This is one of my top 5 best choreographed and performed programs. Such attention to detail, musicality, edge control AND difficulty. I think this program would still be very competitive under today's scoring system. I could watch it over and over again!
In watching this program after so many years ago, I can see that Kristi wouldn't have had a problem with todays scoring. This program holds up, hallmark of a superior body of work. The cleanliness and full rotation of her jumps, the intricacies of between the jumps, terrific.
Kristi made the right decision to go Pro after this competition, the last major of the 92 season. She accomplished winning the rare Triple in figure skating that year---U.S. Nationals, Olympics and Worlds. I'm sure there were huge monetary rewards waiting for her to go pro as well. Her Achilles Heel jump still failed her here---the Triple Salchow, but the female commentator pointed out good for her for trying. Kristi nailing the triple-triple combo just about cemented the championship for her since only Chen Lu could come close artistically, no one else in the field threatened her (Ito did not compete).
Kristi, I watched you then, & I say it now : you were the epitome of grace, joy, & beauty --& I'd watch you anytime. Your routine was just gorgeous -fall or no fall, it was magnificent. Wolfsky9, 67 y/o
Interesting thought! That would have been a treat to watch, though I don't think the professional explosion after the '94 Olympics would have been as successful without Kristi. She really was the only professional skater in the 90s who maintained consistency and difficulty in her programs.
Yes. Oksana Baiul, Tara Lipinski, Sarah Hughes, and Shizuka Arakawa all withdrew from Worlds after winning. Kristi was such a role model for all of the other skaters. I'm sure she would have come to these Worlds even if they hadn't been so close to home. I'm still bummed that Midori Ito got sick and couldn't compete.
Also Michelle skated away with her tittles with clean skates the only one's that had errors such as falls were. 1998 worlds,1999 nationals, 2000 nationals. the rest of her wins were clean skates with all triples performed. often times she completed 7 triples. Kristi was a wonderful skater, but Michelle was a better athlete. her over all skating was better. forget her brilliant artistry she was athlete. Her loses at the olympics were unfortunate. but she brought ladies skating to great heights.
"Skating at it's finest. It was skating back then, not just a jumpfest..." Comments like that are hilarious. Kristi had 8 jumping passes here...these days with the new rules only 7 are even allowed! That's LESS!
Why the comparison between Kristi and Michelle Kwan? They are part of different eras. Both represented the United States to the best of their abilities. Michelle Kwan is considered the most decorated figure skater in American history and with good reason. She competed longer and was the poster girl for American figure skating so maybe not winning the gold in the 1998 Olympics kept her around longer. I'm not American but I enjoy watching both skaters and proud of what they both achieved.
@dsfddsgh I think Kristi could have won 3 olympics in 6 years. katarina won in 84, 88, and even returned in 94 10 years after winning her first olympic medal and still finished right outta top 5 where she only could perfrom 2 triple jumps, Kristi up til early 2000s was still touring with ice shows landing the whole catalogue of triple jumps 1998 was definitely a possibility
Actually, that's factually inaccurate. They actually did compete against each other, I think it was in 1995. Kristi messed up the short but demolished everybody in the long program. She skated to Fantasie Impromptu and it was quite clear that she was Michelle's superior in every way.
Kristi is the last olympic champion who also competed at the Worlds championship in the same year. In 1994, 1998, 2002, & 2006, the olympic champion skipped Worlds. What does that tell you about Kristi?? She has incredible work ethic, truly loves to skate & compete. They just don't make olympic champions like her anymore.
i never noticed this before..but it looks like they started the music before she was ready. But Kristi was so level headed, it didn't make a difference! :)
Kristi could've kept skating thru 1994 for a second Olympics, but that meant Kristi getting whacked in 94 by Tonya. Kristi made the right decision to go pro, I'm sure she has privately thought many times "that could've been me !" Instead we'll always have Kerrigan crying: "Why, why, why...?!"
