Extraordinary performances under extraordinary pressure

[BlackAxel]

I think Mao's lp performance at the 2007 World Championship should also be included. While she didnt win gold she was literally 0.36 behind Miki! For Mao to give such an emotional performance with no mistakes (except one two-footed landing which I think cost her the gold) with so much pressure performing in front of her home country and coming in 5th in her sp is unbelievable!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQ8LXKlFjUI

 

[Marrymeyunakim]

I would add Kim Yu Na's performances, especially at the 2009 Worlds. I really can't imagine having so much pressure on you - when you are the most loved celebrity in your home country, when they are willing you on to win, following your every move... It's remarkable that she's been able to cope with that amount of pressure all throughout her career. It seems like she's faltering somewhat now, but I hope she'll be able to handle all of it in Vancouver, just like how she did a botched FS at 2009 4CC but stormed back to win Worlds.

EDIT: During the time of 2009 Worlds, I remember Kim's skates billing up to be Korea vs Japan because of some baseball (?) match that had concluded the days before and resulted in Japan's win. All in all, this is a helluva lot of pressure on one young girl's shoulders.

 

[Layfan]

I would add Kim Yu Na's performances, especially at the 2009 Worlds. I really can't imagine having so much pressure on you - when you are the most loved celebrity in your home country, when they are willing you on to win, following your every move... It's remarkable that she's been able to cope with that amount of pressure all throughout her career. It seems like she's faltering somewhat now, but I hope she'll be able to handle all of it in Vancouver, just like how she did a botched FS at 2009 4CC but stormed back to win Worlds.

EDIT: During the time of 2009 Worlds, I remember Kim's skates billing up to be Korea vs Japan because of some baseball (?) match that had concluded the days before and resulted in Japan's win. All in all, this is a helluva lot of pressure on one young girl's shoulders.

I thought of that too but I dunno ... was she really under any more pressure than any other favorite has ever been? I decided she should go on the list if she wins the Olympics. There, I think the pressure she'll face will be truly extraordinary. She'll not only be the reigning world champion. She'll be the reigning world champion who's a celebrity in her country and who's beaten her own record how many times now? Whew.

 

[inside edge]

Brian Orser, Calgary 1988 on home ice and Canada's hope had a tremendous performance under incredible pressure.

But Brian Boitano was also under tremendous pressure as well and had the skate of his life.

We have all seen it so I didn't include the clips.

I would give a nod to both of these skaters for outstanding performances and for making the "Battle of The Brians" one of the most memorable evenings of skating in Olympic history..

 

[MichaelK]

I would like to add Witt's performance at 87 Worlds. She came from behind, had to win the free and Debi had already skated very well. At that occasion she had to land the loop and she did - everything else was superclean too. Talk about nerves of steel ....

 

[Blades of Passion]

I don't think Witt came from behind in 87? That was the year she had a clean SP and Debi made a mistake.

It was 86 when Witt made a mistake in the SP (and won the LP but still lost overall).

Her performance at 1987 Worlds is certainly her best ever, though.

 

[bekalc]

My point is skate order may have helped in that Tara knew what Michelle did and what she needed to do. We all know judges would leave room for later skaters under 6.0, especially if one of the favorites were still to come. Who knows what would've happened had Tara skated 1st? I believe skate order DOES affect both the skater and the judges marks. I didn't say Michelle was robbed or that Tara didn't skate the performance of her life. I did say Michelle skated her program the best at Nationals '98, and Tara skated her program the best at Olympics '98. At the time, I was just rooting for all 3 Americans to sweep podium and while I preferred Michelle, I wasn't yet a huge fan. I know Tara had the more difficult combos, but there was a lot about her skating I did not like. Now, had someone with say, Yu-Na's skills skated the same program cleanly, I would agree it was technically the best, most deserving to win program. As it is, Tara stood up to great deal of pressure, and the fact her biggest competitor went clean and landed 7 triples. Tara skated with a lot of speed and excitement. That IS how a competition should be won, so yes, I agree Tara's win should be mentioned in this thread. I just don't think Michelle's performance needs to be put down to make Tara's look better, I think that the fact they both skated clean and very well under pressure makes Tara's win even bigger.

When did Tara ever though not attempt her 3loop/3loop and her triple sal triple toe sequence though? I have a hard time thinking that Tara would not have poured everything into that skate if she went first.

 

[Nadia01]

When did Tara ever though not attempt her 3loop/3loop and her triple sal triple toe sequence though? I have a hard time thinking that Tara would not have poured everything into that skate if she went first.

I think Tara skated remarkably well given the circumstance. Note that Michelle made no mistake during her LP, and everyone said if Michelle skated clean, she'd win, not Tara.

So in a way, Tara was skating for silver if she believed that to be true.

 

[Bennett]

Midori Ito's second Olympics. 3A after falling once. The jump left her for the whole week and she landed it at the last minute and it was BEAUTIFUL.

 

[MKFSfan]

When did Tara ever though not attempt her 3loop/3loop and her triple sal triple toe sequence though? I have a hard time thinking that Tara would not have poured everything into that skate if she went first.

