Since the opening of the 2010 winter Games in Vancouver, British Columbia, figure skating continues to draw attention to itself.† What makes these games different for the figure skating community is an abundance of positive attention and† diversion from scandal and corruption.
The 1994 Tonya Harding scandal, in which her ex-husband and friend hired Shane Stant to assault Nancy Kerriganís leg with a baton, forcing her to withdraw from the U.S. Championships, drew negative attention and outrage from fans and the United States Figure Skating Association.† That, coupled with the judging controversy of the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics, where the French and Russian judges were bribed to alter the scores in favor of the Russian team, Yelena Berezhnaya and Anton Sikharulidze, resulted in continued uproar and corruption illustrating both the International Olympic Committee and the USFSAís reputations.
This year, however, keeping in line with the IOCís mission statement, the focus has shifted ìto touch the soul of the nation and inspire the world.”† So far, the competitors have succeeded in maintaining these goals and have made lasting legacies in the process.† American Evan Lysacek became the first skater since Brian Boitano in the 1988 Games in Calgary, Canada to win gold.† In ice dancing, Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir became the first North Americans to take home the gold in the event.† Lastly, Xue Shen and Hongbo Zaho became the first Chinese pair to win gold.
Lysacek, 24, was born in Chicago, Ill. and now trains in Canton, Mich. with Frank Carroll.† Lysacek skated in the 2006 games in Torino where he narrowly missed the podium placing fourth overall in the menís event.† Lysacekís win stands out not only as the first American to win gold since Boitano in í88, but also for shattering the Russian and former Soviet Unionís five-game domination of the sport following Boitanoís win.† These games were also special for the Japanese who medaled for the first time when Daisuke Takahashi took home the bronze after his performance.
Virtue and Moir, the Canadian ice dancing pair, both of London, Ontario also train in† Canton, Mich.† under the direction of Igor Shpilband, Marina Zueva and Johnny Johns.† At ages 20 and 22, the pair is the youngest couple to take gold in the ice dancing event.† In addition to being a remarkably young pair, this was Canadaís first medal since Tracy Wilson and Robert McCall took bronze in í88 ó a considerable feat for a pair making their Olympic debut.
The most extraordinary achievement thus far in the realm of figure skating was when Shen and Zhao took the gold for China in pairs skating.† In addition to having 18 years of experience and now four Olympic competitions under their belts, the pair was married in 2007.† After convincing his wife that an Olympic gold medal was the one thing missing from their career, Zhao and his wife came out of retirement to achieve their goal.† The task was not easy as the Russians have dominated the sport taking the gold for the past 46 years.† Not only did the pair achieve their goal, but the Russians were shut out of the podium when Chinaís other pair took the silver and Germany the bronze.
As the Games continue on with the womanís program in the near future one can only hope that the extraordinary Olympic experience will continue on as more legacies are created, inspiring not only those within the games but fans and spectators alike.