- Joined
- Feb 27, 2012
.... I don't know what Marissa's ultimate goal is, and, for many people, and the federations, the Olympics is the ultimate goal. This is a four year sport, and popularity and momentum seems to hinge on the Olympic results or showing. But for pairs, sometimes maybe we should question that. And Mervin and Marissa's situation really is the perfect example.
Just how important SHOULD it be that a team go to the Olympics. Yes, very important, but at the expense of not skating with a decent partner, or being competitive? Perhaps those considerations should deal-break the Olympic ambition. Being a great team and being able to go to Worlds, and being fantastic on the ice has to be a close second, and (but where you are not going to be on a good team: ) maybe even better than skating in a crappy partnership going nowhere even if you get to go the Olympics.
Consider what JSF and Narumi did to get a Narumi team to the Olympics. (I have nothing against either.) One doesn't need a crystal ball to see that the Japanese team that Narumi is now on is never going to be as good on the ice as the Narumi-Mervin team. And inbetween, now and the next Olympics, there are going to be four years of okay skating, but Narumi-Ryuichi are never going to be podium except at the Japanese National level. JSF and Narumi made the choice that the Olympics were more important than continuing the Tran partnership. I respect that position, but I also disagree with it because it destroyed what could have been a team that potentially could have been super-great, and much more inspirational nationally and internationally for the discipline (imho).
As well, for Marissa in particular, is it worth skating four years in a partnership that causes you to be unhappy just to get to the Olympics? (Again, a personal choice, but, for me, especially after Sochi 2014, I am not so sure that the 2018 Olympics are such a fantastic event to gamble everything you have on at the added cost of spending four years in an unfulfilling partnership.)
I know the National federation system is important for funding, and that Olympics is the be-all end-all (ie the ultimate) for most teams, but, in cases such as Tran and Marissa, because of their individual personal experiences, it might be that their particular priorities are shifted to being on the very best skating team (that can still compete internationally, just not at the Olympics). To me, it is a breath of fresh air to see two skaters I adore take the road less travelled (but to me more rational) and they can be present enough, even without the Olympics, to make it worthwhile.
Let all of us skating fans rejoice.
For me, Tran's goal is a matter of greater interest, given that Castelli already is an Olympian with a team medal. As you say, heckuva lot easier for her not to dwell on dreams of 2018.
For both Tran's sake and Castelli's, I hope that their partnership is successful by whatever measures that they together choose for themselves. I agree that for any athlete, the Olympics should not be the only measure of success.
But I (an American who likes Team Canada too) do not rejoice that Tran will not be skating for Canada. And I do not rejoice that once again his path to the Olympics is (at best) extremely uncertain. The Olympics are much more than a competition. They are a life experience that virtually every Olympian (whether a medalist or not) holds dear.