If You Had to Choose - Oly Silver/Bronze vs. World Gold

[danibellerika]

Okay so an interesting convo came up between a friend and me and so I'd like some other skating people to weigh in. Would you rather have a World title or an Olympic medal that isn't gold? For this poll they are mutually exclusive.

Personally I think I side with winning a world title because at least it's something where I won the gold. And for the Olympics it's a question of if you won silver or bronze vs. lost the gold. Might be more of a bitter sweet moment. Of course down the line in life someone might feel great about it because there is a lot of prestige that comes from standing on an Olympic podium.

 

[Spun Silver]

I think the Olympic medal -- it is vastly more watched and remembered by the vast majority of people with an interest in skating. Everyone shows up for the Olympics. Those post-Olympic Worlds without some of the top skaters make those medals a little less important.

 

[AxelAnnie]

I think the Olympic medal -- it is vastly more watched and remembered by the vast majority of people with an interest in skating. Everyone shows up for the Olympics. Those post-Olympic Worlds without some of the top skaters make those medals a little less important.

Totally agree. OLY medals are all worth gold!

 

[MAXSwagg]

Olympic gold
World gold
Olympic silver
Olympic bronze
World silver
GPF gold
World bronze

 

[clairecloutier]

I know what my answer is (World gold). But it would be interesting to know what actual athletes think.

For example, what does Patrick Chan value more--his Olympic silver or his World titles?

 

[MAXSwagg]

I know what my answer is (World gold). But it would be interesting to know what actual athletes think.

For example, what does Patrick Chan value more--his Olympic silver or his World titles?

I think cumulatively, all three of his world titles are worth at least the same as his Olympic silver (if he just had one world title, that would be a different story).

 

[danibellerika]

I know what my answer is (World gold). But it would be interesting to know what actual athletes think.

For example, what does Patrick Chan value more--his Olympic silver or his World titles?

While not putting words in his mouth, I think maybe the world golds because the Oly silver wasn't the color he wanted or was positioned for going into the event (though he didn't win either phase there, but still).

The question is if an athlete would give you an honest answer. It's better to be grateful for whatever medals you did get, or at least sound that way.

 

[AxelAnnie]

I know one OMG winner from 1998. He says that no matter what athletes are training for and dreaming of is the Olympics. Everything else is merely milestones on the way to the big competition...the Olympics.

 

[RockTheTassel]

One thing Patrick mentioned was that if he'd won the 2010 Olympics, he definitely would have moved on, and he still would have considered calling it a career even with silver or bronze. The disappointing 5th place was something that urged him to keep going at the time.

That being said, it's hard to imagine the silver in 2014 being more satisfying than the World wins because the Olympic title was right there, but it didn't happen. Who knows what he thinks of it all at this point in time, but I hope he's happy with his career by the end (and same with all other athletes).

For myself, I had to go with the Olympic medal. I know it's cliche, but it's the dream for so many, and the world is watching. Standing on one of those podiums, no matter what step, seems so incredible.

 

[Vagabond]

A quick and not terribly thorough check of Wikipedia indicates that there are very few skaters who either (1) won a single silver or bronze medal at the Olympics but no medals at Worlds or (2) won a single gold medal at Worlds but no other World medals and no Olympic medals. The two instances I noticed since the 1970's were: (1) Elena Ilinykh and Nikita Katsalapov and (2) Yuka Sato.

I have a hunch that if you asked Ilinykh, she would say she'd rather be a World Champion than an Olympic Bronze Medalist and that Sato wouldn't trade her World Gold Medal for Olympic bronze. As for Katsalapov, all I can say is .

 

[el henry]

Interesting question.

As an athlete, is it way cool to say you're best in the World? You Betcha!

But if you are a figure skater in the US of A, at least, no one outside a figure skating board will know or care about a Worlds gold. The only time anyone else really cares is the Olys. So, do you want to be recognized for your hard work, your achievements, and feel like you done the folks back home proud?

Olympic bronze, every time

 

[Bellanca]

For the Olympic eligible athlete, it is always an Olympic medal that is most coveted, most desired ... always. Olympic medals are special, what the athlete trains for and dreams about day in and day out. To be on that Olympic podium, there is no comparison, not even close.

For the public, it is always the Olympic medal (especially the gold, the crown jewel) that is what they will remember.

World championship titles (in skating and ice dance) are nice, but a dime a dozen due to the fact they are held every year.

 

[aftershocks]

And then, there are those skaters who are just happy to even make it to one or more Olympics, which means they can at least be called 'Olympians.'

Trying to snag a World and/ or Olympic medal of any kind in figure skating, is exceedingly hard to do, no matter how talented a skater you are.

 

[Marco]

I think I would prefer to be called a World Champion than an Olympic medalist.