I think Tara skated remarkably well given the circumstance. Note that Michelle made no mistake during her LP, and everyone said if Michelle skated clean, she'd win, not Tara.

So in a way, Tara was skating for silver if she believed that to be true.

Exactly and how many times did a clean Michelle beat a clean Tara with her 3/3s? Enough times to think all Michelle had to do was go clean and the Gold was hers. This is my point-to put Michelle down for a very good, clean, 7 triple skate does not boost Tara's win, IMO. Michelle may not have lived up to her standards of Lyra from 1998 Nats, but her Oly performance would've gone down as one of the best of all times had she won. I feel it was a great, close competition where for once it wasn't that Gold was the cleanest of the night.

Tara was obviously feeling the weight of Oly pressure before the LP. I recall an article of her crying in her hotel room and her mom saying she didn't have to compete if she didn't want to. They all dream of their Oly moment and I cannot imagine how much pressure the top contenders feel heading into the LP. Tara definitely delivered despite whatever she was feeling. I may not have ever been a fan, but I certainly admire and respect what she did during her brief career.

 

[Layfan]

I think Tara skated remarkably well given the circumstance. Note that Michelle made no mistake during her LP, and everyone said if Michelle skated clean, she'd win, not Tara.

So in a way, Tara was skating for silver if she believed that to be true.

In an interview after those Olympics, Scott Hamilton said one skater was skating to KEEP the gold and another was skating to WIN the gold, and it made all the difference. I couldn't put it any better.

 

[MKFSfan]

Well, Scott also was carrying on about how if Michelle skated later, she would've gotten 6.0's for the 2nd mark. Funny how a few skaters later, she suddenly became tentative and careful.

 

[Tonichelle]

skating tentative doesn't mean 6.0 isn't possible... but she was skating before the program she didn't forsee coming... the skating lights out in the moment skate that took the gold from her.

scott was right, the marks would probably have been higher, had she skated later...

 

[prettykeys]

Midori Ito's second Olympics. 3A after falling once. The jump left her for the whole week and she landed it at the last minute and it was BEAUTIFUL.

Great example...I marvel that she had the courage to even try, let alone actually succeed.

Now, y'all know I'm a Tru Uber and I don't mean to pull the thread off topic, but at the same time...

The whole Michelle v. Tara controversy is always interesting to read because while I've never had an issue with Tara's win over Michelle sometimes I wonder if now Tara feels it was worth it... she ruined her body with the training leading up to the Olympics and now she's done - she's been reduced to "American Beats Kwan" and hocking USFSA t-shirts. Michelle is an icon - more beloved, I suspect, BECAUSE she didn't win that particular medal. 2002 doesn't even compare... and again she upstaged everyone else with "Fields of Gold.

...a bit of Sour Grapes reasoning. I fail to see how winning the Olympic Gold held Tara back in any way, or failing to get one directly contributes to Michelle's list of accomplishments. There is a poignancy to Michelle's story without it, but I suspect she would have been just as beloved (if not more) had she won it in her career. Injuries also happen to skaters who don't even get close to Olympic medalling opportunities and kill many of their careers before they take off.

Alexei Yagudin's hip problems were no doubt exacerbated by his intense training, but if he were asked whether it was worth it, I get the sense that it'd be a resounding "Yes."

In addition, I am not sure that all skaters skate and compete primarily "to be loved". Maybe Tara is satisfied by what she accomplished, and that is enough for her...

 

[MKFSfan]

I don't think anyone means to say winning the OGM held Tara back. I think the training regime she followed to win that medal cut her skating career short and therefore she never reached her full development as an eligible skater. I enjoyed Tara more on SOI than I ever did in her eligible days. I can only wonder what she may have brought to the ice had she stayed on, even if that meant she couldn't do the 3lp/3lp any longer-would she had developed into a more artistic skater? Can you imagine how exciting a Tara, Michelle and Irina, Maria rivalry would've been? Then watching Michelle and Tara fend off whoever was the next best thing at the moment in the US?

Likewise, as a selfish fan, if winning Gold in 1998 meant no more eligible Michelle, well, I'm sort of glad her career took the path it did. My feeling is if Michelle won, she would've stayed in another Olympic cycle, but then we would not have seen the post 2002 Michelle, and that means another World title, two World Medals and 3 more National titles, with several performances of a lifetime spread throughout those 3 years. I'm one who believes our experiences and the journey we take in life molds us into the people we are. I am proud of and inspired by non-Gold Michelle and while I wish she had gotten that one Gold medal that has eluded her, I believe her legacy is greater than some who have that Gold medal.

 

[Layfan]

I don't think anyone means to say winning the OGM held Tara back. I think the training regime she followed to win that medal cut her skating career short and therefore she never reached her full development as an eligible skater. I enjoyed Tara more on SOI than I ever did in her eligible days. I can only wonder what she may have brought to the ice had she stayed on, even if that meant she couldn't do the 3lp/3lp any longer-would she had developed into a more artistic skater? Can you imagine how exciting a Tara, Michelle and Irina, Maria rivalry would've been? Then watching Michelle and Tara fend off whoever was the next best thing at the moment in the US?

