Team USA was looking for its first women’s figure skating medal in more than 20 years, and heading into the short program Tuesday, it had three strong contenders. Going into the final program Thursday, however, things look a little different.
A devastating misstep, an uncharacteristic error and a small under rotation in the short program could all be deciding factors in who lands on the podium Thursday.
So where do things stand heading into Thursday’s medal performances?
Here’s a look:
Where does Team USA rank heading into women’s free skate?
The U.S.’ closest contender is 20-year-old Alysa Liu, who now carries the weight of a U.S. medal drought on her shoulders.
The only member of the so-called “Blade Angels” to end the short program in top contention, Liu will attempt to chase down Japanese rivals in the free skate at the Milan Cortina Games.
The 20-year-old Liu scored 76.59 points for an impeccable short program on Tuesday night, leaving the freethinking native of the San Francisco Bay area just over two points behind the first place finisher and less than a point back from second place in the individual competition.
The U.S. has not had a woman stand atop an Olympic podium since Sarah Hughes at the 2002 Salt Lake City Games. No woman has medaled at all since Sasha Cohen in Turin in 2006.
Asked whether Liu thinks she can upstage the top finishers, she replied: “I don’t think about stuff like that. Whether I beat them or not is not my goal. My goal is just to do my programs and share my story and I don’t need to be over or under anyone to do that.”
It is exactly that kind of attitude that has allowed Liu to succeed in a comeback from a two-year retirement.
Last year, Liu became the first American to win a world title since Kimmie Meissner in 2006. And now, after her short program that earned a career-best 76.59 points on Tuesday night, she can end an Olympic drought that stretches back even longer.
The rest of Liu’s teammates struggled in the short program Tuesday night.
Amber Glenn missed a crucial triple loop that left the three-time reigning U.S. champion in 13th place, while Isabeau Levito made enough smaller mistakes to fall to eighth place.
That means Liu is the last of the “Blade Angels” with a chance at Olympic glory Thursday night.
“I’m OK if I do a fail program. I’m totally OK if I do a great program,” she said. “No matter what the outcome is, it’s still my story.”
Who were the top skaters after the women’s short program?
Ami Nakai and Japanese teammate Kaori Sakamoto upstaged Liu and the rest of the “Blade Angels” from the U.S. to take the lead after the short program.
Nakai rode her opening triple axel to a career-best 78.71 points, while Sakamoto was right behind with 77.23 as she chases just about the only gold medal she has yet to win. Liu was third with 76.59, keeping her within range of the top step of the podium.
Mone Chiba gave Japan three women capable of stacking the podium when the women’s free skate on Thursday wraps up the figure skating program. She scored 74.00 points.
Russian skater Adeliia Petrosian, who is competing as a neutral athlete and entered the games as a mystery to many in the skating world, also remains very much in the medal picture, placing fifth in the short program, fewer than six points behind Nakai.
Quadruple jumps are allowed in Thursday’s free skate, and Petrosian is the only woman in the competition who regularly performs them. A clean quad could catapult her onto the podium.
She has practiced quadruple jumps this week in Milan and could potentially take that high-risk option in Thursday’s free skate, which could boost her score significantly.
Full list of top finishers
NAKAI Ami JPN 78.71 SAKAMOTO Kaori JPN 77.23 LIU Alysa USA 76.59 CHIBA Mone JPN 74.00 PETROSIAN Adeliia AIN 72.89 GUBANOVA Anastasiia GEO 71.77 HENDRICKX Loena BEL 70.93 LEVITO Isabeau USA 70.84 LEE Haein KOR 70.07 PETROKINA Niina EST 69.63Where to watch women’s figure skating at the Olympics?
The women’s free skate begins at 12 p.m. CT Thursday and will air entirely on NBC. Watch live here:
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WATCH: Winter Olympics Primetime
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