Would you rather be Kimmie Meissner or Joannie Rochette?

 

[nuge]

PASHA says being a double olympic gold medallist is tops nothing more nothing less

 

[Alilou]

I think I would prefer to be called a World Champion than an Olympic medalist.

Would you rather be Kimmie Meissner or Joannie Rochette?

Joannie Rochette

 

[briancoogaert]

It's very difficult because both are great achievements. And honestly, there's no big difference between both. Being on an Olympic podium or World champion, you are at the very top of your sport.
But for the special occasion of the Olympics, I think I'd rather be an Olympic medalist.

 

[clairecloutier]

LOL, a World championship is now "a dime a dozen"? I doubt very much that Sui/Han and Duhamel/Radford would see it that way--in both cases, their World golds were the hard-fought result of 10+ years in pairs skating. Would be very surprised if they felt anything but total joy and respect at winning those titles ... of course Olympic medals are what any athlete hopes for, but let's be real here. Who do people remember-- Michelle Kwan, or Petr Barna? Kurt Browning, or Philippe Candeloro?

 

[Winnipeg]

Olympics

 

[screech]

I think it depends on how they were gained. For example, Patrick Chan isn't really considered to have 'won' his Olympic silver, as much as he 'lost' the gold. That medal is probably bittersweet, so 3x world champion probably sounds better to him.

Then again, I bet Kurt Browning would trade at least one of his world golds to have an Olympic medal of any colour.

 

[giselle23]

Janet Lynn won Olympic bronze but never won World gold. She returned the following season to try to win Worlds (she won silver). Karen Magnusson did the same after winning Olympic silver (she won Worlds that year). Dorothy Hamill went to Worlds after winning Olympic gold because she wanted a World gold, too (she won). I think most Olympic medalists would want a World gold in addition to their Olympic medal, at least.

 

[danibellerika]

I'm appreciating these responses. Very interesting indeed.

I think it depends on how they were gained. For example, Patrick Chan isn't really considered to have 'won' his Olympic silver, as much as he 'lost' the gold. That medal is probably bittersweet, so 3x world champion probably sounds better to him.

Then again, I bet Kurt Browning would trade at least one of his world golds to have an Olympic medal of any colour.

I agree with you. I said this same thing somewhere else. Kurt would likely trade one or more of those titles for an Olympic medal, and he certainly would for an OGM. At least for skaters like him he has a legacy to fall back on no matter what.

 

[danibellerika]

Janet Lynn won Olympic bronze but never won World gold. She returned the following season to try to win Worlds (she won silver). Karen Magnusson did the same after winning Olympic silver (she won Worlds that year). Dorothy Hamill went to Worlds after winning Olympic gold because she wanted a World gold, too (she won). I think most Olympic medalists would want a World gold in addition to their Olympic medal, at least.

Same for Yuzuru. And for someone like him I think he actually would want the Gold no matter what or where. I feel like he probably covets his GPF victories more than his non-world golds for instance.

 

[Winnipeg]

Olympics

 

[Vagabond]

Joannie Rochette won a World Silver Medal as well as an Olympic Bronze Medal, so she doesn't fit the original poster's paradigm.

ETA: The real question is whether one would rather be Paul Wylie or Donald McPherson.

 

[Bellanca]

Kwan wanted that Olympic gold medal so badly that in fact, she stayed in the sport a little too long chasing after it. I don’t care how many World titles a skater can rack up, if they were favored for gold (and even if they weren’t) and they didn’t win it, they still want it.

Kurt Browning did say that he would exchange his World titles for one Olympic gold medal, and then (not quoting verbatim) he said, ‘ok, maybe I’ll keep one World title.’

The athletes want both, but if they could choose one, and only one, between the two, it’s Olympic gold, and for most, any Olympic medal is desired.

 

[Vash01]

Always Gold. Then you are a champion, even if it is 'only' world.

An Olympic silver makes just an Olympic medal winner.

 

[Vash01]

I think it depends on how they were gained. For example, Patrick Chan isn't really considered to have 'won' his Olympic silver, as much as he 'lost' the gold. That medal is probably bittersweet, so 3x world champion probably sounds better to him.

Then again, I bet Kurt Browning would trade at least one of his world golds to have an Olympic medal of any colour.

I am sure someone in Kurt's position would feel that way because he had 4 world golds and zero Olympic medals. If he had just one world gold, will he be willing to give that up just to get an Olympic medal that was silver or bronze? I don't think so.

 

[marigold]

DomShabs have said that their Olympic bronze was not worth the sacrifice to earn it, because for them it was all or nothing. I think they might choose the World title.

 

[bardtoob]

Winning among the best, so winning the World Championship. The Olympics is really only about as good as a World Championship, and the rest in just marketing.