Olympics Ladies event a year ago....

[thedude]

So watching all these clips of Alina trying to hold back the tears from celebrating and on the other side Evgenia barely holding her emotions in before the scores are even announced and finally being utterly devastated. https://www.another site.com/r/Watc...igure_skater_evgenia_medvedeva_olympics_2018/. It proves the adage that the worst medal to win is silver.

In addition this video of the supposed conversation between Evgenia and Eteri the beginning of the fallout. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=io-xfvXt2p4&t=318s. It's pretty obviously looking back that there was some type of disagreement and Eteri wasn't just trying to comfort Evenia.

Some of the fan cams of the interaction before the podium ceremony and the videos of the gala event just added to the weird and bizarre nature of what just happened. Alina looked lost at the gala event until Moir asked her to pose with Tessa and Yuzuru for the obligatory gold medalist photos. She looked like she needed that hug from Tessa.

Evgenia skating by while Yuzuru and Alina posed together. I imagined that must have felt like being kicked while down because that moment was supposed to be hers when the season began.

It was also bizarre because both of them were always being interviewed together. Evgenia having to hide her disappointment and Alina unsure of how much joy to show.

This year, the Alina vs Evgenia battle never really materialized. A year ago, Alina was doing a 5 triple combo just for fun in practice. Re-watching her Olympic performance, it's hard not to notice how effortless her skating looked compared to recent performances. Evgenia is in a transitional phase.

It'll be interesting how Eteri will manage the Alina and the 3As next season. With prize money becoming a lot bigger, possible endorsement deals, and headlining shows in Japan, it's hard to imagine a scenario where all of them are going to be happy with the status quo.

 

[drivingmissdaisy]

It was a tough situation for all three, most of all for Evgenia who was understandably disappointed in how the season unfolded. For me, anyone deserves some leeway for acting in a way that may seem unreasonable in that moment.

I didn't really expect this season to be the Alina vs Evgenia show, just because most every skater experiences a dip in form at some point. I'm a little surprised about Alina's struggles, because jumps she's missing in competition she tends to nail in exhibitions, so her problems are with her competitive nerves. With Evgenia, I expected it would be hard to bounce back from that Olympic disappointment, but she looks like she's heading in the right direction.

 

[MaiKatze]

Evgenia skating by while Yuzuru and Alina posed together. I imagined that must have felt like being kicked while down because that moment was supposed to be hers when the season began.

I guess I really don't understand that mindset, in a sport, a competition of all things. 'This moment was supposed to be hers when the season began.' Well, no. This is sport. Nobody owns a gold medal. Nobody owns a moment, before it happens.

 

[meadow]

I totally agree that a medal is not supposed to be anyone's until is won, but at the same time is clear that the majority of the people thought Evgenia was going to win and it's normal she ended up thinking that too. We cannot really fault her if she was heartbroken during the victory ceremony or the gala or whatever, considering the competition was still so close. Or if she was hurt thinking she may have been the one posing with the other gold medalists. She's human after all and she had to go through a lot of things last year, with her injury. Surely it would have been a trying situation for everyone.
Just to be clear, I think Alina deserves her win and that she didn't steal anything from Evgenia, because, like was said, the medal was not hers to begin with. But I think that Evgenia reaction was understandable and that she didn't react so badly after all. She was clearly devastated, but she didn't publicly blame anyone or Alina for her second place (that would have been crazy, honestly). She was disappointed and she did something about it when she changed her coach, even if a lot of people didn't like her choice. She wasn't a sore loser, like I have seen some suggest in the past.

Anyway, I'm happy Evgenia seems to be doing better right now and I really hope the difficulties and bad moments of this season are in the past now. She seems happy and healthy at TCC and that's the really important thing. I think in time she will learn to see her Olympic silver medal as the great accomplishment it really is. I also hope Alina is going to solve whatever problem is affecting her in competition and that she's going to be back stronger than ever. Both girls work hard and deserve so much!

