I think Gracie is 19 - 18 at the youngest. I think it would be very weird if a skater was going into the Olympic competition and not aiming for a gold medal. Why would anyone say "oh, I know I can't win a medal but I'll skate the best I can!" Really? Not in this life and certainly not with Frank Carroll as your coach! IIRC Evan Lysacek was not projected to win the gold in Vancouver - but he did! And without a quad. Anything can happen. I honestly feel if everybody skates clean the bronze medal is up for grabs. If it's a splat-fest, anything can happen. But of the three I think Gracie has the best chance!!! Polina is amazing for her age but she doesn't have the polish! Ashley has the weight of the world on her shoulders at this point and the Mirai lovers putting juju on her......
My understanding it is just those who actually compete so a maximum of six indivduals/teams per team. Or six competitor (team or individual depending on the event ie. 2 skaters if it is dance or pairand single for isingles. But you could have w pair teams and w dance teams and one of each the individuals etc. So if you didn't skate no medal.
I wouldn't worry about her neglecting her training. Don't forget who is captain of the S.S. Gold heading into Sochi. Frank is great about managing skaters. He'll allow Gracie to do interviews as long as it isn't interfering with her training...if it does interfere, he'll drop the hammer. This isn't his first time going to the Olympics with a high profile athlete...he knows what he's doing.
As for Gracie's chances at a medal, I do think she's behind a fair number of skaters (Yu-Na, Mao, Carolina, both Russians) but it is unlikely everyone will skate their best. If she can put out two programs like she did at nationals, I think she has an outside-outside shot at bronze but I could see her coming in 4th or 5th as long as she skates well. Let's be honest, no one from the US ladies has a good chance at a medal right now; Ashley and Gracie are outside shots at best...Polina can stay in the top 10 if she skates well but the event would have to be a splatfest for her to place in the top 5.
I think Gracie is 19 - 18 at the youngest. I think it would be very weird if a skater was going into the Olympic competition and not aiming for a gold medal. Why would anyone say "oh, I know I can't win a medal but I'll skate the best I can!" Really? Not in this life and certainly not with Frank Carroll as your coach! IIRC Evan Lysacek was not projected to win the gold in Vancouver - but he did! And without a quad. Anything can happen. I honestly feel if everybody skates clean the bronze medal is up for grabs. If it's a splat-fest, anything can happen. But of the three I think Gracie has the best chance!!! Polina is amazing for her age but she doesn't have the polish! Ashley has the weight of the world on her shoulders at this point and the Mirai lovers putting juju on her......
Threads like this do my head in.
Some people need to get over themselves.
It's wishful thinking rather than being realistic.
EVERY time a better than average American skater comes through the ranks people try to make out that this person deserves to win based on nothing more than the fact they like them.
I'm half American & cringe about the US bias towards some athletes.
Support your favourite skater & wish the best for them-yes.
But trying to make out they are better than any other skater or wishing other skaters do bad is awful.
Saying things like "The S.S Gold heading into Sochi" is just making my skin crawl.
Also putting down Julia's artistry.
I'm a huge Akiko Suzuki fan but all I can wish for her is two clean programs & hope every other skater also does their best.
I'm just so tired of the Gold-Hype.
She has won 1 US title & no major medals in the senior ranks.
I know I'm going to get a lot of heat for this post but I just hate how some people start threads to make a skater seem better than everyone else.
You can't blame them, because they see apparently more merits in Gold than Julia or Adelina; if Julia with questionable qualities can be propped up throughout this season, why not Gold.
There you go.
So are people just saying that Julia has questionable qualities because they are jealous that Julia is winning titles such as Grand Prix events & not Gold ?.
I'd say reasonable hope than jealousy. They are not competing with Julia. why would they be jealous of her?
Because they want Gold to win so much ?.
I remember the Rochette supporters trashing Ando & Lepisto in the run-up to the 2010 Games.
I just don't get why so many people love saying bad things about skaters.
