Vancouver's Mira Leung decided to skip novice and junior ladies and go straight into senior level competition at Canadians when she was just 13. She finished...
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Leung is Youngest on Canada's National Team
Vancouver's Mira Leung decided to skip novice and junior ladies and go straight into senior level competition at Canadians when she was just 13. She finished...
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Thanks for the article on another up and comer!
Thanks for the article, GSk8. Gosh, she skipped both novice and junior levels? I wonder if her coach worked out this strategy for her, or if she is another headstrong youngster like Michelle was at that age, jumping ahead willy-nilly.
Mathman
I saw her live at Nationals. My friend let me go with her. I think she is amazing. Give her some time to work on her presentation, and I think she'll blow some of today's competitors away, and I wouldn't be surprised to see her on the podium at Torino. When I saw her, she reminded me of a young Michelle, maybe even Tara...jumping all over and going for everything!
Maybe not the gold winner, but she may surprise all of us. I'm thinking she will be the one to shine in Turino though. Watch out Sasha Cohen. this girl has REAL techinical talent.
Last edited by Fossi; 07-31-2004 at 12:54 PM.
I'm not sure about the "REAL technical talent" comment...
Well along with the other pre anointed Olympic Gold Medallists for 2006 such as Kostner, Ando, Meissner, Taylor and Phaneuf, that podium is gonna be pretty crowded! Poor Sasha and Michelle clearly will struggle to even make the top 10 at this rate!Sorry couldn't resist.
I thought she was lovely at Canadian Nationals and obviously has a lot of raw potential, but there is no way she is going to be ready for 2006. 2010 I can see her being up there or thereabouts but she has a lot of polishing to do and her basics need a LOT of work.
I don't think she is the first skater to skip juniors. Oksana Baiul never competed at the world level in juniors (I don't know if she did in Ukraine or USSR). She may have competed at Novice in her country, but I am not sure.
It is good to see talented ladies skating singles for Canada. There had not been a medal contender from Canada since Liz Manley (I never really considered Josee Chouinard to be a medal contender; a top 5 skater, may be). Sounds like Cynthia or Mira may have the potential to be on the world podium sometime in the future. I am not sure about 2006, particularly if Mira is just 13 right now. Can she even qualify for the 2006 Olympics?
Vash
She was 14 at this years Nationals, so she's in the same boat as Meissner and Taylor in that she can debut internationally as a senior in fall 2005 so she could make it, but with probably only 2 spots available ( unless Rochette pulls a stunner at 05 Worlds which is a possibility) they most likely will go to Joannie and Cynthia. JMO
Oksana finished 12th in Soviet Juniors back in 1992, I think...Originally Posted by Vash01
Amazing, really, that the following year she was World Champion and the year after that Olympic Champion.
Fossi,
I too was at nationals this year, live! I pulled my daughter out of school and we went and watched the Q rounds then we saw the ladies LP.
I totally agree with your post. Her presentation is still lacking, but given she is only 14, i think that can be excused. I also don't think Torino is totally out of the question for her.
What blew me away about this article was her landing triples at 8! OMG - same age as my baby and mine just landed her first double, lol!
Canuck
I too really like Mira Leung. I think she has tons of potential! I've been watching her since the days when she was coached by Karen Magnussen.
I think though, Barry Mittan should do a little better research on his subjects before he publishes. Mira didn't skip Novice or Juniors. Here is a list of her results before her Senior debut at 2003 Canadians in Saskatoon:
2003 BC Section Championships (Nov 2002)
2nd in Seniors (advanced straight to Cdns)
2002 Bratislava, Slovakia (Oct 2002)
14th in Juniors
2002 BC Section Championships (Nov 2001)
7th in Juniors (didn't qualify for Westerns or Cdns)
2001 BC Section Championships (Nov 2000)
8th in Juniors (didn't qualify for Westerns or Cdns)
2000 Mladost Trophey, Zagreb (March 2000)
4th in Novice
2000 BC Coast Regional Championships (Oct 1999)
8th in Novice (didn't qualify for BC Championships)
1999 *North American Challenge in Vancouver (August 1999)
7th in Novice
*she competed against another little whipper snapper: Beatrisa Liang
1999 Tomorrow's Champions (March 1999)
4th in Pre-Novice
1999 Western Divisionals (Dec 1998)
3rd in Pre-Novice
1999 BC Section Championships (Nov 1998)
2nd in Pre-Novice
Last edited by lotusland; 08-01-2004 at 02:55 AM.
Paula:
Thanks for the article! I saw this young lady last season in the Canadians and was completely blown away by her raw talent. She is like a breath of fresh air to our ladies discipline. I hope Skate Canada is not rushing her too much. We have skaters in the past with potential and who were pushed too quickly and ended up quitting. She seems very strong though and is a hard worker. Can't wait to see her skate again in the up coming season.
Thanks once more!
But really, what was so fresh about Leung besides her young age and perhaps the most unpolished skating I've seen in a while?
Some said Lipinski was very unpolished when she won Nagano in 1998. Hm.....is this foreshadowing?
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