 

[MaiKatze]

I totally agree that a medal is not supposed to be anyone's until is won, but at the same time is clear that the majority of the people thought Evgenia was going to win and it's normal she ended up thinking that too. We cannot really fault her if she was heartbroken during the victory ceremony or the gala or whatever, considering the competition was still so close. Or if she was hurt thinking she may have been the one posing with the other gold medalists. She's human after all and she had to go through a lot of things last year, with her injury. Surely it would have been a trying situation for everyone.
Just to be clear, I think Alina deserves her win and that she didn't steal anything from Evgenia, because, like was said, the medal was not hers to begin with. But I think that Evgenia reaction was understandable and that she didn't react so badly after all. She was clearly devastated, but she didn't publicly blame anyone or Alina for her second place (that would have been crazy, honestly). She was disappointed and she did something about it when she changed her coach, even if a lot of people didn't like her choice. She wasn't a sore loser, like I have seen some suggest in the past.

Anyway, I'm happy Evgenia seems to be doing better right now and I really hope the difficulties and bad moments of this season are in the past now. She seems happy and healthy at TCC and that's the really important thing. I think in time she will learn to see her Olympic silver medal as the great accomplishment it really is. I also hope Alina is going to solve whatever problem is affecting her in competition and that she's going to be back stronger than ever. Both girls work hard and deserve so much!

I do agree with this. Emotions were running high at that moment and she is human she can't help but to feel hurt and maybe needed to let it out. And it's not something that she said. It's interpretation from others who say she was feeling that moment should've been hers. Still I believe it's important to say that this is a sport. And if you look at other sports at the Winter Olympics you wouldn't find people saying 'That Gold medal was supposed to be so and so's', just because they had been dominant in the two years before that - if there were faster and better athletes that day, it is undisputed. Olympic Games are just one competition on a random day in February in a random year. And on that day Alina was superior. If the Olympic Games were held this year, perhaps Rika would've been the champion, the year before it might've been Evgenia. There is also a little bit of luck involved, but I really do understand that an 18 year old doesn't see it that way, especially at that moment.

 

[asingingwife]

In my eyes (and in comments from Evgenia herself) she put her entire soul on the ice. She willed herself a clean skate through injury and pain and gave all she had, or course she was devastated that it wasn't enough to win the gold! That was normal and human.

Difficult situation for both ladies but I think ultimately Evgenia was very classy.

Alina was so lovely and free. She shone and is clearly a sweet girl. Also lets not forget Katelyn either with her powerful skating. For me personally though the skate that I will always re-watch is Evgenia.

 

[Ophelia]

While I was rooting for Zagitova to win, I was absolutely gutted when I saw Medvedeva's reaction to her loss. I think disappointment is understating it, it was more akin to soul-crushing devastation. As a viewer, you could feel her grief secondhandedly emanating through the screen. I give Medvedeva huge kudos to composing herself that quickly because I would've broken down and sat there bawling my eyes out until people dragged me away.

Per what Javier Fernandez says, all athletes train for the Olympics with the belief that they can be THE champion. That is the mindset that these athletes train with. It must have been exponentially more difficult for Medvedeva to have gone undefeated the previous two seasons and a secure bet for the OGM, to have that victory snatched away at last minute even though she skated cleanly and did not put a foot wrong.

I've had things unexpectedly happen during life that blindsided me as well, and I was depressed for weeks after, so I can only imagine what Medvedeva felt getting blindsided by something she prepared for for her life. That kind of situation messes you up emotionally and psychologically for years. I would not be surprised if she is still dealing with PTSD from the Olympics. Those athletes who "lose" gold (e.g. Orser, Chan) have spoken about wrestling with the results for years afterwards.

 

[meadow]

I do agree with this. Emotions were running high at that moment and she is human she can't help but to feel hurt and maybe needed to let it out. And it's not something that she said. It's interpretation from others who say she was feeling that moment should've been hers. Still I believe it's important to say that this is a sport. And if you look at other sports at the Winter Olympics you wouldn't find people saying 'That Gold medal was supposed to be so and so's', just because they had been dominant in the two years before that - if there were faster and better athletes that day, it is undisputed. Olympic Games are just one competition on a random day in February in a random year. And on that day Alina was superior. If the Olympic Games were held this year, perhaps Rika would've been the chanpion, the year before it might've been Evgenia. There is also a little bit of luck involved, but I really do understand that an 18 year old doesn't see it that way, especially at that moment.

