The women’s singles figure skating medalists will have a medal ceremony, which was up in the air heading into the free skate due to leader Kamila Valieva.
But on Thursday morning (Eastern), the controversy-shrouded Valievahad an uncharacteristically rough skate, falling and slipping multiple times. Her free skate score — despite a first-place short program — was not enough to land her on the podium.
Valieva’s Russian Olympic Committee teammate Anna Shcherbakova won the gold medal with a final score of 255.95. The silver went to ROC’s Alexandra Trusova with 251.73, and the bronze medal to Kaori Sakamoto. America’s three skaters finished in seventh, 10th and 16th.
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Ahead of the competition,the IOC announcedthat, due to the doping controversy surrounding Valieva, a medal ceremony would not be “appropriate” if she were to place.
The Beijing Winter Olympic women’s figure skating medalists (from left) after Thursday’s free skate: Alexandra Trusova and Anna Shcherbakova of the Russian Olympic Committee and Japan’s Kaori Sakamoto.Matthew Stockman/Getty Images
The women’s figure skating medalists.Matthew Stockman/Getty Images
The Court of Arbitration for Sport announced earlier this week that Valieva would not be suspended and could compete in the short program.
In response to the situation, Valieva’s attorney had reportedly argued the banned drug entered Valieva’s body accidentally and likely belonged to the athlete’s grandfather, who takes Trimetazidine.
Many athletes have spoken out against the decision to allow Valieva to compete, including former Olympic figure skater Kristi Yamaguchi. Yamaguchi toldTodayof the potential lack of a medal ceremony: “It’s just a little disheartening because there is so much uncertainty in the air and even if one of them didn’t make the podium, there won’t be a medal ceremony so just, you know, heartbreaking to see so many Olympic moments for other athletes being taken away.”
To learn more about Team USA, visitTeamUSA.org. Watch the Winter Olympics, now, and the Paralympics, beginning March 4, on NBC.
source: people.com
