Thank you so much for this. It really moved me to tears.
As a Chinese female, I have to salute Chen Lu who really proved it can be done, despite whatever crap the real world throws your way (politics, social, financial constraints, bad press, lack of support etc.). Her bronze was such an inspiration and her story is well known among the Chinese fans, Nagano was her farewell competition. Of course ButterFly lovers being a well known Chinese traditional music (based on one of the greatest Chinese folk love stories) used on the world stage for the 1st time also touches the heart in more ways than one. I absolutely love what Sandra Bezic have done with it, and how her see Lulu as the butterfly. It is her atonement; poignant, melancholy, redeeming and inspiring.
Truly, figure skating is a beautiful sport, not only because what goes on the ice. It being an individual sport that is financially draining, heavily political, difficult to remain consistent with growing spurts, and one that easily lead to complex even career ending injuries makes it a fascinating and unpredictable sport to spectate.
It is full of unique stories like Lulu, having to fight their own inner demons with real life problems that may beat them down, and have press/critics writing them off. How they are able to rise to the occasion, defy expectations and demonstrate what human spirit are capable of is just awe inspiring and as beautiful as what goes on 2mins 50 sec and 4 minutes on ice that can define the rest of their lifes.