That's true! It's totally normal for athletes to be unhappy if they don't win what they wanted to win - considering they invest much in the sport and that's normal to have expectations -, they just have to be classy about it and as you said try to remember that a competition is a random day that can go right or not. Also I think Evgenia disappointment was not because she thought she was going to win without doubt, but because she was so close to it. Fans on the other end shouldn't think a medal is rightly someone's before it's won and surely they shouldn't blame the actual winner as we all saw someone do after the Olympics (absolutely not in this topic, just to be clear). Actually it's true that this kind of thinking is typical of this sport, who knows why
Anyway, I don't disagree with you at all, I just wanted to point that if Evgenia was so devastated as we tend to think she was, it makes sense from an emotional point of view and she shoudn't be bashed for it.

 

[TallyT]

Warning, flight of fancy born of too much late night study this year...

The way I have always seen it was simply... in three of the four disciplines, there was a classic fairy tale ending being spun, someone fighting against all the truth-is-more-fictional-than-fiction-sometimes odds for it. Aljona with her five-times-at-the-Olympic-ball Cinders story, and Yuzuru (in some ways spookily similar to Evgenia with the injury, except that in his case the wounded hero was more discounted by Western press and public against the princely new and not even vaguely evil stepbrothers). And both of them got their fairytale before the women stepped up for the final one.

So everyone including the two girls watched Aljona get her queenly crown and Yuzuru get his golden medal-shaped slipper, but for Evgenia, the happy ever after moment fell just - oh so just - short. And given her age, her fight, her ambition (they all have it, they wouldn't be there without it), the pain and adrenaline, and the overwhelming expectations... yes, she may have found it hard being gracious at finding herself in the wrong role (and the also not evil stepsister becoming princess in her stead and clearly not sure how many people wanted her crowned, poor kid), she did it but if the effort showed... it's understandable.

But hey, I also firmly imagine that a couple of the male contenders wistfully and not really maliciously wondered why Yuzuru couldn't take just a bit longer to get up to scratch... and don't blame them in the slightest. Or her.

 

[oatmella]

Was everyone really expecting Evgenia to win? Alina had a lot of momentum, and had beat her at Euros. At least from US-media, Evgenia wasn’t portrayed as the frontrunner. More of a fairly even match up.

Alina showed maturity and grace in how she handled the situation.

 

[madison]

Was everyone really expecting Evgenia to win? Alina had a lot of momentum, and had beat her at Euros. At least from US-media, Evgenia wasn’t portrayed as the frontrunner. More of a fairly even match up.

Alina showed maturity and grace in how she handled the situation.

Both Evgenia and Alina showed maturity and grace.
Evgenia was expected to win because she was winning everything two seasons in a row, plus in that particular season, she won the competitions under the Grand prix.
Of course, it was an injury and that had an impact on her and her training.
It is true that Alina won the Euros, but Evgenia had a mistake there. So i suppose that everyone, even the coaching staff, considered that a perfectly clean Evgenia would win the Olympics.

 

[evasorange]

Evgenia skating by while Yuzuru and Alina posed together. I imagined that must have felt like being kicked while down because that moment was supposed to be hers when the season began.

.

I was at the gala and saw this moment in person and it was such an hilariously obvious attempt to take away attention from Yuzu and Alina, whom the crowd was thrilled to see pose together. Girl was feeling petty for sure Tbh in hindsight I really don't feel sorry for Evegenia at all. Her dominance in the two seasons leading up to Olympics was part her being a tough and consistent skater, part the judges giving her high pcs like candy and overlooking mistakes. She then got beat at her own game her and her team had been playing for the past two seasons, by the newer faster younger version. Judging by how hard she took it at the beginning of this season not always being on top, it was a lesson she needed to learn. Now she looks so much healthier and has an actual chance to grow as a skater and a person.

 

[thedude]

I guess I really don't understand that mindset, in a sport, a competition of all things. 'This moment was supposed to be hers when the season began.' Well, no. This is sport. Nobody owns a gold medal. Nobody owns a moment, before it happens.

"Supposed" doesn't mean guaranteed, literally.

