After the Olympic Trials (National Championships) for figure skating on January 11, the U.S. Olympic figure skating team for the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics has been chosen after much deliberation and controversy. Gracie Gold of Los Angeles, CA, finished first by far with a stunning performance and no falls during her free skate (except that she placed both hands on the ice during a triple lutz), claiming a sure spot on the U.S. Olympic Team. Fifteen-year-old Polina Edmunds of San Jose, CA, finished second and made the Olympic Team at her first competition ever at the senior level. Nagasu, the most enigmatic of the three, placed third overall after a flawless performance (no falls or technical deductions except for an under-rotation). She placed fourth at the Vancouver Olympics at age 16 but has not been skating well since then. However, her superb performance at the trials even without a coach shows her determination to make the team.
Ashley Wagner took fourth place at the Olympic trials after two falls during her free skate performance, a performance she deemed as “embarrassing.” In 2010, she placed 3rd when only two spots were available for the U.S. Olympic team. Wagner explained, “You should not be defined by one bad performance. And for me, when I look back on my career, this one horrible performance does not define me, and U.S. Figure Skating has given me the opportunity to go into the Olympics and make everybody forget about this performance here, which I am fully prepared and excited to do.” Pat St. Peter, the president of U.S. Figure Skating claimed, “If you look at Ashley Wagner’s record and performance, she’s got the top credentials of any of our female athletes.” Wagner has also been promoted by the skating association on NBC, which will be broadcasting the 2014 Winter Olympics, and leaving Wagner out of the U.S. Team would mean no network connection or medal hopeful for the U.S.
Only four times in the past have the top finishers been replaced by another skater, and all occurrences were caused by injuries in stars such as Todd Eldredge, Nancy Kerrigan and Michelle Kwan. Gracie Gold, Polina Edmunds, and Ashley Wagner will be representing the U.S. Figure Skating team at the 2014 Sochi Olympics.
