Japan's Ami Nakai Surges into Olympic Lead After Short Program as US Struggles at the Winter Games
Japan has upstaged the United States in the short program of the women's figure skating competition at the Milan Cortina Olympics, with Ami Nakai taking a commanding lead after a career-best performance on Tuesday night.
Japanese Skaters Dominate the Podium Positions
Ami Nakai and Japanese teammate Kaori Sakamoto outperformed Alysa Liu and the rest of the American "Blade Angels" team, securing the top two spots after the short program. Nakai executed a flawless opening triple axel to achieve a personal best score of 78.71 points, while Sakamoto followed closely with 77.23 points as she pursues the elusive gold medal that has so far escaped her collection.
American skater Alysa Liu managed to stay within striking distance of the leaders, claiming third place with 76.59 points. However, the rest of the US team encountered significant difficulties that jeopardized their medal aspirations.
American Team Faces Unexpected Setbacks
Isabeau Levito encountered technical issues during her step sequence, resulting in a lost level that dropped her to eighth place with 70.84 points. The situation proved even more challenging for three-time reigning US champion Amber Glenn, whose medal hopes suffered a severe blow when she doubled up a triple loop, rendering the jump invalid and worth zero points.
Glenn, visibly emotional as she stepped off the ice, found herself in 13th place with 67.39 points. "I had it," she told her coach Damon Allen, who offered encouragement by responding, "It's not over."
Japanese Depth and Russian Presence Add Intrigue
Mone Chiba further demonstrated Japan's formidable strength in women's figure skating, scoring 74.00 points to place just ahead of Russian skater Adeliia Petrosian. With three Japanese athletes positioned to potentially sweep the podium, Thursday night's women's free skate promises to be a dramatic conclusion to the figure skating program at the Winter Games.
The women's event has long been anticipated as a showdown between Japan's technical brilliance and America's powerful skating tradition. Petrosian managed to insert herself directly into this rivalry despite Russia's ongoing exclusion from international competitions following the invasion of Ukraine.
Russian Skater Makes Controversial but Impressive Debut
Adeliia Petrosian, an 18-year-old from Moscow coached by the controversial Eteri Tutberidze, received clearance from the International Olympic Committee after being vetted for any military or war connections. This allowed her to compete as a neutral athlete after winning a qualifying event in Japan.
Without an established world ranking, Petrosian was placed among skaters with minimal expectations of qualifying for the free skate, let alone reaching the podium. However, she immediately distinguished herself when her performance began to a medley of Michael Jackson hits.
Petrosian executed a double axel, landed a triple lutz, and completed her program with a seemingly effortless triple flip-triple toe loop combination. "I'm quite pleased with my score. It's good," Petrosian said in Russian, "and I'm happy with it."
The young skater expressed enthusiasm about competing alongside the favorites in Thursday's free skate, stating, "I hope to be in the same warm-up group with them. I haven't really seen them yet because we are all in different practice groups. But it would be nice to be in the same warm-up group and compete against them."
The stage is now set for a compelling conclusion to the women's figure skating competition, with Japan holding a strong advantage, the US team facing an uphill battle, and a controversial Russian skater adding an unexpected dimension to the Olympic drama.