I meant that Evgenia in her mind envisioned or saw or herself in that moment. Evgenia in most people's mind was the overwhelming favorite to win when the season began. It's the idea that an athlete expects of themselves to win if they do their best. For example, USA basketball is supposed to win at Olympic, because we have the best players. German soccer is supposed to finish near the top of the World Cup, because they've historically been good and have good players. It doesn't always happen. That's why it tends to be more shocking and upsetting when reality doesn't meet expectations.

In Evgenia's mind she did everything she could. The Olympics is culmination of most figure skater's careers. For many, they only have one shot at winning.

 

[thedude]

I was at the gala and saw this moment in person and it was such an hilariously obvious attempt to take away attention from Yuzu and Alina, whom the crowd was thrilled to see pose together. Girl was feeling petty for sure ...

I'm not sure but I thought Evgenia did a triple jump right after she passed them. It looked like she did that out of frustration and was hamming it up with the jumps and the selfies with the other skaters. Of course we learned later that Evgenia's foot wasn't fully healed, so it's little bizarre when everyone else was leaving the ice.

It just looked weird because skaters were taking selfies and Alina was off to the side and no one invited her, the gold medalist, to pose with them. Of course, some of it has to do with age and language barriers, but it just looked weird to me.

 

[oatmella]

I would not put Evgenia losing gold/winning silver among the shocking and upsetting moments in sports.

 

[asingingwife]

Why do some people seem to think it was Evgenias job to take care of Alina? They were friendly but also clearly rivals. Alina is more introverted and might not have made friends with the others yet but I don't see how it was Evgenias responsibility to make sure she was included in everything. Of course Evgenia was throwing triples, she was trying to prove to herself she could still do it. Lets not forget that Alina threw down 5 triples during their practice. For fun? Sure. But she was also aware how it would make her competitors feel - including Evgenia who used to do that herself and was now too injured.

Both girls handled themselves well given the complicated situation they were in. I don't understand why people can't leave it at that.

 

[Ophelia]

I would not put Evgenia losing gold/winning silver among the shocking and upsetting moments in sports.

https://img.buzzfeed.com/buzzfeed-s...=700:*&output-format=auto&output-quality=auto

 

[WhiteProphet]

Why do some people seem to think it was Evgenias job to take care of Alina? They were friendly but also clearly rivals. Alina is more introverted and might not have made friends with the others yet but I don't see how it was Evgenias responsibility to make sure she was included in everything. Of course Evgenia was throwing triples, she was trying to prove to herself she could still do it. Lets not forget that Alina threw down 5 triples during their practice. For fun? Sure. But she was also aware how it would make her competitors feel - including Evgenia who used to do that herself and was now too injured.

Both girls handled themselves well given the complicated situation they were in. I don't understand why people can't leave it at that.

It was a gala, you're just suppose to have fun, no need to prove anything, and it's not like she failed her jumps in competition or something. What's the point of psychological pressure while everyone is taking a selfie?

 

[melgirl25]

Why is everything so read into? Maybe she was doing triples as a warm up for the gala performance itself or the moment when each skater goes out and does a jump or special trick (I am not sure this happened in the Olympics Gala but have seen it in others). The Eteri girls always do a lot of triples in the programs at galas. So what if she was doing triples and taking selfies with people. Normally that is what I see everyone do.

Also being injured at galas has never stopped Alina (GP Final) and Yuzu (Rostelecom) from doing triples....I think skaters just deal with it after.

 

[asingingwife]

Why is everything so read into? Maybe she was doing triples as a warm up for the gala performance itself or the moment when each skater goes out and does a jump or special trick (I am not sure this happened in the Olympics Gala but have seen it in others). The Eteri girls always do a lot of triples in the programs at galas. So what if she was doing triples and taking selfies with people. Normally that is what I see everyone do.

Also being injured at galas has never stopped Alina (GP Final) and Yuzu (Rostelecom) from doing triples....I think skaters just deal with it after.

It took place right at the end of the gala as they were wrapping up. But you're right its a normal part of the gala experience! So maybe I was wrong in saying Evgenia was trying to prove something.

Earlier this year Alina did the same at a gala after she missed her combo earlier so she went for it while Hanyu was taking photos. Just trying to show that Evgenia's behavior was normal. Both girls are lovely and have stated over and over that they have nothing but respect for each other. There is no need to cast either in a bad light.