 between Slutskaya and Kwan. ;)

Well Mathman your correct we never know...BUT, with Kim and Asada's ability to go 75+ in the short program, and nobody else's ability to even go to 70 for a variety of very good reasons... Rochette's lack of a 3/3 in the short. Ando's underrotated 3/3 in the short. Kostner's consistency problems, and Rachael/Caroline's underrotated 3/3s in the short and the fact that even if they land their 3/3's Kim/Asada will get way higher GOES and PCS for just rightful reasons over those two.

Well we have a situation where Kim/Asada if clean in a short could easily get a big lead over everyone else. Added in that they do more difficult both in the long than the other girls, they'll have room for errors.

I think it would have been Kwan/Slutskaya in 2002 under COP anyways. And I'm not talking about Hughes rotation issues. Both Kwan/Slutskaya so outskated Hughes in the short program, that there would have been a big point margin for Hughes to overcome.

Of course Kim/Asada have to go clean. I think we could easily see 2002 men, where one doesn't go clean in the short program, and so a 2006 scenario where one skater has a Plushenko like lead.
 

Particle Man

Match Penalty
Joined
Mar 23, 2008
I guess it is a foregone conclusion that it will be Asada or Kim for gold.

Huh? I'd have said that 6 months ago, but after Worlds and this season in general I would disagree. Asada has shown serious vulnerability. I'm not sure she can fully compete with Kim right now. Kim is a near lock for OGM, and Asada will have to battle it out with Rochette and the others for silver. That's kind of a bright spot for the US, it makes silver not totally out of the question for Rachael or Caroline. Just really, really unlikely.
 

bekalc

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 1, 2006
Huh? I'd have said that 6 months ago, but after Worlds and this season in general I would disagree. Asada has shown serious vulnerability. I'm not sure she can fully compete with Kim right now. Kim is a near lock for OGM, and Asada will have to battle it out with Rochette and the others for silver. That's kind of a bright spot for the US, it makes silver not totally out of the question for Rachael or Caroline. Just really, really unlikely.

Well given Asada's scores, I don't think Kim is a lock. We have to see how it goes in the Olympics. We'll get a much better idea of where Mao is at a couple of months now.

But as for silver being out of the question for Rachael/Caroline. Rochette/Ando/Kostner/and Mao even with her mistakes are way better than those two. And I could be wrong but I just don't see Rachael/Caroline in a few months time developing the skating skills to beat those girls without meltdowns from them.

There's a big difference between Rochette/Ando/Kostner/Mao/and Kim's basic skating skills in comparison to Rachael/Caroline.
 
Last edited:

Blades of Passion

Skating is Art, if you let it be
Record Breaker
Joined
Sep 14, 2008
Country
France
As for Nagasu having more potential, that depends on if Mirai can start rotating her freaking jumps.

Ah, but that's the definition of potential. Seeing the raw talent. Nagasu actually JUMPS when she jumps. One of Caroline's problems is that she doesn't really jump. She just skids off the ice and tries to twist her body as tightly as possible to get around. It doesn't look good. Tara Lipinski had small jumps but they had a snap. She didn't have to wind up her body into the rotations, they simply happened.
 

demarinis5

Gold for the Winter Prince!
Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 23, 2004
If the Olympics were in 2011 I would say yes definitely. Caroline needs time to work on her basics skills. She has the tech but needs the basics. Lets not forget that the other ladies have longevity experience so Caroline is at a disadvantage in that respect. IMO Mao and Kim were outstanding athletes at a young age (but this is not the norm) and over the last two years they have perfected their overall skating skills which is reflected in their huge scores.
Joannie took much longer to get there and Miki's skating skills have improved
dramatically over the last two years. 2014 will be Caroline, Rachel, et al
time to shine.

That said, I never count out anyone for an Olympic medal. I have been following skating for a very long time and the one thng I know is that no one has a lock on a medal.
 
Last edited:

Alicja

On the Ice
Joined
Jan 17, 2009
I don't think any of the current U.S. girls is a serious medal contender at the Olympics. But it's the Olympics, nerves are playing in and if someone falters, I can see either Caroline or Rachael sneak in there(along with a couple of other skaters who have the same potential).

As for nationals, if both Caroline and Rachael perform their average it'll be hard for anyone to get on that team. Because their average is quite impressive and something they can really count on. However, ice remains slippery, so who knows.
 
