Quite so.
Looking at some competitions - not olympic of course, you'd think people made it their goal to be boring. How is the question so is the answer. Maybe you can come up with a precise definition of an "olympic program" other than something that made it to the games, and explain what sets examples you've given apart from the rest, and which programs from the same event were not "olympic" in your opinion and why? Usually it's just commentators' chatter, meaning they like somebody's skating. Yes, the idea is, you keep some stuff for the olympic season and are more careful, people have done this, like VM or Orser's 1988 FS. But seeing how many people are recycling programs, one might as well say an olympic program is something recycled. BTW, Arakawa skated to Turandot in 2002, 2004 and 2006.
Yeah, I kind of agree with this position. I think that for the most part when people say things like, "that was truly Olympian" they just mean something like "epic" or "awesome."
There is not much to add.Yeah, I kind of agree with this position. I think that for the most part when people say things like, "that was truly Olympian" they just mean something like "epic" or "awesome."
Of course any skater would be thrilled to skate an epic, awesome program at the Olympic Games.
For dictionary buffs, the American heritage Dictionary gives 4 definitions of "Olympian."
1. Of or pertaining to the greater gods of Ancient Greece (for instance Zeus, Apollo, Quadg0d, etc.)
2. Magnificent in manner.
3. Of or relating to the Olympic Games.
4. Of or relating to the region of Olympia in Greece or its inhabitants.
Something for everyone.
I totally agree that it was one of the most Olympic of Olympic Programs in ice dance with all the glitter and shine and memorability, same with the Tong/Pang one shown earlier; despite my groaning at music choices they are designed after all to hit specific and common emotional buttons, just as showtunes are.
Because after all quite a few of the Olympic programs now considered most iconic didn't win. The Tong/Pang program above didn't. Nor did the wonderful Asada one in 2014 or Yuna Kim's sublime Send in the Clowns (whereas the actual winner's program is largely forgotten) or Javier's representing-my-country-with-everything-I-have 2018 choices. Even if we say "has the chance of winning" in practical terms these days that's only a handful but most of those who know they are not going to win clearly do their best to create something that in their minds' eye will dazzle and make them memorable (Jason took his iconic Riverdance to 2014, is reshaping it for 2022.)
Since we are going down memory lane on the 2010 Olympics, here is one of my all-time faves in the "lighthearted" category. Presenting: Mirai Nagasu (age 16) as "Carmen's Little Sister."
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It did win the SP, though -- margin should have been higher.
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Who, who?
This certainly is a very good program. Music cut is careful, nice use of the slow section, very strong development in the second half about 3:25 to 4:05 and special thanks for not putting this section https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CHPaeQ-wyTk&t=250 on repeat like many skaters do for their step sequences. The downside is the program has a bit of an anti-climax before the pair spin, where the music is swamped by applause.This is one of my favorite Olympic programs and skates of all time. I never tire of it. M/D.
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Yuma's Turandot free. It has the potential to bring down the house on Olympic ice and be a program that is talked about 20 years from now.Who, who?
I think that there is also a distinction to be made between a program and a particular performance of that program. Michelle Kwan's 1998 Lyra Angelica program was Olympic-worthy and would have won the OGM if she had performed it as brilliantly as she had done at U.S. Nationals that year.
Yes. Timing is everything. Whether she peaked a tad too early that season, or if Olympic nerves just caught her... both of her performances were better at US Nats. It was apparent in real time. She got away with that in the SP, because it was still first at the Olympics, but she didn't get away with it in the long. Even so, Tara won on a 6-3 split, so even that lesser performance could still have won. The difference was the freedom in which Tara skated when Michelle was holding back in a way that she didn't do at Nationals.
Same for Patrick Chan in 2014. His programs at 2013 TEB were as perfect as they could be. But he didn't skate them like that in Sochi, leaving room for Yuzu to win instead.
