Sarah Hughes

[Olympia]

I think it puts into perspective how extraordinary the Vancouver ladies competition was. For someone like Yuna to deliver like that under the kind of pressure she must have been under is almost unprecedented. Now, it wasn't even close to my personal favorite but i still wonder whether we'll ever see another clutch performance like that.

I agree. Other skaters have been under pressure from their countries to win, but generally those skaters have been part of a dynasty: Witt for East Germany, all the various Russians/Soviets, American girls. For example, while Michelle was under pressure to win at both the '98 and '02 Olympics, there was someone else in the wings from her country--who in both cases in fact won. Similarly, Mao could have messed up royally, and Japan was still sitting on an existing OGM from the '06 Olympics. By contrast, YuNa was her country's one and only, in this Olympics and in all previous Games as well. Add to that the traditional decades-old rivalry with Japan, and the pressure must have been beyond our capacity to imagine. A Korean friend of mine said that practically everyone in Korea was watching. Whether YuNa felt every ounce of the pressure that night is not the issue. It was in all ways unprecedented. Kudos to Orser for somehow helping her rise above the tension when it counted the most. Her demeanor that night was as noteworthy as the size of her jumps.

[Ptichka]

Olympia, that's an interesting point of view. I think the exact opposite - if Kim won silver, she'd still make Korean history, bringing it its first Figure Skating Olympic medal. When one comes from a dynasty, OTOH, silver is irrelevant - in essence Asada "lost" Japan its silver. When Gedevanishvili made it into top 10 at Worlds, it was a big deal in Georgia, precisely because it's never happened before; for a skater from Russia, this wouldn't even be considered an achievement at all.

[Olympia]

Generally I'd agree with you, Ptichka. But in this case, everything seemed to point the opposite way. Maybe it's the fact that Korea is on the rise as an economic power and felt as China does that a sport victory is a sign of the country's increasing prestige in the world. I also get the feeling that in Korea and in Japan, skating is followed with a near-religious intensity, the way Americans view football (American style football) or some other countries grind to a halt for the World Cup playoffs. Whatever the reason, I think this was a huge moment, and this girl was standing under a hanging rock the size of which we don't often see. Remember that by all evidence, YuNa is considered the best-known person in Korea--and a Korean is the current Secretary General of the U.N.!

I do agree that Mao was under tremendous pressure from Japan, because people there are just as devoted to skating as Koreans are. If there was ever a time I could have wished for a tie for gold, this was it! But huge as the stakes were for Mao, I think they were a bit bigger for YuNa. Or maybe that's where the tie was--both ladies were under equal pressure! I know my heart was in my mouth for both of them, and I was equally proud of the drive and coolness that both showed that night. Weren't we lucky to see it?

[janetfan]

I think Olympia's post is eloquent and full of many nice thoughts. I agree with most of it.

The feelings she describes are her own though. The feelings of 60 million Koreans are also their own thoughts.

Yuna was very well trained, believed in herself when it came time to skate - and in her own words "did not feel so much pressure."

She did no interviews and was sequestered leading into the Olympics. Orser did everything possible to keep her in the right frame of mind.
Orser himself was impressively calm and his experience can never be overlooked.

Anyway - a contest about who felt the most pressure - when we will absolutley never know - is a definite sign that the off-season is here

I apologize if my posts on this upset any Yuna fans. I happen to be a Yuna fan myself and think she is a wonderful and historic Olympic champion.

And I think Sarah pulled off an upset in SLC that was also historic in it's own way. I don't believe a single word from any fan who tries to play it down by saying Sarah was not under pressure.
How silly to think Sarah grew up and DID NOT DREAM of becoming Olympic champion.

Like Yuna, Sarah had her monment and made the most of it.

[Mathman]

When Gedevanishvili made it into top 10 at Worlds, it was a big deal in Georgia, precisely because it's never happened before; for a skater from Russia, this wouldn't even be considered an achievement at all.

OT, but is Anton Sikharudlize Russian or Georgian?

[Nadia01]

It must have been very nice to be the defending Worlds bronze medalist, a strong Olympic medal contender, the only skater to have beaten both Michelle and Irina that season, to be 16 years old and skating on home ice and not be nervous or feeling much PRESSURE

I think every US coach should be required to spend some time with Olympic Champion Sarah Hughes and learn her secret of skating at the biggest event in her sport on home ice without feeling pressure

I recall reading comments Yuna made after Mao beat her at the GPF in Korea two years ago.
Yuna said the pressure of skating on home ice was greater than anything she had experienced.

I guess Yuna can feel pressure but not Sarah. Geez, why didn't I understand that before?

Michelle was looking at possibly her last chance to win OGM. She's a multi-World champ PLUS multi-US champ. And home ice. And she was #1 after SP.

I don't think anybody said Yuna can feel pressure but not Sarah, but that Sarah was able to skate "free" compared to her competitors (like Irina & Michelle) because she wasn't under some crushing pressure or expectation to win OGM, esp. given that she didn't finish top 3 after SP.

[Lightbulb]

OT, but is Anton Sikharudlize Russian or Georgian?

I watched a fluff for '98 Nagano Olympics wherein Katia Gordeeva explained that Anton is actually from Georgia. That's why his surname is different from the usual Russian surnames such as Yagudin, Vasieleev, Grinkov. But back then, Anton started training for the USSR. When it broke up, he was based in St. Petersburg and represented Russia.

[Ptichka]

OT, but is Anton Sikharudlize Russian or Georgian?

