Favorite Olympic silver medal performance by a lady

[Triple Butz]

Mao skated really well. In any other year her performance would have been good enough for an OGM.

(Note: I knew that Michelle will get most of the votes, so I did not need to vote for her ).

I really don't agree. It was a huge accomplishment for her to land 3 3axels and I applaud her for that, but she really only had 4 clean triples total, and did not had no 3sal, 3toe, or 3lutz. Landing triple axels does not make up for a complete lack of three other types of triples IMO. She did, of course, plan a 3toe but as we know it never even got off the ground.

[judgejudy27]

If I had to guess this is how Mao would have done in other years:

1992- I think she would have won. Kristi wasnt great that night, Midori with only 1 triple axel and no triple lutz probably would have won the LP had she not been 4th in the short.

1994- Would have won.

1998- Would have probably been 3rd. I dont see either Tara or Michelle that night beaten by a performance with 2 major mistakes.

2002- Would have won. Hughes lost votes to all of Slutskaya, Kwan, and Cohen that night even with their problems, simpler jumps, and her out of skin skate. 2 triple axels even with a couple misses would have put someone over her as she was not a popular choice even with the judges.

2006- If we factor in SP would have won. May have lost LP to Shizuka under COP.


So I actually almost agree, I think she would have won any other Olympics besides 1998 with her performances in Vancouver.

[Skater91]

I really don't agree. It was a huge accomplishment for her to land 3 3axels and I applaud her for that, but she really only had 4 clean triples total, and did not had no 3sal, 3toe, or 3lutz. Landing triple axels does not make up for a complete lack of three other types of triples IMO. She did, of course, plan a 3toe but as we know it never even got off the ground.

I would have agreed with this but then I think about Carolina Kostner at Worlds this year.... She won without lutz because she had the great components, good spins and good GOEs.

Yes Mao didn't get great GOEs on some elements in the program but I still think the 3As she performed and also her PCs from that performance at Olympics would have been enough any other year to overcome the fact that she didn't perform most triples.... If not, then how did she even get second in Vancouver?

[MR-FAN]

Liz did not make a mistake.

hmmmm, I'm now starting to doubt myself, but I always thought she 2-footed her triple loop. Did she or is it just a deceiving camera angle?

[Vash01]

hmmmm, I'm now starting to doubt myself, but I always thought she 2-footed her triple loop. Did she or is it just a deceiving camera angle?

I will have to watch the tape again; it was so long ago!

[Amy03]

[QUOTE]

Yes Mao didn't get great GOEs on some elements in the program but I still think the 3As she performed and also her PCs from that performance at Olympics would have been enough any other year to overcome the fact that she didn't perform most triples....

Mao's sp was cristal clean, and besides the two mistakes in the free the rest of the program from the jumps, spins, steps, spirals it was clean and topnotch. and people can mention the lack of sal and lutz all they want, but believe me ANY skater in the world that could switch a sal (with low value) or lutz with ONE 3A would have done it...

PS: by the way she did get great goe, it just wasn't crazy goe she received!

[inskate]

Yes Mao didn't get great GOEs on some elements in the program

She actually had pretty excellent GoEs on non-jump elements - she earned 42.9 points for them (SP+LP), while YuNa got 42.5. It's the jumps (esp. toe jumps) that were the problem. Still, I'm quite impressed by her performance, especially after watching the documentary about TAT and Mao that was released a few months after Olympics. The documentary was mostly about TAT's choreo, but in the background you could see Mao practising her jumps thorough the Olympic season, and when she had a minor growth spurt early in the season, her 3F/3Lz went completely AWOL. Almost all of the jumps she attempted were wonky 3Fs, and if I'd watched the clips before the Oly's, I'd be freaking out that she'll splat on them in her programs (and possibly other jumps, seeing as she didn't seem to have time to practise them much).

[Skater91]

She actually had pretty excellent GoEs on non-jump elements - she earned 42.9 points for them (SP+LP), while YuNa got 42.5. It's the jumps (esp. toe jumps) that were the problem. Still, I'm quite impressed by her performance, especially after watching the documentary about TAT and Mao that was released a few months after Olympics. The documentary was mostly about TAT's choreo, but in the background you could see Mao practising her jumps thorough the Olympic season, and when she had a minor growth spurt early in the season, her 3F/3Lz went completely AWOL. Almost all of the jumps she attempted were wonky 3Fs, and if I'd watched the clips before the Oly's, I'd be freaking out that she'll splat on them in her programs (and possibly other jumps, seeing as she didn't seem to have time to practise them much).

I am not saying her performance wasn't good. I also said some of her elements....meaning the toe and the Flip combo she did.

I think she should win this poll hands down. I am in her favour. Read my earlier comments. Someone commented saying that she shouldn't win this because she didn't complete all the triple jumps and had mistakes, I am saying that even with the mistakes and the lack of completing all the triples the rest of her skating makes up for it so she could have won the Olympics any other year and should win this poll.

[inskate]

I am not saying her performance wasn't good. I also said some of her elements....meaning the toe and the Flip combo she did.

Sorry, I didn't meant my post to sound like I was disagreeing with you. I just wanted to elabrate on that one particular point (GoEs, esp. on non-jump elements), because I've seen posts either saying that Mao was underscored in that area, or that her performance was just about 3A and jumps, when in reality her non-jump elements were scored very high.

[Angela-Fan]

Purple.

[falling_dance]

Purple.

I loved her musicality, costumes, and running combinations.

[michiruwater]

Her quad was pretty awesome, too.

[falling_dance]

But that damn triple flip...

[sk8ingcoach]

Although I am usually the last person to vote for Kwan, I had to on this one. Her Olympic silver was as close to Olympic gold as u can get.

I love Midori, but she was just not mentally prepared at Olympics and it showed in her performance. I wish she had skated flawless because it would have been probably the best Olympic ladies lp ever

Asada was good also, but it had flaws. If she were flawless, she still wouldn't have beat Kim but it would have been a nice battle between the two

Manley was good, if it weren't for figures. Katarina Witt was artistically good, but technically was very weak

[query5]

michelle should have won in 1998, enough said,
favorite.

[Screenie]

hmmmm, I'm now starting to doubt myself, but I always thought she 2-footed her triple loop. Did she or is it just a deceiving camera angle?

she did 2-ft her triple loop. Witt and Thomas also did that often, I don't remember whether they did it there.

[Jaana]

Liz Manley because she is the only one HAPPY TO HAVE the silver medal and was not a "favorite" who faltered. She was an underdog who did way better than she expected, and it showed in her personality.

Very well put! That was the reason I gave to Manley my vote and not to Kwan who was way too tentative.

[leapfrogonice]

Michele's was a beautiful performance but coming right after Philadelphia, it is actually almost more heartbreaking.

I voted for Liz Manley's. The unbridled JOY from every aspect of her skate and the moments of triumph in front of home country fans (yes, the silver medal is a huuge triumph in my opinion at the Olympics) make it my favorite.

[t.mann]

Kwan.

[DickButtonFan]

Kwan's 1998 LP was one of the most beautiful programs ever done. None of the other choices even come close. That LP could have beaten many of ladies Olympic golds medalists.