US Figure Skating Team
The US now has an official figure skating team for the Olympics.
The women’s team, which has only two members this year for only the second time since the 1920s, consists of Rachael Flatt, 17, and Mirai Nagasu, 16. There’s a lot of weight on those two young shoulders. If either medals, it will be considered a major upset. If neither of them medals, it will be the first time in 46 years that the women’s U.S. figure skating team has not gotten at least one medal. Oh, and case you were wondering, Sasha Cohen DID show up to Nationals, and she’s a second alternate.
Skating for the men are Jeremy Abbott, Evan Lysacek and Johnny Weir (who’s in trouble with animal rights people for adding fur to his costume— more on that in another post). Jeremy Abbott was absolutely fantastic at the U.S. Championships last weekend. Evan Lysacek is the reigning men’s world champion. Johnny Weir is, well, Johnny Weir. Any of the three could medal in Vancouver. Of course, there is reigning Olympic champion Evgeni Plushenko to contend with.
Two pairs were named for the pairs competition: Caydee Denney and Jeremy Barrett; and Amanda Evora and Mark Ladwig. Denney and Barrett are a bit of a May/December couple. She’s 16; he’s 25. They’ve only been skating together a little over 18 months, but placed second at last year’s Nationals and won this year. Oh, and did I mention that Barrett is dating Amanda Evora from the other pairs team going to Vancouver? Neither team was a particular favorite to win going into Nationals.
Ice dancing will send three pairs to represent the United States: Meryl Davis and Charlie White, winners of the 2010 nationals; Tanith Belbin and Benjamin Agosto, who were silver medalists four years ago; and Emily Samuelson and Evan Bates. The Davis/White team and the Belbin/Agosto team could both do very well at the Olympics, but the Russian team Oksana Domnina and Maxim Shabalin enters the Olympics with the highest hopes.
So, that’s the team. Hopefully, many of them will come home with medals. What do you think of their chances?
From the men, I personally believe that Patrick Chan can place over all of them.
And that 46 year streak for the women will be over because Canada’s taking them all home bye
Why are there only 2 women representing the US in 2010?
The number of skaters representing a country has to do with their world standing at the time (I’m not 100% sure how this works, but if you want to know I can find out). The short answer is our women’s world standing only qualified us for 2 slots.
Without three people the US has no chance for womens figure skating…. they should have Sasha Cohen because everyone knows she can do a good job because of experience… It is to bad