The 15-year-old was sensational in her debut at the Games before teammate Mark Kondratiuk helped to solidify the ROC team event lead heading into its final day on Monday (7 February).
World record holder Kamila Valieva has made a splash onto the Olympic stage – with a skate for the ages.
The 15-year-old figure skater was near her chilling best on Sunday (6 February) at the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022 in her Olympic debut, scoring a 90.18 to finish safely in first place in the women’s short program segment of the team event.
Her performance – coupled with that of teenaged teammate Mark Kondratiuk – vaulted the ROC into the lead after day two of the team event, having trailed the U.S. after the first day of competition on Friday (4 February).
The ROC has a comfortable lead at 45 points to the United States’ 42. Japan is third at 39, while Canada (30) and China (29) sit fourth-fifth.
Early in the day inside the Capital Indoor Stadium, Valieva was just tenths away from her world record in the short program, which she had set just a few weeks ago at the European Championships with a 90.45. Here, she hit a monster triple Axel (the only of the day) with her arms overhead to open the program, then a triple flip and triple Lutz-triple toe in combination, skating to the elegant “In Memoriam.”
“I am thrilled to be at the Olympic Games and I did everything I could today,” she told reporters after. “And I am very happy that I brought maximum amount of points to my team.”
The men’s free skate saw Youth Olympic Games Lausanne 2020 champion Kagiyama Yuma of Japan win the segment, scoring a career-best 208.94. He’s just the third man to break the 200-point mark for the free (joining Hanyu Yuzuru and Nathan Chen) – and became the first skater to land a quadruple loop in Olympic competition.
Kondratiuk was second with 181.65, while American Vincent Zhou popped a jump midway through his skate to finish third at 171.44.
Behind Valieva in the women’s short, it was Japan’s Higuchi Wakaba scoring a 74.73. and Canada’s Madeline Schizas in third (69.60). Anastasiia Gubanova (GEO) was fourth and Karen Chen (USA) was fifth.
Valieva shows nerves of steel on debut
Under the watch of famed coach Eteri Tutberidze, Valieva has had a golden season leading into the Games: Winning at both Skate Canada International and Rostelecom Cup before capturing a national title to end 2021. Last month she was European champion ahead of teammates Anna Shcherbakova (the reigning world champ) and Alexandra Trusova.
She was the pick for the team event short and was unwavering on the ice.
She said after, in fact, that she feels a sense of accomplishment having made it to the Games at all.
“I think I don’t feel the pressure; it’s actually the opposite, I feel it’s easier here,” she said, before continuing: “Well, maybe not easier but more inspiring. The atmosphere here is incredible. I don’t try to achieve high scores, I am here for the clean skate.”
Valieva said earlier this season she had dedicated this program to her late grandmother, an early influence in her life, and told broadcasters here she thought of her as she finished her skate.
And how did she sleep the night before her big skate? “Well, I woke up at 3am. But I went to bed at 8pm. So it’s cool.”
While the women’s short belonged to Valieva, there was also a shining performance from Higuchi, a 21-year-old who is making her Olympic debut four years after winning the world silver medal in 2018.
“I was so, so nervous. But today, I was able to lock in like I never have since I got here. I think I can definitely build on this for the singles,” Higuchi said. “I finally got a taste of the Olympics, the atmosphere and everything. I’m nervous but I’m having fun, too. I hope to keep my cool rest of the way.”
It was a career-best skate for 18-year-old Schizas of Canada, her 69.60 earning her team its best finish in the short program segment – and also securing the reigning Olympic gold medallists a spot in the final.
It was a strong day at the office for Gubanova (67.56), who hit a triple flip-triple toe in combination before landing a double Axel and strong triple Lutz. Georgia did not qualify for the final.
Chen (65.20) was not as lucky, however, the American opening with a triple Lutz-triple toe (called a quarter under rotated) and then landing a double Axel, but falling on her triple loop to finish.
Teen Kagiyama soars on debut, too
Two years after Kagiyama was the Youth Olympic champion and a year following his silver medal finish at the world championships, he was subbed in for Uno Shoma after the PyeongChang 2018 silver medallist skated in the short program.
Each team is allowed substitutions in two different disciplines within the team event.
The switch to Kagiyama was warranted: He took command on the ice from the start of his Gladiator free skate, hitting a quadruple Salchow to start and then didn’t back down from his attempt of an historic quad loop, which he stepped out of upon landing but received a +0.60 GOE (Grade of Execution) for.
His father and coach – two-time Olympian Kagiyama Masakazu – stood near to the rink boards pumping his fist as his son went from one strong element to the next.
“[The loop] felt pretty good and it will help for the singles. I need to stay the course,” Kagiyama said in Japanese. “No matter how well I perform, no matter how I’m satisfied, I know there’s a few [skaters] above me. I still have some catching up to do.
He added: “But right now, the focus is on what I have to do get the most out of myself.”
Prior to Kagiyama, fellow teenager Kondratiuk was equally as impressive in his Olympic debut, riding a wave of momentum having won a national title in December as well as Euros last month.
He completed three quadruple jumps in his Jesus Christ Superstar program and earned an 86.56 in his program components (artistry), skating with passion throughout.
It was a tough day at the office for Zhou, the 2019 world bronze medallist, however, who popped an attempted quad flip near the start of his program – while also being called for rotation issues on three others.
Home hope Jin Boyang had a strong skate, the Chinese skater landing three Lutzes and scoring a 155.04.
Coming up: Team event to conclude Monday (7 February)
The figure skating team event will conclude on Monday with pairs free skate, the free dance and the women’s free. You can see a full schedule of the action here.
0915 – Team event – Pair skating – Free skate
1030 – Team event – Ice dance – Free dance
1135 – Team event – Women single skating – Free skate
Line-ups for the respective free programs will be revealed on Sunday evening (6 February).
Kagiyama Yuma (JPN) in action