Great Olympic performances that did not make the podium

[Vash01]

Well wasn't the OP asking about memorable not necessarily about skates that deserved to medal but didn't? For me Ina & Zimmerman's skate in '02 is the most memorable of the non-medalists and it is a program that I do go back and watch periodically.

You are right. As usual, sometimes posters start something related but not necessarily exactly what was asked, and I am fine with it. I agree about I&Z.

Although I did not mention it, Shishkova-Naumov's SP performance at 'take Five' at the 92 Oly is etched in my memory. I saw their skating for the first time and they impressed me as a pair to watch for.

[briancoogaert]

The first one I thought of is Mirai Nagasu's FS in 2010. I really think she should have got the bronze.

Bronze ahead of Joannie Rochette ?

[judgejudy27]

Blumberg & Seibert, and both Chin and Zayak in 84 were some of the biggest. I would even say Cerne in 84 perhaps, and I think he should have gotten the bronze instead of Jozef as well.

I would say Moniotte & Lavanchy in 94, not that they could have or ever should have medaled in that field of course, but their Fred & Ginger was wonderful and by far their best work ever. Was great to see them win silver at Worlds later that year with it.

Although I dont think they deserved a medal overall I do think Bourne & Kraatz's Riverdance was excellent and one of their best performances ever.

Ina & Zimmerman was a great personal performance and I actually think you could make the case of them finishing 4th or even 3rd. Shen & Zhou had a really subpar skate for their standards that night, tried the quad salchow then struggled the rest of the performance, while a young Totmianina & Marining were also off their level of the preceding competitions that night. Petrova & Tikhonov turned in their best ever Olympic performance, but were buried by the deep field and the loss of momentum and support from their own federation and the international judges, shame they didnt have this in 2006 instead as they would have easily medaled if they had. Suguri was a great personal performance and quite enjoyable, might have had a medal shot if the Olympics werent in the U.S and she didnt draw almost first to skate in the short program. Drobiazko & Vanagas had a stellar FD and were truly robbed of a much higher placing in that program atleast.

In Turin Pang & Tong had an excellent performance and were definitely robbed of a medal, but the Chinese fed. was all about the Zhangs and Shen & Zhou around then. Suguri had a wonderful personal performance again, although I agreed with her 4th place. Delobel & Schoenfelder and Denkova & Stayviski had very strong FD performances.

In Vancouver Nagasu, Lepisto, Flatt all had wonderful personal performances and could have medaled in many other Olympics. Heck there were some after the event who said Nagasu would have won gold at any of the past Olympics with her skates here, yet only came 4th here, the ladies event was insane, by far the strongest ever. The other events in Vancouver were all pretty lackluster apart from the top 2 in the dance.

[julieann]

It's too bad the didn't give medals for the sp and fs separately.

[pinky166]

Lepisto, Nagasu FS at 2010 Olympics

Weir FS at 2010 Olympics (not a huge fan, but I was a little irked when he placed behind Chan and Lambiel, both of whom were obviously off when they skated and made numerous mistakes each, in that segment after delivering an inspired and nearly clean program).

Lysacek FS at 2006 Olympics

Cohen FS at 2006 Olympics

[Vash01]

Lepisto, Nagasu FS at 2010 Olympics

Weir FS at 2010 Olympics (not a huge fan, but I was a little irked when he placed behind Chan and Lambiel, both of whom were obviously off when they skated and made numerous mistakes each, in that segment after delivering an inspired and nearly clean program).

Lysacek FS at 2006 Olympics

Cohen FS at 2006 Olympics

Cohen won silver at the 2006 Olympics. This thread is about those who did not medal. Did you mean 2002? BTW I LOVED her SP in the 2002 Olys.

[smarts1]

Bronze ahead of Joannie Rochette ?

I kind of agree with blue_idealist also... Quite honestly, even though Joannie became the darling of those Olympics due to personal circumstances, she made 4 major glaring errors in her LP and it was definitely NOT worth the 130+ that she received in the LP. She had a major step out on the flip (and was leaning) and the double axel had a slight turn out, which were her two most visible errors. Her second lutz and her triple salchow (in the sequence) were both clearly underrotated and if the technical panel wanted, they could have easily given them < marks. Besides, I hated the choreography for Joannie's LP anyway-- that step sequence was horrendously put together. And on top of that, Mirai was undermarked on PCS in the SP (considering she was pretty unknown still to the international panel at that point).

Even the Eursport commentators thought Mirai would place second ahead of Mao and Joannie in the LP, but ended up placing 5th in the LP (behind Kim, Asada, Rochette, and Lepisto), and they were appalled when her LP mark didn't even break 130, despite the fact that Mirai was going bonkers over her LP score and placement.

[Proustable]

2010: Faiella/Scali and Delobel/Schoenfelder. Nagasu, Flatt, Lepisto, Suzuki.

2006: Denkova/Staviski and Drobiazko/Vanagas. Joannie Rochette.

