WATCH: Team USA Favorite Karen Chen Slips in Crucial Match Against Russian Team, Gold Medal Highly Doubtful at Beijing Winter Olympics 2022
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via Reuters
2022 Beijing Olympics – Figure Skating – Team Event – Women Single Skating – Short Program – Capital Indoor Stadium, Beijing, China – February 6, 2022. Karen Chen of the United States falls during competing. REUTERS/Evgenia Novozhenina
American figure skating competitions are underway as Karen Chen makes her debut. She is one of the medal hopes for the USA at the Winter Olympics 2022 but could not muster up a grand finish. Instead, she fell during the short program. This dampened the hopes of the States getting a good score in the team competitions.
Chen is hands down among the best figure skaters in the world. Even though she is one of the medal hopes for her country, her slip might eventually cost Team USA in the scoring department.
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Karen Chen makes costly error
She could not complete her attempt as she lost her balance during the triple-loop routine. After under-rotating on a triple lutz and toe loop, she fell down and finished in fourth place as she managed to get a score of 62.50. The US has been incredible in figure skating in recent years but the Russian Olympic Committee sets the bar very high.
Naturally, Chen was disappointed with her performance and the talked to the reporters, thereafter.
“I hope my fall on the triple loop will not affect the overall result. I knew I would be skating in team right after the U.S. Nationals,” said Chen.
Shaky day for the U.S. at figure skating.
After Karen Chen's fall, Vincent Zhou bails on a planned quad flip in the men's free skate. Entered as the favorite. Finished third.
The Americans still look likely to medal, but their brief hopes of team gold are pretty much dead.
— Tom Schad (@Tom_Schad) February 6, 2022
Chen spoke about being tensed before she came to perform. Performing in a major sporting event can make you anxious. Thus, she spoke about being tensed during the warmups of the competition.
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“This morning when I did my warm-up practice I just felt a little tense …. but I’m really proud of how I fought for that program …. Yes I fell (on 3 loop) but I went for it,” expressed Chen.
Can they salvage a comeback?
With the Russians looking strong and ready to win the gold medal, it is a disappointment for Team USA in Beijing. Grim as it sounds, there is still hope. Vincent Zhou can muster up a neat performance and help the team to get the scores up.
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via Reuters
2022 Beijing Olympics – Figure Skating – Team Event – Women Single Skating – Short Program – Capital Indoor Stadium, Beijing, China – February 6, 2022. Karen Chen of the United States falls during competing. REUTERS/Evgenia Novozhenina
Thus, it would be interesting to see how Team USA recovers from this. There are still a couple of rounds to go but it would be difficult for them to get back in the loop.
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