Biggest Skating Busts (USA Ladies Singles)

[Philly2034]

I always think that is is interesting how some skaters are billed as the nest Michelle Kwan, and then turn out to nothing.


Ann-Patrice McDonough, Bebe Liang, Naomi Nari Nam.

Ann-Patrice McDonough kinda reached her apex after she won Junior Worlds in 2002 (after winning a silver the year before). Everone thought that she would suceed Michelle Kwan (especially since Michelle was not supposed to be competing in the fall 2002 GP series).

Bebe Liang had her biggest hype at the 2003 Nationals. She was so young and so promising. Yet, she never finished higher than fourth at US nationals.

Naomi Nari Nam was thoight by many to be the next champion. Everybody was like "watch her." If you were a casual skating fan who watched in 1999 and came back in 2004, you might have tuned in and expect NNN to be the top US Ladies skater. Not so.


Any other examples of busts in American Ladies singles?

[Rob]

I wasn't sure what this thread was going to be about.

[Cheylana]

I always think that is is interesting how some skaters are billed as the nest Michelle Kwan, and then turn out to nothing.

None of these skaters turned out to be "nothing"

[shah]

I wasn't sure what this thread was going to be about.

lol, I also expected a different content .

[Cachoo]

I can only think of one: Tonya Harding who forgot the value of competition and tried to win by cheating. Everyone else is a winner to me.

[orbitz]

"Nothing" is a harsh word. The U.S. has many ladies whose career didn't meet expectations, but they still accomplished a lot in their career. Having said that, I think the biggest letdown for me was Tiffany Chin's career after 84.

[Marco]

lol, I also expected a different content .

Elene G, Viktoria Volchkova, Katarina Witt...

[DaiKozOda]

Not to be rude but when I read the thread title my reaction was the same as Marco's

[danceronice]

Between this and the "Plan B" thread, what I have truly learned is I need to get my mind out of the gutter.

[allezfred]

That German dentistry student who skated at 2007 Euros had some knockers, but poths was a fan.

[FunnyBut]

Immediately, I thought of Gedevanishvelli.

[Cherub721]

Show some love for Nora Hoffman!

[PeterG]

Ann-Patrice McDonough, Bebe Liang, Naomi Nari Nam.

As a fan of figure skating, each of these three ladies brought enormous joy to me as a spectator. To refer to them as nothing simply shines the light back on the empty stage where you reside.

I can only think of one: Tonya Harding who forgot the value of competition and tried to win by cheating. Everyone else is a winner to me.

Do you have links to back up this accusation? It is my understanding that Harding never cheated. Harding did however, associate with the wrong people (major understatement).

[blue_idealist]

In the US, Katy Taylor and Danielle Kahle

[overedge]

In what world does winning Junior Worlds equate to "nothing"?

[Aussie Willy]

I remember Anna Semanovich (not sure if that is spelt right) from 98 Worlds which were held in the US. I think she had the biggest bust I have ever seen on a skater in the US.

[Cheylana]

^^

[judgejudy27]

I honestly never thought Patrice McDonough, Liang, or Nari Nam were future superstars. Maybe they could have done more, especialy Ann Patrice McDonough who burnt out and retired way too young IMO, but none was ever going to be a World medalist or U.S Champion ever IMO.

Some skaters who did not become what I thought they would are:

-Angela Nikidinov. After I first saw her in 1997 I thought she was a future superstar.
-Tiffany Chin. This is the obvious one. I saw a future muti World Champion and the 88 Olympic Champion when I saw her in 84. Many others did too.
-Caryn Kadavy. This is on a smaller scale as she did have a very good amateur career, and an outstanding professional career, but I saw a future multi U.S and possible World winner in 85 and 86.

I thought Jill Trenary might go on to have a greater career after she burst through to win that U.S title in 87 almost out of nowhere, but in hindsight she if anything did better than she should have. She was kind of caught between two eras, maybe born a bit earlier or a bit later (more likely a bit earlier) her timing would have worked out better.

Oh another one is Cindy Bortz. I thought she was a big star in the making when she won the World Juniors in 87. Yet someone like Holly Cook who she easily beat at that competition even went on to a much better career.

[sadya]

Agreed with most names.

Diana Poth is another skater I expected more from.

What happened to Lautowa? She medaled and then disappeared.

Szewszenko was bothered by so many injuries and illnesses, I wonder what would have happened if she could have stayed healthy and trained and competed as planned.

I think about Eva Maria Fitze and wonder the same. If she wouldn't have had an eating disaorder and stayed healthy and normal, what would her results have been? Luckily everyhting turned out allright, she seemed very happy switching to pairs with decent results. Pairs skating really seemed to make her more happy than ladies skating, even if the results were less than what she achieved in the ladies event if I remember well.

Bobek also puzzles me a bit. If she would have had less coaching changes and a better training discipline, who knows what she could have achieved. She was one of the only competitive skaters in her day with amazing stretch and flexibility in her spirals.

Lovely Jennifer Kirk could have achieved more too if she wouldn't have had an eating disorder. Surely she would have at least medaled a few times at Worlds, if not won it at least once.

With all that,we shouldn't forget it's not all about results only. No matter how nice those medals are, most important is still the joy and beauty of figure skating and the excitement when people have extraordinary jumps and performances you never forget. That's why we enjoy watching a Lucinda Ruh as much as a Mao Asada or a Carolina Kostner or a Yuna Kim.

[Vash01]

FS is so competitive that many talented skaters never make it to worlds. I don't necessarily see them as 'busts'. It just means tough competition, sort of Russian pairs in the USSR era. I am sure there were many really good pairs that probably never made it to worlds. In another country the same skaters or pairs would have been national champions many times.