1992 Olympics men event?
Just watched clips from the top skaters. Petrenko's program gave me the impression just jumps and crossovers. Sure he had excelent jump contents from all the men, especially his openning jump 3A/3T. But besides that I hardly notice he had section of footwork or spin or MIFs. While Paul's program was jam packed with a lot of MIFs, not mention his footwork, etc. Actually I felt even Browning and Elvis had better programs than Petrenko. But Petreko's music was well chosed.
mxheng - You brought back memories. I agree. I just never was a believer in Viktor. He was lucky. Just proves my point, Oly winners are not the best in the world.
Joe
IIRC, 7 judges put Petrenko in first and 2 judges put Wylie in first - so it was not close. Viktor had a nice program - I liked the music. However, since he had been injured in the off season and did not have time to choreograph a new program, he was using a program for the third year in a row. Part of what I think hurt Paul is that he had never won a National Championship or a World medal. Because of that, he wasn't as highly regarded as Christopher Bowman or Todd Eldredge (both US Champions and World Medalists). Viktor was the Bronze medalist in Calgary, a 2-time European Champion, and 2-time World Silver Medalist. However, Paul had the skates of his life in Albertville. It was as if he had to prove he deserved to be there instead of Mark Mitchell who skated better than Paul at Nationals but finished behind Paul. And yes, Paul's program had better choreography than Viktor's. Even Kurt's program was better than Viktor's.
Herm (sk8ngnutt)
Personally I liked much more of Paul´s skating in 1992 Olympics and also hoped that he would win after his (for him a really) successful freeskate. It was Viktor´s triple axel combination which brought the win for him as one factor.
In my opinion once again it was proved that a skater needs merits to be able to win in figure skating at the Olympics. Besides other merits (= Viktor was World silver medallist in 1990 & 1991, Paul only 10th and 11th) he was also the bronze medallist from previous Olympics.
In 1992 after the Olympics Viktor also won the Worlds. So, his Olympic win (as well as that of other Olympic winners) definetely should not be called or refered to as "a lucky skate in one event". Only a skater without any earlier medals to win at the Olympics, can be called having done a lucky skate in one event. And I don´t think that happens in figure skating often, LOL, as a matter of fact no such singles skaters come into my mind... IF Paul had won in 1992 Olympics, THAT could have been called a lucky skate in one event or the winner not being the best in the world...
Last edited by Jaana; 08-07-2004 at 12:37 AM.
Although I thought Paul should have won, I can understand the situation (which doesn't mean I agree with it...lol). Viktor had the resume and the judges' respect. Petrenko entered the Games as co-favorite with Browning, so for anyone to beat those two they would have to have been beyond spectacular. I thought Wylie was beyond spectacular, but his performance wasn't clean technically and so it wasn't a "knock-out" punch. If, perhaps, he had not fallen out of the 3s or if he had not doubled the 2nd 3lz he would have become Olympic Champion. But, I still can't understand how in the world Wylie received a 5th place ordinal for his freeskate! I believe it was from the Czechoslovakian judge.
I haven't seen the other men, but do you think think that Wylie only having four clean triples was the reason why he wasn't first in the LP?
He also had a step out of the second triple axel. He had the skate of his life and Viktor had a subpar performance but there was enough content in Viktor's performance to edge out Wylie. Viktor did have nice spins (one of the few men that could do the layback spin) and he always has great speed, power, and presence- things that are not that obvious when you watch it on TV. Kurt's program had great choreography but since he skated poorly, it did not help him.Originally Posted by BronzeisGolden
The 92 Olympic event was pretty much a splatfest. I actually thought Paul's was the best of a bad bunch. And, I don't mean that Paul's performance was bad (because I think it was spectacular)...but I don't think anyone would have ever expected that a program with anything less than 6-7 clean triples could almost win Olympic Gold at that time.
Here are what Petrenko and Wylie attempted jumpwise:
Wylie:
3f
3a
3lz/2t (step in between the combination)
3s (fall out)
3a/2t (step in between the combination)
3lz (doubled)
3t
2a
Petrenko:
3a/3t (wild landing on 3t, but clean)
3s
3lz/2t
3f (fall out)
3l (doubled)
2a
3t
3a (fall)
2a (singled)
So, technically I think it was closer than some like to imagine. Petrenko's 3/3 combination wasn't that secure and he failed to land the second 3a or the 3f. He also looked very tired at the end of the program, but Wylie seemed to have even more energy than he had had in the beginning. I also tend to think that Wylie had the edge in spins. He had great positions, speed, etc. Petrenko's were solid, but again he was very fatigued in the latter half of his program. He also had very little content as Mzheng mentioned. There were a ton of crossovers. So, I'd say they both basicly landed 5 triple jumps. Am I wrong in saying this? Do steps in between a combination make the first jump not clean? I've never been absolutely certain of this.
No, I think it just makes it a sequence instead of a combination (as long as the first jump is fully rotated). I think a combo would have helped him with a few judges, as would a 3 loop, but I think regardless of how he would have skated, there were some judges who would not have given him the win. He didn't really need a 2nd 3 lutz (I don't think anyone else landed a 2nd lutz, maybe Elvis?).Do steps in between a combination make the first jump not clean? I've never been absolutely certain of this.
It's hard to say, but if you look at Viktor's LP performance in '92 and '94, in `94 I he was eons better. I would have given Barna 2nd over Petrenko.
I do think Paul should have won, but that fact that he placed higher than he ever would have imagined and was so thrilled with silver made it easier to take. Paul was the #3 US guy (some would say #4) going into that Olympics.
Bronze - Do you have a list of the nationalities of the other 8 judges.?
Joe
http://www.aya.or.jp/~polaris/winter_olympic/index.htm
go to this invaluable site
click on "Results", at the top
scroll down to "1992, Albertville"
choose "Mens singles" from the pull-down menu under figure skating on the left
scroll down to the bottom and click on "Expanded results"
et voila!
I personally don't remember this one all that well, (I had had a baby a few weeks prior) but the marks are really a mixed bag. I prefer Victor to Paul in general, but I honestly don't remember who I prefered in this comp.
BA
As I recall, this was one of those competitions where whomever laid down the best freeskate was the winner. It was an open field. Any of these skaters could have stepped up to the plate as the champion. Viktor, did not skate brilliantly and used a previous program - as was mentioned - but he delivered. Of course, I wanted Kurt or Elvis to win, but it was not to be. At the time, I wondered if it was favourtism, but who really knows? None of the men seemed in their best form.
It's difficult to make a call when the skaters do not all perform equally well. The judges pretty much have to go with the technical marks.
Viktor won and deserves our respect.
Based on this list, Paul had 4 triples (actually his second 3A was not landed clean). Viktor had 5. The more important thing though is Paul did not have a jump combination (he had two jump sequences) and Viktor had two difficult ones (3A-3t, even with a wild landing was the most difficult jump combination in that competition). Jumps do count, and so does reputation. Paul - being someone who never finished in the top 10 at worlds- had to skate an error free program to beat Viktor (it was not hard to do, with Viktor's mistakes).
I thought the results would be closer than they were, and that Paul had a chance, but it did not seem like a clear win to me (for Paul) because of the flaws (though minor ones).
Vash
I am guessing that Paul's medal win meant everything to him, regardless of the color. A gold medal might have been controversial and we would be having a discussion as to why he "shouldn't" have won instead of "maybe he should have". As a result, winning the silver elevated him in status so that he was picked up by SOI and participated in many pro skating events.........42
Thanks, Brokenankle! That is a great site!
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