Joined
Jul 11, 2003
I would not conclude anything from the results of dthe team competition but I am sure all those who were in the compeition tried their best. I would say that looking at the icenetwork when they come out will give you a better idea of how the skaters are progressing.

Meantime the yutube of Caroline is looking good for her. She has almost a year to be a contender.
 

Particle Man

Match Penalty
Joined
Mar 23, 2008
Right now and then are two different things. :cool:

Yeah but you could also take the derivative, Mathman. :laugh: I'd say Kim is on an upward slope and Asada on a downward slope, considering both this and last season and maybe even longer. And... wasn't Asada planning to change coaches? That's usually not a good sign...
 

Andalusia

Final Flight
Joined
Oct 7, 2007
If the Olympics were in 2011 I would say yes definitely. Caroline needs time to work on her basics skills. She has the tech but needs the basics. Lets not forget that the other ladies have longevity experience so Caroline is at a disadvantage in that respect. IMO Mao and Kim were outstanding athletes at a young age (but this is not the norm) and over the last two years they have perfected their overall skating skills which is reflected in their huge scores.
Joannie took much longer to get there and Miki's skating skills have improved
dramatically over the last two years. 2014 will be Caroline, Rachel, et al
time to shine.

That said, I never count out anyone for an Olympic medal. I have been following skating for a very long time and the one thng I know is that no one has a lock on a medal.

ITA. I think people forget that Caroline and Mirai are nearly a full Olympic cycle younger than Yu-Na and Mao, and a whole lot younger than skaters like Carolina and Joannie.

Caroline will not be an OGM in 2010, barring a parting of the seas. Since her idol is Kwan, I hope that she will stick around for a long time to come, long enough for her to truly shine. If she loves skating enough and continues to improve, I can see her being a major contender for the U.S. in the years to come, leading up to 2014. She seems to have the focus and determination to get there. Furthermore, Caroline's chances will double if Yu-Na and Mao retire after 2010.

The same applies to the other budding skaters. Rachael has already strongly hinted in a journal entry that she is still very young now, and might continue all the way up to 2014. With skaters like Flatt and Zhang, I'd say the future of U.S. ladies' FS is looking very rosy post-2010.
 

bekalc

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 1, 2006
ITA. I think people forget that Caroline and Mirai are nearly a full Olympic cycle younger than Yu-Na and Mao, and a whole lot younger than skaters like Carolina and Joannie.

Carolina/ Joannie I think will retire, same with Ando. But Caroline/Mirai/Rachael are only two years younger than Asada/Kim. That's not really much of a difference.

This being said there will be retirements and when the dust settles after the retirments the US girls will be in the thick of things.
 

Andalusia

Final Flight
Joined
Oct 7, 2007
Carolina/ Joannie I think will retire, same with Ando. But Caroline/Mirai/Rachael are only two years younger than Asada/Kim. That's not really much of a difference.

This being said there will be retirements and when the dust settles after the retirments the US girls will be in the thick of things.

Caroline and Mirai are born in 1993. Yu-Na and Mao are born in 1990. Last time I checked, that amounts to three years, just one year short of an Olympic cycle. Rachael is born in 1992, I believe, so that makes her two years younger than Yu-Na and Mao.

I mean, Denis Ten is the same age as Mirai and Caroline, and everyone is predicting great things for him in 2014. And here we're talking about how well Caroline, Mirai, et al. will do in 2010. :laugh: I'd say the American baby ballerinas have already done incredibly well given their ages. The Americans have so much young talent to choose from that there'll surely be at least one major contender who will emerge come 2014.
 

demarinis5

Gold for the Winter Prince!
Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 23, 2004
But Caroline/Mirai/Rachael are only two years younger than Asada/Kim. That's not really much of a difference.

No it is not but like I said in my prior post Asada/Kim are expectional athletes.
 

bekalc

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 1, 2006
Caroline and Mirai are born in 1993. Yu-Na and Mao are born in 1990. Last time I checked, that amounts to three years, just one year short of an Olympic cycle. Rachael is born in 1992, I believe, so that makes her two years younger than Yu-Na and Mao.

I forgot or blocked out the fact that Kim/Asada turned 16 in an Olympic year but were three months too young. It's too painful to think about how good they could have potentially done in Torino. (I think one would have medaled)
 
Top