Empathy For Skaters in the Olympic Season

[Skater Boy]

I was thinking this being an Olympic year and all the hard work, sacrifices, commitment and hardships the skater have gone through to compete at the very highest level for every wonderful story there are some with sadness. These skaters deserve our support and empathy - well they all do. But some deserve a little extra empathy.

1. Stolbova and Klimov - at least as it stands now they have been unfairly targetted or affected by IOC's decision to ban them from the olympics. This team is coming back from injury and now this. They also realistically had a good shot at gold in the team event and a bronze individually.

2. Stepanova and Bukin - while not a medal contender it is sad to see a team banned without real explanation

3. Hanyu - coming back from injury, possibly still injured, one of the olympic favorites and having not competed in about 3 months is tough.

4. I/M - again injury and not qualifying the olypmics in a possible heartbreaking farewell skate. This team was thought of a possible top 5 in the world and ended fourth at the Canadian Nationals.

5. Majorov - kind of sad he qualified for the Olympics that his own nation was not behind. It is an honor to earn a spot; it is painful to be denied competing.

6. All those Russian and Japanese ladies so close to the olympics or good enough in any other country but due to the talent pool will not see the light of day

7. Gracie Gold - such a talent an dh aving to go through so much in the olympic year.

8. Patrick Chan, Julia Lipnskaya, Jason Brown, - such talented and special skaters who will not reach most likely the individual podium because the system doesn't recognize such beauty

 

[Ic3Rabbit]

IDK about anyone else but I always have compassion, empathy and support for all skaters because they all going through the ups and downs Olympic season or not.
And being there before myself brings even more empathy for them.

 

[ice coverage]

I was thinking this being an Olympic year and all the hard work, sacrifices, commitment and hardships the skater have gone through to compete at the very highest level for every wonderful story there are some with sadness. These skaters deserve our support and empathy - well they all do. .......

Agree wholeheartedly that all skaters deserve our support and empathy. :agree:

.... But some deserve a little extra empathy. ...

For me, Ross Miner's name is one that quickly comes to mind.

 

[Skater Boy]

Oh yes, Ross. Such a sad situation. What a heartbreaking situation. to skate your best and be denied and then slapped in the face by having skaters well down the list surpass you on the alternate list. I might add a forgotten team that may have gone to the olympics after all had they continued - Kavaguti and Smirnov. Injuries galore and bad luck. They could have been in the position of Savchenko instead they are a footnote in history.

 

[labgoat]

I'd like to add Fournier-Beaudry/Sorenson to the list. Such a lovely team with such stylish skating deserved to be seen at the Olympics. Lola didn't get her way this time...

 

[Skater Boy]

I would probably add Weaver and Poje. So close to a world title, close to a world bronze, close to going to the olympics in 2010, no team medal in 2014 and likely the same in 2018. Just not the right team make up for them at the Olympics.

 

[JumpinJava]

Ross Miner, Wakaba Higuchi sad4, and Kayne/O'Shea are who immediately came to mind. Sometimes, things just don't work out.
I understand why Ross wasn't chosen for the team, statistically and logically speaking, but to put down the skates of his career, win a silver (AND finish above Zhou and Rippon), and still be denied a spot... :confused2:

 

[Lester]

Isn't sympathy what you mean here? How can you have empathy for someone you are neither currently conversing with, nor have likely ever met?

 

[viennaskater]

4. I/M - again injury and not qualifying the olympics in a possible heartbreaking farewell skate. This team was thought of a possible top 5 in the world and ended fourth at the Canadian Nationals.

Who? I can't be bothered to sift through all Canadian teams to find out who you mean here.

 

[Spirals for Miles]

Ilyushchekina (sp?) / Moscovitch

 

[viennaskater]

Thanks!

 

[Crossover]

Isn't sympathy what you mean here? How can you have empathy for someone you are neither currently conversing with, nor have likely ever met?

I agree. Sympathy is more fitting for the OP. I do sympathize the skaters who've been unfortunate in the season, but can't think of myself in their shoes because I'm not a skater nor their close friend.

Ross Miner is the most unfortunate case in my perspective and he has not received the same amount of sympathy as Mirai in 2014.

 

[Spirals for Miles]

I think it's because Mirai had a more concrete case for inclusion and was the first time that the BoW excuse was used that when they pulled it out, everyone was like "umm WHAT"

 

[Barb]

Yuzuru, totally

 

[Jedi]

Ilyushchekina (sp?) / Moscovitch

Thanks - maybe we use initials too much. lol

 

[Imagine]

8. Patrick Chan, Julia Lipnskaya, Jason Brown, - such talented and special skaters who will not reach most likely the individual podium because the system doesn't recognize such beauty

Errr, I'm an unapologetic Yulia stan, but...I'm going to guess that her lack of success in the Olympic season/retirement is more due to the fact that she could not give a single clean free skate post Sochi than it is due to some overtly corrupt judging system. Not sure what the problem is with the other two skaters (since I don't really watch Men's), but I think Yulia just could not compete technically particularly with specialists like Evgenia and Alina coming up from within her own (or former) camp. And to be fair, she had a free throw of a shot at the individual title in 2014. They were itching to put her on the podium, if not at the top, judging by the scores (Again, I have no shame when it comes to stanning Yulia but c'mon! Those numbers were mind boggling considering the performances she actually skated). Of course, that means she would also be the one being skewered by the you-know-whats from you-know-where, but the gold was certainly there for the taking. It just wasn't meant to be, and honestly, I believe things turned out for the best. Yulia is remembered for a glorious Olympic moment, whereas Adelina's victory is tainted by blind, misguided hate. I do feel for Yulia though, how she had to carry the weight of an entire nation's expectations at fifteen. It really messed her up not just in the individual event at Sochi, but for the rest of her career. I wonder if the steel in the newer models will actually turn out to be unbreakable this time around. While I do enjoy and respect Evgenia and Alina as athletes, only Yulia has touched the soul. Like Sasha before her, Yulia gave exquesite performances that will never be forgotten. In the end, that's all I will really remember, a beautiful skater whose legacy does not need any (additional) medal for validation.

Regarding the system, yeah I do kind of understand what you're saying. I mean, in my perfect world, Yulia would be an Olympic champion (well, she is, but you know what I mean) who is preceded by Asada Mao, who is preceded by Sasha Cohen, all being judged on aesthetics alone. But the reality is that this is a sport, and in my opinion, that should take precedence over the artistic components. This is-it-a-sport-or-an-art paradox has always been, and is always going to be an issue with how figure skating is scored. But I think that in order for it to be seen as a legitimate, Olympic sport, it should be treated more objectively.

 

[slider11]

Ilyushchekina (sp?) / Moscovitch

Total empathy! Luba and Dylan were coming on strong last season but then, this season, hit a wall with programs that weren't clicking and her inconsistent SBS jumps. I am still hoping we might see them at Worlds!

 

[karne]

Yuzuru, totally

Um, why? He's going to the Olympics for a second time and is one of the favourites. Nothing to sympathise over.

My sympathy is reserved for people like Max, who saw his Olympic dream lying in tatters on the ice at San Jose after so desperately trying for the lsst 4 years to do everything demanded of him and more.

 

[IcePrincessEllyze]

Wakaba and Mai :sad4:

 

[silverfoxes]

Sergei Voronov - let down 3 times by the horrible Russian Fed, and deserved to go much more than some of the people mentioned here, imo.