The 2022 Winter Olympics have finally come to a close after an eventful few weeks of intense competition, legendary wins, and of course, various conflicts and drama. One of the most anticipated events, figure skating, was marked by many historic moments during this Olympic season. With that being said, it only makes sense to reexamine some of the most iconic skates and moments that left a mark on the world of figure skating.
There are four disciplines in figure skating; women’s singles, men’s singles, ice dance, and pair skating. While there are different aspects to each field, the ultimate objective of telling a story remains the same. Every single aspect of a skate is carefully chosen and practiced, ultimately creating a seamless art form. From wardrobe to choreography and song choice, each element contributes to the story being told. There are two sets of scores that determine skaters’ placing in the events: technical element score (TES) and program component score (PCS). The latter focuses on the artistic elements of the skate, including choreography, transitions, and overall presentation.
It wouldn’t have been a successful Olympic season if Nathan Chen didn’t wow the world with his incredible talent. Since 2018, Chen has won 16 out of 17 major competitions, a strong comeback after placing fifth in the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics. His free skate was rather incredible to watch, for we finally got to see him crack a smile as he finished his skate to an Elton John medley. His successful performance was confirmed by a gold medal and total score of 332.60 points, over 22 points ahead of silver medalist Yuma Kagiyama of Japan.
Looking at the women’s singles, specifically the short program, Wakaba Higuchi of Japan demonstrated immense talent and commitment, despite being underscored by judges. She skated Ellie Goulding’s cover of Elton John’s “Your Song” in a gorgeous white costume with subtle pastels, adorned in sparkles. More importantly, though, she landed a triple axel. This is an amazing accomplishment for Higuchi as the fifth woman to ever land a triple axel at the Olympics. This is a rather difficult jump, for it is the only triple jump with a forward-facing entrance, thus requiring an extra half-turn in air. Overall, she really just looked like she belonged on ice, skating with such confidence and grace. She went home with fifth overall, and despite potentially corrupt scoring that set her back, she should be proud of her performance.
Differently from the women’s and men’s singles, rhythm dance is a segment in ice dancing in which a pair is required to follow a common theme of music and pattern dance. This year, the theme was “Street Dance Rhythms.” This encompassed any genre of music, from hip-hop to disco or jazz. Madison Hubbell and Zachary Donohue, representing the United States, performed to a Janet Jackson medley. I think that alone indicates how iconic the skate would be, but if not, I can confirm it was entrancing. Their twizzles, which are fast, continuous turns on one foot synchronized with the partner, were mesmerizing. Twizzles tend to be my favorite aspect of rhythm dance, and this performance was no exception. Hubbell and Donohue placed third in this component and third overall, which was very well deserved.
Another significant moment in the 2022 Olympics was Mexico’s first skater to ever make it to the free skate, Donovan Carrillo. This was even more phenomenal of an accomplishment considering he was the first skater from Mexico to perform at the Olympics in 30 years. His story is rather interesting, for he began skating in hopes to connect with his childhood crush who also skated. He fell in love with the sport and continued to pursue it, ultimately leading him to the 2022 Beijing Olympics. Carrillo carried a beautiful stage presence, each beautiful jump followed by a proud smile. It was impossible not to smile back watching him skate. This was truly a magnificent moment for not only Carrillo but Mexico too.
Figure skating in the Olympics is far from boring–not this year, not ever. From the song selection to costumes, the failed partner lifts, the historically landed jumps, the drama, and everything in between, it’s hard to imagine we have to wait another four years to watch the best of the best compete again for Olympic gold. That’ll only make us appreciate it all the more.