1. an athletic activity requiring skill or physical prowess and often of a competitive nature, as racing, baseball, tennis, golf, bowling, wrestling, boxing, hunting, fishing, etc.
By definition, what I watched last night was indeed a sport. Yes, those young ladies twirling around on their skates required incredible skill and physical prowess. Plus, the event was certainly competitive. Yet, it's the nature of the competition that raises some questions.
How do the athletes actually compete? With Olympic Figure Skating, the contestants perform their routines, and each routine receives a score. The highest score wins. Seems simple enough. Unfortunately, it's not an objective machine doling out scores. It's a collection of human beings, fallible and impressionable.
I admit I'm a sucker for the Olympics. I'll watch the snowboard cross, alpine, figure skating, speed skating, heck... even curling. The athletes are often extraordinary. Who isn't moved by the amazing spectacle of the aerials:
While it's not targeted toward a macho dude demo, figure skating is no less impressive. The men and women thrust themselves into the air, spinning at breakneck speeds, often landing flat on their butts in front of billions of viewers. Unlike aerials, they're not putting their life on the line every jump, but the skaters do shoulder much more pressure. Take Kim Yu-Na of Korea. During her performance yesterday, the Korean stock market took a break to watch. When she finished her sublime performance, she erupted in tears. She had a puzzled look, perhaps unsure why she was crying during such a triumphant moment. They were not tears of joy. They were tears of relief - no longer must she carry her country's mantle. She won gold and can retire to a life of Kia and Samsung promotional campaigns.
Following Kim's skate was her main rival, Japan's Mao Asada. Mao actually performed a more difficult routine, but two small slips ultimately cost her a shot at gold. It didn't take a judge to see that Kim Yu-Na was the best and Mao Asada next in line. It was the battle for third place where things got cloudy.
Canadian skater Joannie Rochette lost her mother earlier this week. It was a tragic and sudden heart attack. When she took to the ice last night, the entire viewing public felt her pain. She performed a solid routine with a slight hitch on a landing. After her final spin, the crowd erupted and the judges rewarded her with 3rd place. Only one skater remained, 16 year old American (and newcomer) Mirai Nagasu. Young Nagasu skated flawlessly. I didn't have a scoresheet in front of me, but it doesn't take a trained eye to see she hit every jump, twist, and turn without a single hiccup. It was awesome. Not quite the class and finesse of Kim, but amazing nonetheless. Surely, Nagasu should place 3rd.
It was not to be. Not only did she score less than Rochette, she wasn't even close. It didn't make sense. Rochette muffed a landing. Shouldn't that factor somehow? Evidently not. Scanning the judges' scoresheets, Rochette "outscored" Nagasu on these components:
- Choreography/Composition
- Transitions/Linking Footwork
- Interpretation
- Performance
- Execution
- Skating Skills
Yes, you read that correct. They grant points for both Interpretation AND Performance. This is where the question of subjectivity enters the fray. I know now that figure skating isn't always about who is best. It often comes down to who is most popular. I suppose this has always been the case, and skating judges are occasionally called out. Nagasu's coach clearly knew this going in:
In other words, ya gotta pay your dues. Sorta like the NBA. Maybe figure skating truly is a sport...(Kim and Mao are) both world champions, and Joannie is a world [silver] medalist. Mirai is 16 years old. She's not going to jump in right away and knock them off the podium.
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