Will there be a Paul Wylie moment this Olympics?

[missing]

Some skater or team of skaters seemingly coming out of the blue with a life defining skate that earns a medal and a cherished memory for skating fans for decades thereafter.

Or are such moments unlikely nowadays with so much coverage of pre-Olympics skating that no one can truly emerge unnoticed anymore. Or because the top skaters are so superior in all four disciplines that there's no room for "Paul Wylie" to grab a medal.

I'd like to think that someone can still sneak in, that an underdog can become best in show (or second or third best). I don't see it happening if everyone skates their best, but then again, I don't see that happening either.

If you do believe in miracles, which skater or skaters would you like to see rise to the occasion and win that medal people assumed would end up in some one else's curio cabinet? Who can you imagine having that classic Paul Wylie moment?

 

[olympic]

Mirai peut-etre?

 

[Spun Silver]

I want to see James/Cipres upset the apple cart to grab a medal. And I think they can do it.

And Mirai, totally!

 

[Areski]

Mirai sprang to my mind immediately.

 

[berthesghost]

Mirai.

Pat Chan, as I recently overheard Evy Scotvold call him a “has been”

One thing for sure, no one will have their Manley/Hughes/Sotnikova moment. Between nagano and this, Asia always seems to have the Olys just when their cache of great skaters is at a low point.

 

[Areski]

Mirai.

Pat Chan, as I recently overheard Evy Scotvold call him a “has been”

One thing for sure, no one will have their Manley/Hughes/Sotnikova moment. Between nagano and this, Asia always seems to have the Olys just when their cache of great skaters is at a low point.

What about Satoko Miyahara, Shoma Uno, Yuzuru Hanyu, Boyang Jin & Sui / Han?

They are all serious medal contenders. I am calling BS.

 

[berthesghost]

FYI 2018 Olys are not in Japan.

‘88-94 ito and sato won worlds but by Nagano all they had was a not-yet-ready-for-prime time shiz. No Manley/Hughes/Sotnikova moment there.

‘07-11 Kim was a huge star, but in 2 weeks, what S.K. skaters are going to take a medal and have their Manley/Hughes/Sotnikova moment?

 

[Areski]

FYI 2018 Olys are not in Japan.

‘88-94 ito and sato won worlds but by Nagano all they had was a not-yet-ready-for-prime time shiz. No Manley/Hughes/Sotnikova moment there.

‘07-11 Kim was a huge star, but in 2 weeks, what S.K. skaters are going to take a medal and have their Manley/Hughes/Sotnikova moment?

In this view it makes sense surely. There are no Korean skaters who are medal contenders this year even with some outside chance. & help.

 

[volturemean]

I want to see James/Cipres upset the apple cart to grab a medal. And I think they can do it.

And Mirai, totally!

I do not think the judges would let James/Cipres medal unless it is an awful meltdown event. And even then maybe not. Skating perfectly they couldnt beat an error filled and disaesterous Tarasova/Morozov on their home ice. Skating semi clean they couldnt medal at Europeans with Savchenko/Massot out.

Far more likely candidates would be someone like Weaver/Poje, Mirai Nagasu (if she hits the triple axels and others make mistakes), Bradie Tennell, Karen Chen, Kolyada, or even Aliev or Bobrova/Soloviev. I could see any of those pulling off a huge upset medal, not James/Cipres. Even Zabiiako/Enbert have a better shot now that they will get Russian #2 backing in Russia's favorite event.

 

[Bellanca]

Will there be a Paul Wylie moment this Olympics? I hope so! Maybe a few! Imagine the ... Now that would be great!

 

[Foolhardy Ham Lint]

Who knows? Paul came through when others didn't.

There are no guarantees in skating.

 

[volturemean]

Who knows? Paul came through when others didn't.

There are no guarantees in skating.

Yeah as inspiring as Paul was, he still wasnt perfect in the LP by any means, had less technical difficulty to begin with then almost every other contender, and his lack of rep was obvious in some of his SP scores (as low as 5.3 for a clean and beautiful skate with a triple axel combo). He wouldnt have even been a close to any color medal if say Browning, Petrenko, Barna, Eldredge, Bowman all skated as well as expected. Put his exact skates from Albertville at the 91 worlds and he definitely is no higher than 6th place. Fortunately for him not a single of those did, and allowed that wonderful moment for him and all skating fans.

 

[Vash01]

Mirai- at least that's who I want to see win a medal.

Other possibilities:

Kolyada win an individual medal

Karen Chen another dark horse.

I can't think of anyone else. The Olympic medals have become rather predictable.

 

[volturemean]

Kolyada win an individual medal

That would be all the more remarkable after his nightmare today which probably has already cost Russia the Team Gold and might even end up dropping them to bronze. It would have to be one of the best comebacks, especialy emotionally, of all time. Would love to see that for him.