That's what I said in 2022 and why I was so pissed at the USFS for choosing Jason instead. Ilia has been more inconsistent than Nathan and I do worry about how he will handle the Olympics, though he does seem to really rise to the occasion when he knows the level of competition he is facing.
I just think Ilia's wired differently.
And Ilia has/will have more experience as a top contender at the World level than Nathan did in 2018. Nathan had only been to one Senior Worlds and - let's be honest - wasn't contending for a medal and wasn't in the same type of situation Ilia was in on Saturday.
LOL. The only way I get over that decision is if Ilia wins in 2026.I knew this was going to be the next post.
I agree with @Debbie S that Nathan will be in a different career arc than Nathan was in 2018 - plenty of top level competitions and the benefit of what Nathan learned.
My response to both of these concerns is: his parents. It seems to me that his parents have done a remarkable job of keeping their son grounded, and they are Olympians themselves, so I would expect that they'll be more than capable of helping with mental preparation.
Right. Without that, Nathan might have won in 2018.
https://www.instagram.com/reel/C4_AuNVN1N-/Ilia will be almost 3 years older then Nathan was in 2018 and will have had the whole 4 years of the Olympic cycle to be ready for 2026. Nathan only had half that amount of time and had only one chance to skate at Worlds before the 2018 Olympics so Ilia will be much more exprienced.
The constant changing of the short program layout was a big part of the story in 2018.
Well, it's not as though Ilia isn't establishing a reputation for changing his program on the fly or fiddling with his planned content during the season (4a in the SP at the GPF, anyone?). And both the ISU and NBC commentators were agog at that 4z+1eu+3f when it was listed in the planned content as 4z+1eu+3s.
Damn, I missed changing that in my play-by-play post.Well, it's not as though Ilia isn't establishing a reputation for changing his program on the fly or fiddling with his planned content during the season (4a in the SP at the GPF, anyone?). And both the ISU and NBC commentators were agog at that 4z+1eu+3f when it was listed in the planned content as 4z+1eu+3s.
But he's doing it as part of his coaching not in opposition to it (as Chen was).Well, it's not as though Ilia isn't establishing a reputation for changing his program on the fly or fiddling with his planned content during the season (4a in the SP at the GPF, anyone?). And both the ISU and NBC commentators were agog at that 4z+1eu+3f when it was listed in the planned content as 4z+1eu+3s.
).
I had those DVDs, and I watched hers over and over.
Ehhhhh... I'm not sure the GoT soundtracks work for skating. We have yet to see a program that really works to that music, IMO. Too many people know the story and the show, I think, for anyone, Ilia included, to be able to take the music from it and turn it into a good program.
NBC often does a montage of things to expect for the next Olympics at the end of an Olympic games, and given the accomplishments of both of these athletes they almost certainly will feature highly in the promotion of Milano-Cortina 2026.
Proving that knowledge is sport-specific, I have no idea who he is.
Jordan Stolz is a 19 year-old speed skater. He's a World Champion in three different events, and World record-holder in the 1000 m.
and they should never be mentioned in the same sentence as Jimmy Johns.
