A Very Unofficial List of the Best Olympic Figure Skating Performances, According to Me
Truth be told, when my editor informed me that I would be allowed to write this article, I did a little dance behind my black zoom screen. I am far from a figure skating aficionado (unless we’re counting the 3 weeks of figure skating classes I took with my brother when I was 7). That said, I am a huge figure skating fan and have been obsessed with following the performances and careers of some of the best figure skaters of our time. So, in honor of the Beijing 2022 Olympics, I present a list of my favorite figure skating performances from the past decade, in hopes of converting each and every one of you dear readers into the figure skating stan that I am.
Before we get into the incredible performances, I’d like to preface them with some figure skating 101 for those who may not know too much about the new scoring system developed in 2006.
Skaters are scored based on each element (jump, spin, choreography, and footwork) in their program. There are two performances in their set: a short program lasting 2-3 minutes and a long program (or free skate) lasting 4-5 minutes with leeway to add in jumps and spins for extra points.
According to the U.S. Figure Skating website:
“In the [International Judging System], competitors accumulate points based on the degree of difficulty (base value) of each technical element and how well each element is executed (grade of execution, or GOE). Skaters also earn points based on their overall skating ability and performance level through program component scores.”
Generally, more difficult technical elements receive higher evaluations. According to Vox, “of all the tricks in a routine, the six recognized jumps — the toe loop, the loop, the salchow, the flip, the lutz, and the axel — are elements worth the most points. At this point, quads, which are versions of these jumps in which the athlete performs 4 to 4.5 revolutions, are the human limit. Skaters are allowed three jumping attempts (or passes) in their short program, which encourages skaters to maximize the difficulty of jumps.”
The difficulty of the jumps from least to greatest is as follows:
● Toe loop
● Loop
● Salchow
● Flip
● Lutz
● Axel
Because men tend to have more strength in their legs, it has become the norm for men to do quad jumps in competition, whereas women tend to stick with triples (until Valieva’s quad jump in the current Olympics, but we’ll get to that later). Many believe that because of the way the new system scores elements, jumps are now prioritized at the expense of artistry. However, I believe that the best figure skaters are able to balance both elements in their program.
That being said, here’s a list of some of my favorite figure skating performances over the years:
1) Yuna Kim’s 2010 Vancouver Olympics Short Program to a James Bond Medley
Yuna Kim - Short Program - Ladies' Figure Skating | Vancouver 2010
This performance is, without a doubt, my favorite short program. Yuna was the 2010 Olympic champion in ladies’ singles and set two world records with her short program and free skate that year. The choreography is so well timed with the music; every little action and movement is on theme. Not to mention Yuna Kim’s stellar artistry. Her cheeky facial expressions not only add to the playfulness of the performance but also make her jumps that much more seamless. There are very few skaters that perform with so much grace and comfort on the ice. She is truly an entrancing performer.
For more Yuna Kim, see: Yuna Kim - Free Skate - Ladies' Figure Skating | Vancouver 2010
2) Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir's Moulin Rouge at PyeongChang 2018
Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir's Moulin Rouge at PyeongChang 2018 | Music Mondays
This is the performance I watch when I have had a bad day. I’m convinced the Youtube algorithm is attuned to my moods at this point because the performance always finds its way into my recommendations when I most need it. It is so entertaining and ridiculously emotional - jam-packed full of insane tricks and big crowd-pleasing moments. Not to mention, Tessa Virtue’s rouge (ha) dress is a knock-out. The two won Gold for their performance in the 2018 Olympics and rightfully so. This was the duo’s last Olympics and there is so much emotion and chemistry in their artistry that it’s obvious they’ve been skating together for a long time. This is another incredibly entertaining performance that gives me chills every time I watch it. Both are now retired skaters but still work coaching other pairs teams.
