Well, more recently than 10 years ago, just three years ago, a Canadian lady was world champion. I think they were hoping, and still hoping, that Daleman would be keeping up her previous placements. That has more to do with her missing jumps as opposed to a lack of quads and triple axels. Remember, she was outscoring people while doing a triple toe-triple toe. I think many never expected Madeline to make top 10 in the short at worlds, yet she did. I think the real benchmark right now is doing a triple-triple combination, and some are showing an ability to that. Indeed, once you go past Russia and Japan, Canadian ladies aren't that far off the rest of the world really. Even the US is rumbling and complaining about how they aren't holding up to Japan and Russia in ladies skating. In Russia, it has a lot to do with Eteri, in Japan, female skating has just been a long streak of success lately, kinda like China in pairs, but then don't look so closely at the other disciplines. It will be interesting to see if Japan or Canada gets the bronze at the team event skating in China.
Ultimately, I think there's general dissapointment that Daleman hasn't continue the torch as many hoped, although there's always hope of a recovery, and perhaps they thought they would get another four years out of Osmond. It hasn't worked out, and it's switched the focus to other girls who we weren't really expecting to be considering just three years ago. Madeline certainly shows some promise, but how to compete with Russia currently is probably something many countries, including Japan, are now wondering as they are practically turning the ladies competition into something like gymnastics where they compete for four years and then disappear. I think this a major reason many people are probably more excited about Tuk than the actual world champion. It's like "oh thank heavens, an actual woman will continued success rather than a girl who wins for 2-4 years and then disappears"
All that being said, we are all suddenly looking at Madeline in a way we weren't just three months ago! Of course, at 18, she is old by Russian standards, and that's where you may be correct if the field of ladies skating itself is changing to being all about teenagers. It would be the only discipline like that considering you have most men in their 20s, while pairs and dance will now even continue into their 30s!
I'm also going to say that if you ignore the inconsistency and issues Daleman has been having, and if you just consider Daleman at 2019 worlds vs. Madeline at 2021 worlds, it's difficult to say that Madeline was all that superior and perhaps Daleman was actually overall better. Daleman was 11th after the short, but there are was less than three points separating 5th to 11th! I wouldn't be completely surprised if Daleman actually goes to the Olympics in 2022. She was showing recovery, and a better trained season with competition could put her back into top form, certainly top 10, perhaps even top 5. Behind the Russian girls probably, but able to compete with the rest. All this to say, we should write Daleman off too quickly. Remember Joannie Rochette had some difficult seasons before rebounding.
I will say one thing, however, as a current negative: we need a better stable than Joanne McCloud for the emergence of female skaters! I'm never very excited when I see a Canadian medalist being coached by her. Hopefully Ravi can produce more champions. Joanne's skaters seem to do well enough to reach the national podium, and then just never excel beyond that to the point where they are competing more strongly on the world stage. Case in point, Madeline vs. the current national champion.