I think wanting to experience professional life and its rewards, and not to have to continue to train so hard. She has been known to say how much she loves to connect with the audience, but sometimes got so stressed out in her competitive years she would ask herself "why do I compete?" but never "why do I skate?"
The salchow has an edge takeoff, and it was one that Kristi really had trouble with. She got rid of it in her during her pro career. Who needed it anyway? She still did two triple lutzes and combos and difficult footwork and spins throughout her pros anyway.
Michelle never cleanly performed a difficult triple triple in competition but her's had better height and covered more ice. Kristi's combo was great but the rest of her olympic program had errors. Michelle's free skate at Nagano should have won gold. Her program had difficult footwork sequences and transitions.Kristi was not as difficult. Michelle won 5 world tittles, 9 national tittles, and 2 olympic medals. she did not compete in 2006 She only competed in 2 full olympic seasons.
now kristi is on Dancing with the stars (with mark) i think they can WIN it all!!! I wish she didnt fell on the triple salchow but yeah it passed a long time. thats weird that she didnt fell for the tripple lutz bcause triple lutz is lik WAY harder!!
@acousticxsoul Michelle performed a clean 3-3 many times in competition. See, e.g., Worlds FP 2000 and 2001. There are many other examples. I agree MK should have won gold in 1998. But Kristi deserved her title, too.
@TheMondrian1 Michelle had a triple-triple, see e,g.,World's FP 2000, 2001, SA 1995, Nationals 1999, 2002 Worlds QR. But why are we talking about Michelle? Love Kristi, love Michelle.
I don't think Arakawa landed a triple-triple in her free skate at the Olympics. I could be wrong. Nonetheless, your point is well made. This program is 16 years old yet would still compete technically with the skaters today.
Yeah, but that meant Kristi getting whacked in 94 by Tonya. Kristi made the right decision to go pro, I'm sure she has privately thought many times "that could've been me !" Instead we'll always have Kerrigan crying: "Why, why, why...?!"
Yes, it was a good skate, with so many flawlessly-executed jumps. But for the person who posted this to say s/he would have given a 6.0 when there was *a major fall* is absurd.
I remember there being a controversy with the British judge. Did she judge the men's event too, cause I remember NBC going up to her and asking her why she judged with such low scores compared to the rest of the judges?
This was after Albertville right? Was this perhaps the last time that the ladies' Olympic Gold medalist actually participated and won the following World Championships?
1992 was an end in an era... endorsements became a bigger deal after 1994 Olympics... especially with the Nancy/Tonya saga... so skaters try to capitalize on that... instead of proving themselves again at the world championships... in fact it wasn't until the eighties that the worlds were held after the Olympics... it was always before the Olympics...
why are you bringing up Michelle Kwan in here? Michelle Kwan was NEVER a competitor of Kristi! She was a competitor of Sarah, Tara and of course, Sasha.
@idolfan9495 MK didn't deserve to win any gold medal. She's an excellent skater, but her programs were technically and/or artistically not there. Kristi is my overall favourite skater. When she's on her game, she's on it. And she can do so much wonderfully in term of the artistic and technical...except those darn Salchows. So if she hadn't had such a strong SP and everyone who could have contended also messed up their LP, she wouldn't have won, or deserved to win in '92. But well...:)
the Quality of Michelle's Skating was 100 times better than Kristi. Michelle edges were smooth and clean. Her Spiral extension was better, her foot work and spins were were stronger as well. and Michelle's jumps were cleaner. and then she was the better artist. Michelle is a better skater than Kristi despite not having a olympic gold medal
Liam Barredo No way! Kwan’s free leg in her layback spin was not as good as Kristi’s. Kristi had more speed and flow and much better positions and her jumps were never telegraphed. Kristi’s seamless. Kwan looks too technical and tentative when it matters most thus, she faltered in both Olympics.
@@carlochapelle9331 agree and Michelle who is amazing didn’t have the triple triple in either of her Olympics. She also opted for an easier lutz entry almost flip style. Herlay back free leg was below average. He spiral was amazing but her speed was often slow and tentative at the Olympics FS.
