Denis Ten died today after being stabbed in an attempted robbery. He was 25.
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He was an incredible skater and a super talent. In my few interactions with him, Denis was gracious and kind, always happy to chat about anything. His is a loss beyond words. Denis, you are loved.
Imagine having the most devastating performance of your life after a week when your life changed multiple times and you were thrust into a media spectacle.
You get off the ice and your coach asks you, “Why did you let it to? Why did you stop fighting?”
#Beijing2022
That’s it from
#Beijing2022
What a sometimes unforgettable, sometimes unfortunate 3 weeks we’ve had. Thank you to the skaters - there’s no figure skating w/o you
All the while, let’s not forget the lessons here - I hope the follow through continues
Thank you ALL for following!
Yuzuru Hanyu JPN
4A(ur,fall), 4S(fall), 3A2T, 3F, 4T3T(q?), 4T1Eu3S, 3A - the legend himself doing legendary things; that 4A was close, but what a way to fight back after 2 opening falls; thank you, Yuzuru Hanyu for reaching for the stars
#Beijing2022
Lots of emotions from Sasha Trusova right now - in the mixed, she reportedly said in Russian, "I hate everyone, I hate this sport."
#Beijing2022
#figureskating
A bit lost in the conversation is that Maia Shibutani and Alex Shibutani are the first ice dancers of Asian decent to win Olympic medals.
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There’s a lot to be said about them as visible role models for the next generation of ice dancers
#PyeongChang2018
#Olympics
#figureskating
Kaori Sakamoto JPN
2A, 3Lz(e?), 3F3T
TES 43.25, PCS 37.07, SP 80.32 into 1st - no one is catching that score today, the coronation of Kaori Sakamoto has begun; lutz edge was called clean
#Worlds2022
#WorldFigure
Yuzuru Hanyu JPN
4S, 4T3T, 3A - that might have topped any of his prior Chopin program performances; he was so light, so ethereal, and the jumps were absolutely flawless, not sure how you don't give +5 for each of those jumping passes
#4ContsFigure
I know we are exhausted and emotionally drained, but there are still 36 more figure skaters who have worked their asses off to be at the Olympics and this isn’t the time to not support their journey. Pairs short program in 5 hours.
#Beijing2022
Keegan Messing going out of his way to hold the Japanese flag up for Yuzuru Hanyu to salute during the national anthem is the most Keegan thing ever.
#ACI19
❤️❤️❤️
Within past 30min, multiple outlets reporting that a Russian sports agent named Kamila Valieva failed a doping test, which led to the postponement of the team medal ceremony and the legal consultation today - important to note that there is NO official statement yet
#Beijing2022
Donovan Carrillo MEX
4T, 3A, 3Lz(q,step) - Donovan Carrillo is the first Mexican skater at the Olympics since 1992, and will now become the FIRST Mexican skater in history to ever qualify for the free skate at the Olympics
#Beijing2022
#figureskating
The first time Worlds was in Saitama was in 2014, when Mao Asada delivered possibly the greatest short program of her career - it had everything that encompasses her skating
I keep seeing this photo on my feed. Brings me back to the thrill that was Yuzuru Hanyu-Nathan Chen back-to-back at
#WorldFigure
- and the mutual respect from their press conferences.
Bye bye 拜拜
#Beijing2022
!
My journey:
🚌 1 hr bus to the airport
⏲ 4 hrs waiting for flight
#1
✈️11 hrs on flight
#1
⏲ 2.5 hrs layover
✈️ 10 hrs on flight
#2
⏲ 1.5 hrs layover
✈️ 2 hrs on flight
#3
🚗 0.5 hrs car home
32.5hrs - and I think it’s gonna be a long long time
Sakamoto: Do I feel sorry for her? I don't think so. But it's really difficult to express myself. I'm focusing on the sport, on the competition, and at the moment, I'm trying not to think about things like that. What's important is that I focus on my own performance
#Beijing2022
Ryuichi Kihara saw me and said, “Jackie-san, remember when you came to Oakville and watched us practice 4 years ago?”
Yup, and look at them now!
#WorldFigure
During my Oakville adventures for Autumn Classic, I got to visit with the pair teams coached by Bruno Marcotte and Meagan Duhamel - of note, the new pairing of Riku Miura/Ryuichi Kihara. Only 1mo in and already lots of potential, could very well be a top 10-15 pair this season
This week (and all the things that happened to her - a minor - before this) has wreaked havoc on Kamila Valieva’s life. Her life has been changed multiple times at these Olympics. She’s better than to have had these things done to and happen to her.
#Beijing2022
Individual press conferences happen a lot at the Olympics. They happen esp because athletes receive so many requests for interviews that they can’t possibly do them all. Hanyu isn’t an “attention seeker” - the press has been seeking him to ask questions, so this was the best way
Here it is!! Young You becomes the 11th woman to land a triple axel in international competition - Ito, Harding, Nakano, Nelidina, Asada, Tuktamysheva, Kihira, Nagasu, Liu, Kostornaia, You
I never got to post this - at the front of the
#Worlds2022
arena was this exhibition piece. It reenacts Surya Bonaly’s iconic one-foot backflip and the trajectory of her skates
#WorldFigure
This whole episode is not about Kamila Valieva - she is merely the intermediary
Valieva is directly part of this because of her positive test, yet her positive test is merely adjacent to a bigger issue that should be the focus of attention.
#Beijing2022
#figureskating
As an athlete, you optimize your finite amount of time to train & improve; even w/in those finite training sessions, you only have a certain fraction where you can be at your peak because you tire out.
Imagine having extra means to prolong that peak time by 10%, 25%, 100% ...
Non-skating tweet: Many of us are geographically and mentally removed enough from everything happening that we can go on living our daily lives
For those in that situation, keep Ukraine in your thoughts, keep trans kids in your thoughts, figure out what you can do about it
Yuzuru Hanyu 羽生結弦
4A(<<,2ft), 4S, 3A2T, 3Lo, 4T3T, 4T1Eu3S, 3A - the quad axel didn't get around but the rest of the program was brilliantly delivered - say hello to Japanese title
#6
, Yuzuru Hanyu!
#全日本フィギュア
ISU: “Until further notice, no Skaters belonging to the ISU Members in Russia…and Belarusshall be invited or allowed to participate in int’l ice skating Competitions incl ISU Championships and other ISU Events.”
Full statement here:
Yuzuru Hanyu 羽生結弦
4S, 4T3T, 3A - WELCOME BACK YUZURU HANYU!! Vintage Hanyu with that piano Rondo Capriccioso, love how this program builds from start to finish
#全日本フィギュア
Another
#WorldFigure
✔️
I’m struck by the joys, the stories, the excitement, and how it greatly exceeded post-Olympic season expectations - every skater should feel so much pride
And the dedication of the fans is amazing - we can’t do this w/o you ❤️
ありがとう ございます!
Chen just pulled a Mao Asada
2014: Asada Oly (16th SP, 3rd FS, 6th overall) ... wins Worlds
2018: Chen Oly (17th SP, 1st FS, 5th overall) ... wins Worlds
As Chen said, "it will never be pulling a Nathan Chen, it will always be pulling a Mao Asada -legend"
#WorldFigure
#Milano2018