PARIS (AP) — A touch of winter came to the Summer Games on Wednesday as the United States figure skating team finally received its gold medals as 2022 Olympic champions.
The special medal ceremony allowed the nine Americans to parade down a catwalk in the bright Paris sunshine, marvel at the Eiffel Tower and bask in the warm cheers of the fans crowded into the stands at Champions Park.
Exactly two and a half years after the team competition in figure skating at the Beijing Olympics ended – and the doping saga surrounding the victorious Russian team began – the Americans received the medals that were not awarded at that time.
“I think the wait was absolutely worth it. Definitely,” said Karen Chen, who wore the first gold medal of her career around her neck.
All nine American figure skaters came to Paris, including Evan Bates, Nathan Chen, Madison Chock, Zachary Donohue, Brandon Frazier, Madison Hubbell, Alexa Knierim and Vincent Zhou. Seven of the eight members of the Japanese team came to collect their silver medals – an improvement on their third-place finish in Beijing.
The athletes were honored with a performance of “The Star-Spangled Banner,” not the Tchaikovsky piano piece that would have been played for the Russians in Beijing. The ceremony in France was watched by family, friends and fans. Not in a nearly empty ice rink in China during the Olympics, which took place despite a COVID-19 lockdown.
“It’s an unforgettable experience for all of us to be here and receive our medals,” said Karen Chen. “Just seeing the crowds, seeing everything and enjoying the whole thing.”
Knierim, who skated in pairs with Frazier, had her fingernails painted gold.
“I thought it was a perfect fit for the occasion,” she said of a ceremony that was confirmed just two weeks ago.
Shortly before the start of the Paris Games, a Russian appeal against the Olympic team title was rejected by the Court of Arbitration for Sport. Russia was stripped of the title in January when another CAS panel disqualified Russian teenager Kamila Valieva for doping with a banned heart drug. She was also banned for four years.
No Russian figure skater wins a medal in the French capital, although their third place at the Paris Olympics was confirmed in another CAS decision.
Canada’s figure skaters lost their appeal last Friday against an upgrade of their score from fourth place by the International Skating Union.
“They feel for me,” said Zhou, one of the new Olympic champions.
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