The Striking Comebacks in Figure Skating at the Olympics 

Everyone has failures in life. The harder they fall, the more difficult it is to climb. Inspirational skating performances show us how we can become stronger. Check out our list of the most striking comebacks in figure skating at the Olympics!

The figure skating competition is divided into two parts: the short program and the free program. The tournament position is determined based on the results of two rentals. Performing in the short program affects the skater’s mood before the free program. How did the top skaters manage to deal with the failures after the short program? How do they use the lessons learned to their advantage? We provide four examples of exceptional cases where athletes managed to make a comeback after failing on the first day of competition.

Figure Skating: Nathan Chen – Pyeongchang 2018

Nathan Chen (USA) came to his first Olympics in Pyeongchang in 2018 as the favorite for gold after he won the Grand Prix final. However, as the online sportsbook sites in the US state, at that time, 18-year-old Chen made a series of mistakes in the short program, which dropped him only 17th place. His score of 82.27 was 20 points lower than his personal best result of the season. And it was 30 points lower than his main rival Yuzuru Hanyu.

After being disappointed in the short program, Chen decided to do six quadruple jumps instead of five. And he coped with the task. Although he did not make it to the podium, taking the final fifth place, Nathan made history by being the first to complete six quadruple jumps.

Chen recalled his experience in an interview after the World Cup in March 2021. “I think that when you have such an experience with mistakes, but you are still trying to figure out how to fix the situation, it helps a lot in training and competitions. There is no such thing that I will go to training every day and thinking: “Oh, I’m at my best”. It is impossible for everything to always go super “.

At the 2022 Beijing Olympics, we expect the incredible performance of Chen, who won the third consecutive world title, and his rival Hanyu, who will try to win the third consecutive Olympic gold. You still have time for your bets and predictions on the Olympics that you can do on Bovada. 

The Striking Comebacks in Figure Skating: Mao Asada – Sochi 2014

It was a shocking start not only for Mao Asada but also for the many fans of the skater in her home country. In the Sochi 2014 short program, the 2010 Vancouver silver medalist and three-time world champion fell on her crown triple axel and made many other mistakes. At that time, the 24-year-old athlete was only in 16th place after the short program. ​​Less than 24 hours after the short program, Asada took to the ice for the free skate. It’s easy to imagine how much pressure she felt after failing on the first day. The skater began her performance calmly and was able to make eight triple jumps, including a triple axel. For the free program, she received 142.72 points, which was higher than her record, which was 136.33 points.

After finishing her emotional rental, Asada burst into tears. She then nodded, either calming herself or telling herself “good job,” and then smiled as the audience applauded her. Although Asada took the final sixth place, at a press conference dedicated to her retirement from the sport, when answering the question about the most memorable moment in her career, she named the free program in Sochi. “I felt so terrible (after the short program) and was more depressed than ever … But I was able to show my resilience.”

Figure Skating: Alena Savchenko and Bruno Masso – Pyeongchang-2018

Pyeongchang 2018 was the fifth Olympics for Alena Savchenko from Ukraine, who represented Germany in pair skating alongside Frenchman Bruno Masso. She has been competing with him since 2014. The couple was in good shape. The athletes won silver at the 2017 World Championships and the Grand Prix final two months before the Olympics. But in the short program, Massot doubled the triple salchow, which left the skaters in fourth place. However, in the free skate, everything has changed. Their soul-sinking program earned the pair gold, which the skaters won with a world record in the free program. After the victory, Massot commented: “Yesterday I said that I do not want (Savchenko) to return with another bronze medal. She deserved this gold medal. “

Savchenko announced on her Instagram that she and Masso will not compete in the upcoming season. But it is worth mentioning that the Chinese duo Sui Wenjing / Han Cong, who won silver in Pyeongchang and at the 2021 World Cup, are planning to compete at the Beijing Olympics. At the 2018 Olympics, they lost only 0.43 points and will try to win the long-awaited gold in Beijing. And for the upcoming Games, you can start wondering about the special odds on Bovada.

The Striking Comebacks in Figure Skating: Evan Lysacek – Turin 2006

Evan Lysacek (USA), who won gold in men’s singles in Vancouver in 2010, has less fond memories of his first Olympics in Turin in 2006. At that time, the 21-year-old skater fell on the first triple axel and made a series of mistakes in the short program. According to online sportsbook news in the US, the bronze medalist of the World Championship took 10th place.

In addition to the unsuccessful performance, Lysacek fell ill with stomach flu. And at some point, he could withdraw from the competition altogether. But after he was treated under a dropper, the skater went out on the ice to participate in a free program. He showed one of the best rentals of his career and took the final fourth place.

It was a bitter memory, but a similar experience also helped him become world and Olympic champion. After retiring in 2013, in an interview with Team USA, he talked about the period from Turin in 2006 to Vancouver in 2010, where he won gold. “I set my sights on 2010 knowing that a lot could happen in four years. I kept in mind my failure in Turin every second. On the day of the short program in Vancouver, it was difficult for me to get the memory of 2006 out of my head. So I told myself that I can do everything so that I never feel this way again. “

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