For more Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir, see:
Tessa Virtue & Scott Moir - Every Olympic Performance! | Top Moments
3) Evgenia Medvedeva's skate to "Anna Karenina" soundtrack at PyeongChang 2018
Evgenia Medvedeva's skate to "Anna Karenina" soundtrack at PyeongChang 2018 | Music Monday
This is another very emotional performance by 18-year-old (now 22) Evgenia Medvedeva. She is an amazing athlete and really has a way of expressing the emotion of the music. Evgenia is a gem. I was really rooting for her to get Gold during the 2018 Olympics, but unfortunately she lost by just 1.31 points to her fellow Russian teammate, Alina Zagitova. However, this performance outranks that of Zagitova for me because of its raw emotional energy and flawless grace. Medvedeva has since retired from skating and talked openly about the intense pressure to perform, as well as her recovery from a leg fracture that forever affected her career. The fracture was due, in part, to the controversial techniques many Russian coaches have used to train their skaters (which you can learn more about via the links below).
For more Evgenia Medvedeva, see:
Evgenia Medvedeva's short program at PyeongChang 2018 | Music Monday
And, if you’d like a bit more context on the pressure of figure skating from an early age (particularly in the world of Russian figure skating), watch:
Beginners Guide to Team Tutberidze (drama)
What is Happening to Women's Figure Skating? | An Essay | PART 1
4) Nathan Chen’s La Boheme Short Program at Beijing 2022
Nathan Chen sets WORLD RECORD with breathtaking short program | Winter Olympics 2022 | NBC Sports
Oh c’mon, how could I not include the Quad King himself in this line up? Nathan Chen is widely considered one of the best skaters of our time. His quad jumps are ridiculous. After his stumble in his short program at PyeongChang, Chen actually threw in six quads into his long program to catch up to his competitors (which, btw, is UNHEARD OF). He broke the current world record for highest short program score with this performance in the Beijing Olympics. It is STUNNING. You’ll see he does a quad lutz, triple toe loop combination in the second half of the program, scoring him extra points for jumping on tired legs. His consistency and cleanliness in skating really sets him apart from his contemporaries (love you though, Yuzuru Hanyu). Needless to say, I’m a huge Nathan Chen stan.
For more Nathan Chen, see:
The highest scored men's figure skating program at PyeongChang 2018! | Music Monday
5) Kamila Valieva’s Short Program to at Beijing 2022
15-year-old sensation Kamila Valieva "perfect" in Olympic debut | Winter Olympics 2022 | NBC Sports
The next up-and-coming Russian powerhouse prodigy has arrived. Kamila Valieva is a 15-year-old talent who is likely to change the world of female figure skating. Her jumps are immaculate in this performance. You’ll notice she raises her arms over her head during her jumps, which increases the difficulty considerably. What’s amazing about her is not only her consistency, but her finesse. Generally, younger skaters can accomplish jumps well enough, but lack the maturity and experience on the ice to execute their elements fluidly. Valieva has beautiful form. Her spins remind me of a ballerina in a music box. She is also the first woman to land a quad jump at the Olympics, which is a very big deal.
For more Valieva, check out her ridiculous quad-packed performance at the Beijing 2022 Olympics:
Kamila Valieva becomes first woman EVER to land Olympic quad | Winter Olympics 2022 | NBC Sports
All in all, the figure-skating world has a long history, and many non-skaters (like myself) have long found a great joy in watching skaters develop and grow throughout their careers. These skaters only represent a crumb of the massive talent in the figure skating world. In fact, those who make it to the Olympics only represent a small subsection of talented skaters that have, through much hard work, consistency, and luck, made it to the main stage. However, I’m glad to have been able to share some of these amazing performances. If you liked these, I highly recommend checking out the Olympics channel on Youtube and be sure to keep an eye out for the closing ceremony on Feb. 20th 7 a.m. (ET).
Sources:
https://www.usfigureskating.org/about/scoring-system
https://www.vox.com/2022/2/3/22912876/figure-skating-scoring-explained-winter-olympics-2022
Written by: Mia Hernandez
Art by: Yanni Spanolios
