You would inform how pleased Alysa Liu was along with her debut on the Beijing Olympics, executing a clear brief program on Feb. 15 within the girls’s figure skating competitors. Her rating of 69.50 landed her in eighth place forward of the free skate in two days’ time. It was a stupendous efficiency from the 16-year-old set to “Don Quixote: Act II: Gypsy Dance II” by Ludwig Minkus, and although she selected to forgo her triple axel, she nailed the jumps she did embrace.
Liu, who needed to petition for an Olympic staff spot on account of a constructive COVID check that brought on her to withdraw from the 2022 nationals, did not present any nerves throughout her high-energy brief program in Beijing. Her routine simply made you wish to smile alongside along with her, and it was a robust solution to begin off her Olympic look.
Liu’s pleasure was additionally a sight to see amid the tensions surrounding the Court of Arbitration For Sport’s controversial decision to let Russian skater Kamila Valieva compete regardless of a positive doping test. NBC commentators and former Olympians Tara Lipinski and Johnny Weir famous through the reside broadcast that Valieva’s presence on the ice has tainted the integrity of the Olympic course of and the ladies’s determine skating competitors. Regardless of a bobble on her triple axel, Valieva sits in first place (82.16). The International Olympic Committee (IOC) said that ought to she place on the rostrum as soon as the free skate portion concludes, there can be no medal ceremony.
Over the weekend, Liu told Olympics.com, “My purpose right here is to remain within the second and luxuriate in the whole lot,” and it positive seems to be like she’s doing simply that. American teammates Mariah Bell and Karen Chen each had falls of their performances and presently sit in eleventh and thirteenth, respectively. Out of the 30 girls who competed within the Feb. 15 brief program competitors, 25 certified by means of to the Feb. 17 free skate; the IOC allowed one further spot “for causes of equity” given Valieva’s inclusion within the occasion.
Forward, take a look at snapshots of Liu’s shining Beijing 2022 brief program. She will now name herself an Olympian!
