Last minute comebacks for the Olympics | Golden Skate

Last minute comebacks for the Olympics

Krislite

Medalist
Joined
Sep 22, 2010
For those of you more knowledgeable of skating history, which skaters or pairs attempted a late comeback for the Olympics and how did they fare? By "late" I mean no competition in the season before Olympics. I've only been following skating in recent years so I recall only Shen/Zhao, Plushenko and Sasha Cohen.

I'm interested in learning the history since it's that time again and we're hearing talks of comebacks from Lyzacek, Ando and Czisny.
 

Mrs. P

Uno, Dos, twizzle!
Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 27, 2009
For those of you more knowledgeable of skating history, which skaters or pairs attempted a late comeback for the Olympics and how did they fare? By "late" I mean no competition in the season before Olympics. I've only been following skating in recent years so I recall only Shen/Zhao, Plushenko and Sasha Cohen.

I'm interested in learning the history since it's that time again and we're hearing talks of comebacks from Lyzacek, Ando and Czisny.

There's the crew of 1994, when they allowed professional skaters to go back to the amateur ranks:

The most successful of them was Gordeeva and Grinkov: They basically came back and won every competition including the Gold medal at the Olympics.
Torvil and Dean were also quite successful also: Bronze at the Olympics and gold at Europeans.
Viktor Petrenko- He won every competition but the one that counted -- the Olympics, he came in 4th.
Katrina Witt: 2nd at German Nationals (lost to Tanja Szewczenko), 8th at Europeans, 7th at Olympics
Brian Boitano: 2nd at Skate America, 2nd at U.S. Nationals (to Scott Davis), 6th at Olympics
Elane Zayak made a comeback at U.S. Nationals, her first competition in a decade. She finished 4th, just one placement off what she needed to make the Olympic team.
 

jaylee

Medalist
Joined
Feb 21, 2010
Stephane Lambiel retired before the 2008-2009 season began, but returned for the 2009-2010 Olympic season. 2nd at Euros, 4th at the Olympics.

Not a "comeback due to a retirement/extended" break, but Daisuke Takahashi missed the entire 2008-2009 season due to an injury and returned for the 2009-2010 Olympic season. A 2nd and a 4th place on the GP qualified him for the GPF, where he finished 5th. He placed 3rd at the Olympics and won Worlds.
 
Joined
Aug 16, 2009
Mrs. P. got in ahead of me. I was going to mention Zayak. It was incredibly impressive: she was I think 28 at that point, and she looked very solid.

The men's singles in that Olympics was so odd. The top three contenders were Petrenko, Boitano, and Browning. Browning was still eligible but had back problems in 1992 and had come in fifth in Albertville. It was as if a giant gremlin pushed them all down in the short program and said, "Time for new blood, guys!" Every one of the three fell on a jump in the short.
 

Matilda

Medalist
Joined
Dec 19, 2012
Shen and Zhao: retired after 2007 Worlds, which they won. Returned for the 2009-2010 Olympic season, won both of their GPs, GPF, and won the Olympic gold. They rock!
 

pangtongfan

Match Penalty
Joined
Jun 16, 2010
There might be some comebacks but this time around I dont think a single one of them will be remotedly successful. Which is a far cry from 2010 and 1994 when everyone knew some of them would be quite successful. Going through each:

Plushenko- In the event his body doesnt give out he might make it to Sochi. Then if he does it would take a very messy event for him to win a bronze medal this time around. Not great odds, but the best chance of a respectable comeback if he somehow can stay in one piece.

Lysacek- doubt he even shows up at Nationals (aka no comeback will take place) but if he does wont even make U.S Olympic team in all likelihood, and if he somehow does will be lucky to eke out a top 10 at the Games.

Weir- LOL, that is all I will say.

Ando- I suspect she will show up at Nationals mostly as a farewell skate and head into retirement and pro skating with a 6th place finish. Even if she did have a strong competition and comes 3rd or 4th it wont be enough to make the Oly team, as it has already been stated she needs to win Nationals.
 

gmyers

Record Breaker
Joined
Mar 6, 2010
They really don't count but I think of Delelboel schoenfelder! Because of injury and pregnancy they did nothing all of 2009 and 2010 pre Olympics! They never were not going to try but like all they did was the Olympics and then their careers were over!
 

Blades of Passion

Skating is Art, if you let it be
Record Breaker
Joined
Sep 14, 2008
Country
France
They still should have won Bronze at that Olympics. The Russians' and B/A's programs were far too crappy.
 

gmyers

Record Breaker
Joined
Mar 6, 2010
They still should have won Bronze at that Olympics. The Russians' and B/A's programs were far too crappy.

Yes I feel that is a very obvious thing that should have happened. People talked about French D/S not being "polished" and their programs "not ready" but look at how the OD's of B/A and D/S were ready! LOL? French D/S were also much much better than F/S. Being world champions in 2009 were obviously very good for Russian D/S but there should have been much more weight for French D/S being 2008 world champions. They totally showed that quality in Vancouver.

I also forgot about the obvious comeback of Fusar Poli and Margaglio for Torino. They did nothing from SLC to Torino and then decided to come back for that. They won the CD and then everyone knows what happened in that OD!
 

coolboogie22

Match Penalty
Joined
Jun 21, 2009
Does the Olympic Games will have a rule to get a minimum technical score requirement to compete at Sochi for all discipline ????

If, it the case, I think it would be suck considered that a comeback skater could have some difficulty to get thoses minimum technical score because the federation will not necessary select them for a Senior B or Grand Prix.
 

mskater93

Record Breaker
Joined
Oct 22, 2005
If that comeback skater was definitely competitive (which is different for each federation what that means), then the federation would likely send them to at least something like NRW trophy (Kim in 2012-3 season)
 

CanadianSkaterGuy

Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 25, 2013
One of the biggest comebacks for me was Lu Chen getting bronze in 1998 after placing 25th at the previous Worlds. I will never forget her curling up into a ball at the end of her FS and the tears afterwards. To me, it was emotionally the biggest skate even if it wasn't the best skate, like Rochette's SP in Vancouver.

Slutskaya's comeback in general was also very inspiring.
 

chuckm

Record Breaker
Joined
Aug 31, 2003
Country
United-States
Yes, there will be a minimum technical score for Sochi. The comeback skater most affected by that would be Ando, since she must skate at Regionals to be considered for even a B International. That means she'd have to skate at one of the late November-early December Bs, NRW or Golden Spin.
 

lcd

Match Penalty
Joined
Mar 11, 2007
Not last minute but so many of the champions who returned for the 1994 Olympics. By your 'no competition the season before' that would have applied to Torvill/Dean, Gordeeva/Grinkov
 

Krislite

Medalist
Joined
Sep 22, 2010
One of the biggest comebacks for me was Lu Chen getting bronze in 1998 after placing 25th at the previous Worlds. I will never forget her curling up into a ball at the end of her FS and the tears afterwards. To me, it was emotionally the biggest skate even if it wasn't the best skate, like Rochette's SP in Vancouver.

Slutskaya's comeback in general was also very inspiring.

I don't know if I'd count Chen's 1998 bronze as a "comeback" since she didn't take a break. It's more like "redemption."
 

chuckm

Record Breaker
Joined
Aug 31, 2003
Country
United-States
I dont know about 2010, but they definitely should have won bronze in 2006.

Delobel/Schoenfelder didn't medal in 2006 because they finished 7th in the CD and 4th in the OD. They were 2nd in the FD, but they were too far behind to make the podium.
 
Top