Liu has improved so much, but is still very young and has very little chance of competing with the Russians. Honestly, if she could finish ahead of any of the Japanese women it would be a major accomplishment, but even that will be tough this year.
Alexei Mishin and Liza Tuk can answer that question!!! lol
I don't really disagree with what you are saying. However, the improvements that Alysa has made are truly impressive. I think she should be praised for that. I, also, think her reliability in competition makes her more likely than other US ladies to get a solid score at any competition.
Before I ever think about Gracie’s skating, I think of her physical and mental well being. She has an eating disorder. She needs to be coached by someone who won’t exacerbate that. I don’t think Frank was good for her in that way and Eteri would be a disaster of epic proportions. She needs to stay away from RAF as well. I don’t mean that she’s delicate or incapable in some way. But she has a mental health problem she’s been very open about. She mentioned during Covid everyone was hoarding food and that was difficult for her.
You don't mean to, but you are making her sound delicate to me. She shared information about her mental health and physical health, but does she really want that information to define her more than her skating? Not so sure about that.
Actually, for the most part, yes. And most of Mariah's 'choreography' is the same as it has been for the past two years, just different music. In some ways I think her long program is even worse. Both Sides Now at such a sleepy slow speed I thought I was going to nod off. Sloooooowww edging across the ice. Lots of sloooooow arm waving. The entire program was so...sloooooow. I would strongly suggest she find a new choreographer, post haste, and put two new programs together, even if she has to use old ones for GP. Neither one of these is a good enough program to challenge for an Olympic place come January.
Unlike Mariah, Alysa's team has done a terrific job with her programs-both of them. Both programs scream 'Olympic program', with interesting choreography, music and so on. While the lutz etc., is secure, she slows way down on the entrance and it still is more rotation speed than height. Same with the 3A. But she is ready to go. Audrey is looking better and better,-her long suits her and is beautiful, and if it is actually possible to skate to words, she almost manages it. Amber's short is also a very good program. Wish I could have seen Amber's long, but I guess we will see it at SA. I think we can also expect Bradie and Karen to come out with great programs, so if Mariah doesn't make some drastic changes, she stands to be left behind.
Her spins are the best spins in the world IMO. But being 5'7", jumps do not come as easily to her as someone who is 5', and Bradie has issues with UR's, and actually getting those jumps into the air. And by 'natural athletic ability' I mean jumping ability. With the rest of the world moving on to 3A's and quads, their is a ceiling as to how high Bradie can score against an ever increasing number of skaters with 3A's and quads.
If skaters retired at 18, Ashley Wagner would not be a World and Olympic medalist. These accomplishments are likely to be the most noteworthy in her life, and it took many years of perserverence for everything to come together for her to achieve them.
