There's the pressure of being a favorite. Then there's extraordinary pressure that goes beyond great expectations. I doubt anyone has ever skated under more pressure than Tonya Harding at the 1994 Olympics. She bombed.
But here are five skaters who showed nerves of steel under tough circumstances. From great to greatest performances:
5. Paul Wylie, 1992 Olympics. Normally, being the underdog means no pressure. But it's one thing to skate when people don't expect anything from you. It's another when everyone expects you to bomb.
We all know what happened. Here it is.
SP
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GfEF_0GeDwc&feature=related
LP
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tzxrQSbaCRU&feature=related
4. Irina Slutskaya, 2005 Worlds. Sat out the 2003 worlds because of her mother's illness. 9th in 2004 because of her own illness. She had to fight to come back in 2005. And to top it off, she had to skate in front of a home crowd. One of the best gold medal performances at a world championship:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zek69FhRfBc&feature=related
3. Midori Ito, 1992 Olympics. She struggled the whole competition and was so embarrassed she apologized to Japan. Falls on her first triple axle attempt in her LP - and then lands one at the last minute to fight her way to silver!! Hurray!! I just love watching this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=polwvMNVgFU
2. Lu Chen, 1998 Olympics. The 1995 world champ was coming off an abysmal 25th place finish at the 1997 worlds that led to a rift with the Chinese figure skating federation and coaching changes. She had to qualify the hard way for the Olympics.
Here's why it was a good thing she didn't give up:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VVW5W5-IwbQ&NR=1
1. Nancy Kerrigan, 1994 Olympics. This is not my favorite performance of this bunch. But who can deny the extraordinary pressure this girl was under. Talk about nerves of steel.
SP:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KjtwgN_DwjU
LP:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N7RvWbnaDZk&feature=related
Anyone else who should be on the list? My skating memory really only goes back to 1992 Olympics. I'd love to hear of more examples.
But here are five skaters who showed nerves of steel under tough circumstances. From great to greatest performances:
5. Paul Wylie, 1992 Olympics. Normally, being the underdog means no pressure. But it's one thing to skate when people don't expect anything from you. It's another when everyone expects you to bomb.
We all know what happened. Here it is.
SP
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GfEF_0GeDwc&feature=related
LP
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tzxrQSbaCRU&feature=related
4. Irina Slutskaya, 2005 Worlds. Sat out the 2003 worlds because of her mother's illness. 9th in 2004 because of her own illness. She had to fight to come back in 2005. And to top it off, she had to skate in front of a home crowd. One of the best gold medal performances at a world championship:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zek69FhRfBc&feature=related
3. Midori Ito, 1992 Olympics. She struggled the whole competition and was so embarrassed she apologized to Japan. Falls on her first triple axle attempt in her LP - and then lands one at the last minute to fight her way to silver!! Hurray!! I just love watching this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=polwvMNVgFU
2. Lu Chen, 1998 Olympics. The 1995 world champ was coming off an abysmal 25th place finish at the 1997 worlds that led to a rift with the Chinese figure skating federation and coaching changes. She had to qualify the hard way for the Olympics.
Here's why it was a good thing she didn't give up:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VVW5W5-IwbQ&NR=1
1. Nancy Kerrigan, 1994 Olympics. This is not my favorite performance of this bunch. But who can deny the extraordinary pressure this girl was under. Talk about nerves of steel.
SP:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KjtwgN_DwjU
LP:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N7RvWbnaDZk&feature=related
Anyone else who should be on the list? My skating memory really only goes back to 1992 Olympics. I'd love to hear of more examples.