Figure skating is one of those Olympic sports that draws a huge viewership. As such, it leads to a sense of rivalry in the fans (I still feel Michelle Kwan was robbed by Tara Lipinski in the ’98 Games, but that’s neither here nor there) but this year is one where everyone is worth rooting for.
Most discussed so far is probably Joannie Rochette—a second-time Olympian from Canada—whose mother died unexpectedly on Sunday. Despite this blow, she still skated on Tuesday during the women’s short program. She managed to not only get her personal best score, it was high enough to land her in 3rd place going into the free skate on Thursday.
Also of note is Kim Yu-Na, a 19-year old from South Korea, who is the reigning world champion and who has only lost once in two years. She is one of South Korea’s foremost celebrities, and with good reason—she skated her way to break the world record on Tuesday night with 78.50 points, putting her in the top spot as of now.
In the top six are also the two American skaters, Rachael Flatt and Mirai Nagasu. Flatt is the reigning United States champion and goes into the free skate in 5th place. Nagasu, who placed second in nationals behind Flatt, is in 6th place.
To check your local listings for the free skate (if you’re in the US), click here.
Image of Joannie Rochette via the New York Times.
