vanillashake
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The last 2 Winter Olympics of the Millenial and last 2 after the staggering of the Winter and Summer Olympics would have been super interesting. And it may have provided an opportunity for certain skaters to shine. I am also assuming there is no reinstatement for the 96 Games as reinstatement idea ended by spring 95 anyway, but those who want to assume reinstatement for the 96 Games can do so as well.
I can see something like this.
1996 Olympics
Pairs
Gold- Shishkova & Naumov- This is the team I would be most excited of all to have a 96 Olympics. They were always a super unlucky team. Including at the 96 Worlds where they went undefeated all season, but had their worst outing of the season at worlds. All the other top teams also made mistakes though, and even though they had 4 1st place votes they somehow wound up 4th in a mishmash of ordinals. They could have had bad luck again at the actual Olympics but I would bet on them being the odds on favorite to win, assuming no reinstated pros, and even if there were Sergei Grinkov had passed away, Lloyd Eisler would be too old to be a serious favorite by then, and no way Miskutienok & Dmitriev could hang around together to be on top level by then considering their personal rift growing (he would probably already be with Kazahkova in fact even now).
Silver- Kovarikova & Novotny- I assume they stick it out for a 96 Games. And since the won the 95 worlds they would probably be in good position to be a contender for both a medal or gold at a hypothetical 96 Games.
Bronze- Meno & Sand- Probably not the favorites to medal, in theory Eltsova & Bushkov and Woetzel & Steuer would both have a better shot. Or even Brasseur & Eisler if they stuck around. However they always seemed to wind up with a suprise bronze somehow. I am guessing somehow fate would shine on them and they do it again.
Men
Gold- Kulik- Stojko and Eldredge both seem cursed at the Olympics, and Stojko bombed and missed the podium at the actual 96 worlds, while Eldredge had a subpar season apart from Worlds. Urmanov was cursed at big events outside the 94 Olympics. It could be any of those but I see this as the safest guess.
Silver- Eldredge or Urmanov
Bronze- Candelero- Similar to the Meno & Sand thing. He always seems to sneak in for surprise bronzes when nobody expects him.
In addition to Kulik, Stojko, Eldredge, Candelero, Urmanov, Galindo might have been a medal contender this year if he stuck it out for 96 and still hit his 96 peak form.
Dance
Gold- Gritschuk & Platov
Silver- Usova & Zhulin- I assume they stick it out for 96 for sure, but if they couldn't even beat G&P in 94, they are even less likely to do it in 96, especialy with their personal rift growing all the time, and aging.
Bronze- Rahkammo & Kokko- I assume they stick it out for 96, and would be in a good position to medal, especialy with Moniotte & Lavanchy's injury. Krylova & Ovsiannikov were really rising at this point though and would give them a tough battle, but the judges dont usually like podium sweeps anyway so they probably are in good shape.
Ladies
This is the most hard to predict event. A whole hodgepodge of things could happen. Do Baiul, Kerrigan, or Sato stick it out for the 96 Games. What shape is Chen is if she is not the 95 World Champion anymore and does not bomb her 95-96 season only to skate great at worlds but get snubbed by the judges. Chen was always politically behind Baiul when they competed with each other, despite that she was older and there first.
Kwan is another big question mark. She claims to have only snuck out to do her senior test since there was a 94 Games. I would guess based on her own statement her first senior year is now 94, not 93. She probably does not even make it to the 95 worlds anymore, and certainly does not come 4th with the impetus to redefine her style as she was so close to the top. She might make it to the 96 Games, but I doubt she would be at her 96 level of skating or a serious contender as her whole trajectory is set back a whole year now based on her own statement.
Gold- Baiul or Chen or Sato
Silver- Kerrigan (although I doubt she stays for 96 but is probably a contender if she does) or Sato
Bronze- Bobek or Chen or Bonaly
Someone else will have to do this one as I have too hard a time with it. I also doubt Harding is a big factor even if she stays.
I can see something like this.
1996 Olympics
Pairs
Gold- Shishkova & Naumov- This is the team I would be most excited of all to have a 96 Olympics. They were always a super unlucky team. Including at the 96 Worlds where they went undefeated all season, but had their worst outing of the season at worlds. All the other top teams also made mistakes though, and even though they had 4 1st place votes they somehow wound up 4th in a mishmash of ordinals. They could have had bad luck again at the actual Olympics but I would bet on them being the odds on favorite to win, assuming no reinstated pros, and even if there were Sergei Grinkov had passed away, Lloyd Eisler would be too old to be a serious favorite by then, and no way Miskutienok & Dmitriev could hang around together to be on top level by then considering their personal rift growing (he would probably already be with Kazahkova in fact even now).
Silver- Kovarikova & Novotny- I assume they stick it out for a 96 Games. And since the won the 95 worlds they would probably be in good position to be a contender for both a medal or gold at a hypothetical 96 Games.
Bronze- Meno & Sand- Probably not the favorites to medal, in theory Eltsova & Bushkov and Woetzel & Steuer would both have a better shot. Or even Brasseur & Eisler if they stuck around. However they always seemed to wind up with a suprise bronze somehow. I am guessing somehow fate would shine on them and they do it again.
Men
Gold- Kulik- Stojko and Eldredge both seem cursed at the Olympics, and Stojko bombed and missed the podium at the actual 96 worlds, while Eldredge had a subpar season apart from Worlds. Urmanov was cursed at big events outside the 94 Olympics. It could be any of those but I see this as the safest guess.
Silver- Eldredge or Urmanov
Bronze- Candelero- Similar to the Meno & Sand thing. He always seems to sneak in for surprise bronzes when nobody expects him.
In addition to Kulik, Stojko, Eldredge, Candelero, Urmanov, Galindo might have been a medal contender this year if he stuck it out for 96 and still hit his 96 peak form.
Dance
Gold- Gritschuk & Platov
Silver- Usova & Zhulin- I assume they stick it out for 96 for sure, but if they couldn't even beat G&P in 94, they are even less likely to do it in 96, especialy with their personal rift growing all the time, and aging.
Bronze- Rahkammo & Kokko- I assume they stick it out for 96, and would be in a good position to medal, especialy with Moniotte & Lavanchy's injury. Krylova & Ovsiannikov were really rising at this point though and would give them a tough battle, but the judges dont usually like podium sweeps anyway so they probably are in good shape.
Ladies
This is the most hard to predict event. A whole hodgepodge of things could happen. Do Baiul, Kerrigan, or Sato stick it out for the 96 Games. What shape is Chen is if she is not the 95 World Champion anymore and does not bomb her 95-96 season only to skate great at worlds but get snubbed by the judges. Chen was always politically behind Baiul when they competed with each other, despite that she was older and there first.
Kwan is another big question mark. She claims to have only snuck out to do her senior test since there was a 94 Games. I would guess based on her own statement her first senior year is now 94, not 93. She probably does not even make it to the 95 worlds anymore, and certainly does not come 4th with the impetus to redefine her style as she was so close to the top. She might make it to the 96 Games, but I doubt she would be at her 96 level of skating or a serious contender as her whole trajectory is set back a whole year now based on her own statement.
Gold- Baiul or Chen or Sato
Silver- Kerrigan (although I doubt she stays for 96 but is probably a contender if she does) or Sato
Bronze- Bobek or Chen or Bonaly
Someone else will have to do this one as I have too hard a time with it. I also doubt Harding is a big factor even if she stays.