2002: Drobiazko/Vanagas.

[aliceanne]

Ito in '88. I was watching the Olympics with my boyfriend who had no interest in FS and even he enjoyed her performance. Her flying sit spin was so high and she looked so joyful.

Laeticia Hubert's short program in '92. She was only 16 and no one expected anything of her. She had a fantastic skate and ended up in the top group with Ito and Yamaguchi. Then she had that disastrous long program that left her with the nickname "Human Zamboni".

[pinky166]

Cohen won silver at the 2006 Olympics. This thread is about those who did not medal. Did you mean 2002? BTW I LOVED her SP in the 2002 Olys.

I meant 2002. And yes, that SP was amazing, as was her FS, even though it was to Carmen.

[berthesghost]

Some obscure ones.....

1976 Robin Cousins. Everything I've ever read says he was completely robbed. This was also his hardest ever LP with 5 triples. A video of this performance is one of my holy grails.

1972 Starbuck & Shelley. Haven't seen it but from magazine reports, they skated better in Sapporo to finish 4th than they did at 1972 Calgary Worlds to finish 3rd. Total politiks.

I haven't seen or even read a description of any of them, yet I'd kill to see any of these:
1948 John lettengraver, 2nd in fs 4th overall
1952 Ginny Baxter, 1st in fs, 5th overall
1956 Cathy muchado, 3rd in fs, 8th overall
1960 the protopopovs, 9th
1964 tommy Litz, 2nd in fs, 6th overall

[judgejudy27]

I would love to see more of the 76 Olympic mens competition in general. I only saw Curry and Cranstons skates. I have heard Kovalev skated horribly with falls and stumbles yet was marked high enough to pass Hoffmann who was ahead of him going into the long program, and hold off Cranston who was just behind him going in (with some judges putting Kovalev over Cranston who didnt skate badly in the long program phase) to win the silver. Apparently the crowd was jeering that result.

[berthesghost]

^ it was pretty off the hook, with insult added to injury by having to witness kovalev's insanely huge bell bottomed pants!

[museksk8r]

Even the Eursport commentators thought Mirai would place second ahead of Mao and Joannie in the LP, but ended up placing 5th in the LP (behind Kim, Asada, Rochette, and Lepisto), and they were appalled when her LP mark didn't even break 130, despite the fact that Mirai was going bonkers over her LP score and placement.

5th is the absolute correct placement for her in the LP, IMO. Kim, Asada, Rochette, and Lepisto are all miles ahead of Nagasu in terms of skating skills and presentation. However, after the SP, I would have had Nagasu in 4th behind the Olympic medalists. The SP is where she was really robbed!

[smarts1]

^ But I think based on her technical elements alone, Mirai should have broken 70+ in for her TES at the very least, considering there was not a foot wrong in that program and the quality of her spins should have pushed her TES up. 65.80 was too low for the program she put out there considering Asada received 64.68 (barely over a point off) and Rochette received 62.80 for their flawed programs, while Lepisto received 63.89 even with her doubled salchow and worse jump content.

[smarts1]

Here's the Eurosport video btw: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=igZAmv_kF0w&feature=plcp

[SkateBlades17]

The ones that come to my mind.

2006 & 2010 Johnny Weir
1998 Bourne & Kraatz
1992 Grishuk & Platov
2010 Belbin & Agosto

[caseyedwards]

Lots of people have good things to say about the Duchesnay's in Calgary! Not 4th or near the podium really so it's not a 4th place should have medaled type pick.

[judgejudy27]

Lots of people have good things to say about the Duchesnay's in Calgary! Not 4th or near the podium really so it's not a 4th place should have medaled type pick.

Yes I agree they were great. Their placing or what it should have been is irrelevant in this case, it was just great to see someone have the balls to do something so totally different and unique in the stodgy World of dancing. What a contrast to their bland Albertville programs when they went in as favorites.

[blue_idealist]

I kind of agree with blue_idealist also... Quite honestly, even though Joannie became the darling of those Olympics due to personal circumstances, she made 4 major glaring errors in her LP and it was definitely NOT worth the 130+ that she received in the LP. She had a major step out on the flip (and was leaning) and the double axel had a slight turn out, which were her two most visible errors. Her second lutz and her triple salchow (in the sequence) were both clearly underrotated and if the technical panel wanted, they could have easily given them < marks. Besides, I hated the choreography for Joannie's LP anyway-- that step sequence was horrendously put together. And on top of that, Mirai was undermarked on PCS in the SP (considering she was pretty unknown still to the international panel at that point).

Even the Eursport commentators thought Mirai would place second ahead of Mao and Joannie in the LP, but ended up placing 5th in the LP (behind Kim, Asada, Rochette, and Lepisto), and they were appalled when her LP mark didn't even break 130, despite the fact that Mirai was going bonkers over her LP score and placement.

Yes, nothing against Joannie Rochette, I think she's a good skater but that FS wasn't that great.