Likewise, as a selfish fan, if winning Gold in 1998 meant no more eligible Michelle, well, I'm sort of glad her career took the path it did. My feeling is if Michelle won, she would've stayed in another Olympic cycle, but then we would not have seen the post 2002 Michelle, and that means another World title, two World Medals and 3 more National titles, with several performances of a lifetime spread throughout those 3 years. I'm one who believes our experiences and the journey we take in life molds us into the people we are. I am proud of and inspired by non-Gold Michelle and while I wish she had gotten that one Gold medal that has eluded her, I believe her legacy is greater than some who have that Gold medal.

Yes, I've often had the same thought. If Michelle had won the OGM in '02 there might have been no Tosca at the 2004 nationals, no Aranjuez at the 2003 Worlds ... mmmm ... you know what, I think I'm going to go watch both programs again for maybe the 40th time ... excuse me.

 

[Kwanford Wife]

...a bit of Sour Grapes reasoning. I fail to see how winning the Olympic Gold held Tara back in any way, or failing to get one directly contributes to Michelle's list of accomplishments. There is a poignancy to Michelle's story without it, but I suspect she would have been just as beloved (if not more) had she won it in her career. Injuries also happen to skaters who don't even get close to Olympic medalling opportunities and kill many of their careers before they take off.

Alexei Yagudin's hip problems were no doubt exacerbated by his intense training, but if he were asked whether it was worth it, I get the sense that it'd be a resounding "Yes."

In addition, I am not sure that all skaters skate and compete primarily "to be loved". Maybe Tara is satisfied by what she accomplished, and that is enough for her...

Sour grapes? Hardly. More a musing on how unfortunate that young skater who was told by her medical team that continued pushing on her body had the potential to ruin her skating career. But she wanted the OGM and it cut her competitve career short. My comment was not reflecting of the skaters who get injured before their careers take off - but one specific skater whose career was cut short because she pushed too far. Its a very different thing. And its sad.

MKFan states it best: skating missed out on a seriously entertaining rivarily between four excellent skaters... I

f you doubt the sincerity of my comments, I'd refer you to Christine Brennan's Edge of Glory where she discusses Tara's obsession with the OGM and the lengths she went to in her bid for gold. But she was 15 years old. I can't help but wonder if she'd make the same choice today. Or if her mother would've made the same choice today.

Now, if you think my sour grapes come from 2002, again I say HA! If anything, my biggest issue with CoP and how it is designed are directly reflected with the results from Salt Lake... Based on today's standards of what is good, Michelle Kwan would've one that gold medal because PCS would've held her up with Irina and Sarah being dinged all over the place. It broke my heart, but Michelle didn't earn it, so she should not have won it. Plus, we would've been deprived of Tosca, The Feeling Begins, etc.

 

[fairly4]

underdog -means no pressure- or light approach by media (us) i mean
that means

underdog--tara
underdog-kristi
underdog-oksana
underdog-sarah
underdog-shizuka
i am just talking about the girls-they were underdogs .the ONLY pressue they had is what they placed on themselves --
shizuka might have had a bit from japan-but the other media wasn't paying too much attention to her.
By that i mean (us) i don't know about other countries is because i don't live there.
kristi won midori was followed even by the us and about the same as kristi plus the japanese media had it
michelle had it in 1998 and 2002-all sarah had to do was step in--no pressure except what she placed on herself
sasha handled the pressure how-she had a cell phone in her ear to keep it away. did they do that for michelle in 1998 no--front page story about how WRONG IT was for her to stay WITH her Family 2002-major splash about her in the olympic village-2002 -her and irina shared the honors.
2006 it was more michelle and irina with some of sasha until michelle pulled out then it became all sasha with a bit of irina.

yes they all skated good even with the mistakes but handled pressue no- why none was expected from public and media except for shizuka with japan, krisit with shared for midori.-

 

[janetfan]

underdog -means no pressure- or light approach by media (us) i mean
that means

underdog--tara
underdog-kristi
underdog-oksana
underdog-sarah
underdog-shizuka
i am just talking about the girls-they were underdogs .the ONLY pressue they had is what they placed on themselves --
-

Even these type of thoughts are subjective. :yes:

In 1993 Oksana beat a subpar Kerrigan and won the WC. Going into the Olympics Oksana was the defending WC and also the Euro champion.
Nancy got wacked on the knee and became famous overnight. I never felt Nancy was the favorite - and the pressure on her was tremendous.
I prefer Oksana but thought Nancy skated better that night.

But I never felt Oksana was the underdog in '94.

Kristi was the defending WC going into Albertville. She was most definitely under big pressure from the US media and fans to win the OGM. Kristi once said one of the reasons she did not try and defend her Olympic title only two years later in Lillehamer was because of the incredible pressure of 1992.

If Kristi says she was under incredible pressure I think it is safe for us to believe her. I always thought Kristi would have won again in '94 - but who knows? Maybe the pressure the second time aroubd would have been too great.

 

[gkelly]

In 1993 Oksana beat a subpar Kerrigan and won the WC. Going into the Olympics Oksana was the defending WC and also the Euro champion.

Actually Baiul never won Europeans. Both times she competed there she finished second to Surya Bonaly.