With the Winter Olympics ending just a few weeks ago, there is more buzz than ever after these Games. Viewership has significantly increased the past few years with more people tuning in to watch. Many athletes have even become household names and internet sensations. The Tiramisu Guy and the Norwegian athlete who admitted to cheating on his girlfriend after winning became big news online. However, what caught viewers eyes the most was the Team USA figure skating team.Â
The figure skaters were the talk of the Olympics, with their relationships, achievements, and insane upsets. It was truly refreshing to see the relationship between all the USA figure skaters. While technically they are rivals in their respectable areas, they all had strong unity and mutual respect for one another. Their sportsmanship shined above the other teams, capturing everyone’s attention, which showed that it is not just their performance that makes them world class athletes.Â
Ice dancing pair Madison Chock and Evan Bates were deemed the parents of the group. They were often seen comforting the younger skaters and cheering them on when they were competing. As a longtime pair, they have become a big name in their sport and were the gold medal favorites. When Chock and Bates performed, they had a nearly perfect skate, dazzling the crowd with their costumes and skill. In the end, the French pair beat them out for gold. Fans were outraged, calling for the US pair to contest and for the committee to review their performance again. Happy with how they skated and more focused on their successes, they felt there was no reason to appeal their medal. They did not make a big deal of not being awarded the gold and were not only proud of themselves, but their competitors. Madison Chock even designs skating costumes for her rival teams, sharing her passion for both skating and fashion with others.Â
Ilia Malinin, the self proclaimed “Quad God,” was also a gold medal favorite. The twenty one year old has broken countless records, landing quad after quad in each one of his programs. During the team skate, he was one of the main contributors to the Team USA gold. However, when competing in the men’s competition, this is where he started to falter. His final skate of the Olympics was a devastating one, with multiple mistakes throughout the program. He quickly flew down the rankings, ending in eighth. This uncharacteristic skate had many fans worried. He took to the media to talk about the immense pressures on him as an athlete, restating his young age, watchful eyes, and constant reminder from others that he would win the gold. He felt like he had to, inevitably putting pressure on himself when he was on the ice. Mikhail Shaidorov won the gold and Malinin was quick to congratulate and show his support, as well as respect, for him. He did not make it about himself; he knew his skate was not perfect. He was determined to learn from it and continue to aim high. He was a strong supporter of all his USA teammates, always there to cheer them on and give them a big hug afterwards.Â
Amber Glenn, Alysa Liu, and Isabeau Levito, coined as “The Blade Angels,” quickly gained support and popularity from fans online. They presented themselves as a united front. While they were all competing against each other in the women’s skate, they did not let it create a divide between them. They were constant supporters of one another, cheering each other on and having a genuine friendship both on and off the ice. Glenn and Liu were both favorites for the top three, but continued to maintain a positive friendship and mutual respect for each other. Alysa Liu ended up winning gold with a memorable and insanely impressive skate. Glenn finished fifth, with a few mistakes throughout her programs but a strong attitude. She held her head high and talked positively about her experience and Liu winning. They had relationships with girls on other teams, and often looked out for them too. Amber Glenn was seen shielding the camera crew and media team away from Kaori Sakamoto, who was crying after losing first place. Alysa Liu was seen hugging and congratulating Sakamoto, as they share mutual respect and speak highly of each other.Â
Liu rewrote the dynamic of figure skating as a whole, making a comeback since she retired from skating after the last Winter Olympics. When she started competing again, she made it known that she would only do it on her own terms. She would be able to eat, dress and skate however she wanted. She aimed to bring the joy back to skating, after previously claiming she was burnt out and uninspired, which caused her retirement at sixteen years old. She stresses the importance of mental health in sports and is rewriting the narrative of what it means to be a professional athlete. With her unique sense of style and outspokenness, she truly earned the gold that she proudly wears around her neck.Â
While full of surprises and upsets, as well as major wins, Team USA figure skating team continues to change the world of skating with their sportsmanship and genuine connections. While not always on the podium, they truly shined and were the real stars of the Olympics. It will be exciting to see how far they can go and their future achievements with the next Winter Olympics four years out.