If you don't like them then don't watch.
Why wish another person bad ?.
As for me, I am in betwixt about Julia. though I look, to some, constantly critical of her skating, I am unsure of how to judge her skating. On one hand, I am tentatively inclined to the current judging, on the other hand, couldn't shake off the creeping doubt. honestly I do not know. Half and half is my honest judging about Julia's skating. having said that, I see a few logical grounds for judges' support; at the same time, immensely displeased with a mirage of validity dissipating like quicksand.
Most skaters divide opinions.
Julia is such a talented skater.
Judges will always have their favourites.
I've sat watching skating since 1992 & have always been sad to see how unfair this sport can be sometimes.
I got to the point where I just try to enjoy every skater & what they have to offer rather than wait for the judges axe to fall.
Skating is such a beautiful sport that sometimes the results are not the most important thing.
At this stage I think that's a good, strategic move - she SHOULD do the FS. She's best equipped to do it at this point in time.
Her best shot at a medal comes in the team event, I would think. I still think Yuna Kim/Russians/Japanese have the individual ones on virtual lockdown. (I HOPE to be proven wrong!!)
@ midnightskater: Reading your statement “I've sat watching skating since 1992 & have always been sad to see how unfair this sport can be sometimes" makes me feel such a dinosaur!
I have been following this sport since 1976 and cannot recall a period of fair judging across the board ( meaning, in all 4 events).
For me though – since the Olympics are approaching – the Lake Placid OG of 1980 would always stand out as a testament of unfair judgment.
One event aside ( pairs), the rest of the events had the questionable winners. And even now, years later, I would discuss it with the friends and we would get into a discussion – why not Linda Fratianne got the gold, or Jan Hoffman – or the most obvious – how could Krisztina & Andras end up being on the second with the skating that they showed?
And how sad it is that we would remember the names of “those” judges as clear as the names of the skaters? ( remember their stone faces when they would lift their arm with the score card?)
Each times the OG approach, we all have hope that finally the best will win – only to experience the feeling of crashed hopes later…
You raise a good point about Gold's FS consistency but honestly, at this point Wagner isn't a steady hand either. She has also not skated a clean FS this season and what's more, she's in the midst of changing hers so I'm not convinced she can be comfortable enough with it in time to skate it well at the team event. Who knows though...
Threads like this do my head in.
Some people need to get over themselves.
It's wishful thinking rather than being realistic.
EVERY time a better than average American skater comes through the ranks people try to make out that this person deserves to win based on nothing more than the fact they like them.
I'm half American & cringe about the US bias towards some athletes.
Support your favourite skater & wish the best for them-yes.
But trying to make out they are better than any other skater or wishing other skaters do bad is awful.
Saying things like "The S.S Gold heading into Sochi" is just making my skin crawl.
Also putting down Julia's artistry.
I'm a huge Akiko Suzuki fan but all I can wish for her is two clean programs & hope every other skater also does their best.
I'm just so tired of the Gold-Hype.
She has won 1 US title & no major medals in the senior ranks.
I know I'm going to get a lot of heat for this post but I just hate how some people start threads to make a skater seem better than everyone else.
Threads like this do my head in.
Some people need to get over themselves.
It's wishful thinking rather than being realistic.
EVERY time a better than average American skater comes through the ranks people try to make out that this person deserves to win based on nothing more than the fact they like them.
I'm half American & cringe about the US bias towards some athletes.
Support your favourite skater & wish the best for them-yes.
But trying to make out they are better than any other skater or wishing other skaters do bad is awful.
Saying things like "The S.S Gold heading into Sochi" is just making my skin crawl.
Also putting down Julia's artistry.
I'm a huge Akiko Suzuki fan but all I can wish for her is two clean programs & hope every other skater also does their best.
I'm just so tired of the Gold-Hype.
She has won 1 US title & no major medals in the senior ranks.
I know I'm going to get a lot of heat for this post but I just hate how some people start threads to make a skater seem better than everyone else.