Anton's father is part Georgian and part Ukrainian (hence the Georgian last name), whereas his mother is Russian. As of a few years ago, Anton has never been to Georgia and has no relatives there.

[janetfan]

Michelle was looking at possibly her last chance to win OGM. She's a multi-World champ PLUS multi-US champ. And home ice. And she was #1 after SP.

I don't think anybody said Yuna can feel pressure but not Sarah, but that Sarah was able to skate "free" compared to her competitors (like Irina & Michelle) because she wasn't under some crushing pressure or expectation to win OGM, esp. given that she didn't finish top 3 after SP.

Michelle had also just fired Lori and her coach before SLC. She had no coach. :sheesh:
Many were skeptical that she would be at her best in SLC.

That season Sarah had already beaten Michelle and Irina. Her program easily help up or surpassed them on difficulty.

She was the world bronze medalist. She was among the favorites to medal in SLC.
To make it sound like she came out of nowhere to steal the Gold is not true.

She was a very competitive girl. As it turned out she was a little too competitive for Irina, Sahsa and Michelle.

[miki88]

Michelle had also just fired Lori and her coach before SLC. She had no coach. :sheesh:
Many were skeptical that she would be at her best in SLC.

That season Sarah had already beaten Michelle and Irina. Her program easily help up or surpassed them on difficulty.

She was the world bronze medalist. She was among the favorites to medal in SLC.
To make it sound like she came out of nowhere to steal the Gold is not true.

She was a very competitive girl. As it turned out she was a little too competitive for Irina, Sahsa and Michelle.

Yea, but I don't think anyone expected her to win the gold. I still remember when she won, my reaction was like "what?!!!" She skated well, but there was nothing special about it. Of course, seeing OGM slip pass Michelle a second time didn't help either. But I guess I was more tolerant when Tara won, because her performance was much more impressive than Sarah's.

[Mathman]

There is always a teeny element of luck in any sporting event. Sarah "made her own luck" by skating her best at the Olympics. But even so, there were a number of things outside of Sarah's control that had to fall just right.

Sarah was somewhat held up in the short program. She received scores as low as 5.1 and 5.2 in technical merit, and could easily have been placed behind both Funie Suguri and Maria Butryskaya. If she had come out of the SP in 5th or 6th it would not have mattered how brilliant her free skate was.

Plus, in the SP many observers thought Slutskaya should have placed first with Michelle second. If that had happened, Slutskaya would have won the overall gold no matter what Sarah did in the LP.

Then in the LP, Michelle did not have to beat Sarah to win the gold. All she had to do was beat Slutskaya for second. Michelle fell and Slutskaya teetered and tottered but stayed on her feet, inserting herself between Sarah and Michelle in the LP and giving Sarah the victory, five judges to four. Slutskaya and Hughes were tied in factored placements overall, and Sarah won on the tie-breaker.

Well, that's sports. Good for her.

[lavender]

Most of the people I knew felt like Sasha would be the one that would sneak in there if the better skaters Michelle or Irina faltered so although Sarah beat Michelle...and Irina that one time not many people seem to pick Sarah.

It is sport...I'm glad this time the favorites (the overall best skaters) went 1-2. I didn't care which order.

[janetfan]

Yea, but I don't think anyone expected her to win the gold. I still remember when she won, my reaction was like "what?!!!" She skated well, but there was nothing special about it. Of course, seeing OGM slip pass Michelle a second time didn't help either. But I guess I was more tolerant when Tara won, because her performance was much more impressive than Sarah's.

Sarah was one of the favorites to medal in SLC. I am not sure where you are from - but in USA there was a buzz about here.

This "little" magazine featured Sarah on the cover of their Olympic preview:

http://www.coverbrowser.com/image/time/4124-1.jpg


and they predicted her as the one to beat in their feature skating article about the Ladies event:

http://www.time.com/time/olympics200...198869,00.html


And here is how it ended when the skating was over:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fm9ar...eature=related

At the end of this clip it shows a four year old Sarah saying " I want to to go to the Olympics and win the Gold medal. Maybe that is why she had "no pressure" - because she already knew at age 4 she was going to be an Olympic Champion.

[Mathman]

Nah, this article was Time magazine's little attempt at trying to find something mildly controversial to say about the Olympics. Time's editorial staff was based in New York and this article was pretty much just smiled upon in the skating world as playing up the "home-town girl nakes good" angle.

In sober fact, Irina Slutskaya was the Olympic favorite, Time magazine's patriotic flag-waving about an American sweep notwithstanding. Time didn't even assign a sports writer to do the piece. (Alice Park is Time's senior science reporterr. She writes about health and medical news.)

When Sarah won, Time came up smelling like roses.and got to lord it over all the other prognosticators.

[seniorita]

I saw yesterday a fluff of her in a grand slam or something of 1999, then I liked her more cause she had not skated in Slc yet! I was bad and immature I know but her placement after Olys didnt help either! Great skate of the night yes, but one of the greatest in Olys? Hardly.. I have SLC too recent as I rewatched all events last month, and while i watched men with a smile, and even pairs, the ladies i watched like "please someone get me a time machine"! Her program looked better this time but if it wasnt for youtube ..previously I had no memory of her program at all, I only remembered the color of her dress and her reaction at k&c. And I dont even remember the sp. And that were enough considering she beated Michell and Irina in the same night and none has OG now, I have a tendancy to erase quickly the bad memories!..At least Michelle has a phd now