2014 Olympic Figure Skating: Preview and Predictions for Pairs Free Skate
Figure skating has always been one of the most popular sports of the Winter Games. The beauty, grace and athleticism draw the widest audience of all of the sports, and the drama that this event brings is unparalleled.
Unlike ice dancing, pairs skating involves extreme technical precision as well as artistry, as many of the moves are extremely dangerous and include throw jumps, spirals and overhead lifts.
With the daring stunts, stunning theatrics and intense competition, the pairs free skate is an event not to be missed. All it takes is a single misstep for Olympic dreams and years of hard work to go up in smoke.
The pairs will take to the ice in the free skate competition to decide who carves a place in Olympic history.
Schedule, TV and Live Stream Info
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Pairs Free Skating Viewing Info
Date: Feb. 12
How Did We Get Here?
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The short program on Tuesday morning gave a preview of what to expect in the free skate on Wednesday morning. The highly regarded pair of Tatiana Volosozhar and Maxim Trankov from Russia continued their impressive streak with a flawless performance, earning a score of 84.17 and cementing themselves as the pair to beat in the free skate.
For Germany, Aliona Savchenko and Robin Szolkowy stamped themselves as serious competitors with an impeccable round, finishing with a score of 79.64 with a Pink Panther-inspired performance.
Going into the free skate, here are the top five:
- Tatiana Volosozhar and Maxim Trankov (RUS)
- Aliona Savchenko and Robin Szolkowy (GER)
- Ksenia Stolbova and Fedor Klimov (RUS)
- Qing Pang and Jian Tong (CHN)
- Meagan Duhamel and Eric Radford (CAN)
Top Storylines
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Can Team USA land on the podium?
The United States has been in a drought in the pairs division and has not earned an Olympic medal since 1988. While the competition may be incredibly fierce, Simon Shnapir and Marissa Castelli, the skaters representing Team USA, are talented enough to move up from ninth and sneak onto the medal stand if they can land the quadruple Salchow throw.
Can Russia rebound after a disappointing trip to Vancouver?
After failing to medal in the pairs division at the 2010 Vancouver Games, the Russian skaters are back with a vengeance. Prior to that, Russia or the Soviet Union had topped the podium in every single pairs event at the Olympics since 1964. With the stunning defeat in 2010 behind them, they look to regain dominance.
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Athletes to Watch
4 of 6Tatiana Volosozhar and Maxim Trankov
The reigning world champions from Russia look poised to take Sochi by storm. After contributing to a gold medal win in the team competition, the pair has been sharp and will try to make amends for a crushing seventh-place finish at the Vancouver Games. The veteran pair are a decorated duo and will try to add Olympic hardware to their trophy case.
Aliona Savchenko and Robin Szolkowy
No strangers to the Olympic podium, the pair from Germany earned a bronze at the Vancouver Games. In 2010, they were poised to deliver on their world champion reputation, but they faltered in the free skate when Szolkowy fell on their side-by-side double axle. It was an error that surely has been played in his mind continuously since that event.
Pang Qing and Tong Jian
After taking home the silver medal in the pairs division for China in Vancouver, the pair has been off to a strong start and look to be a strong contender for a perennial powerhouse nation. The pair are a couple off the ice as well, and celebrated their engagement in 2011.
Who Are the Sleepers?
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Marissa Castelli and Simon Shnapir
They will need the performance of a lifetime to have any hope of landing a spot on the podium against some of the most talented rivals in recent memory. The pair have been partnered for eight years, and while they are underdogs against world-class competition, they are the best Team USA has to offer and could pull a major upset.
Ksenia Stolbova and Fedor Klimov
Though their higher profile teammates dominated the short program in the team division, it was this dynamic duo that turned in a stunning performance in the free skate. If they can duplicate that powerhouse performance, the competition for the gold may be between the two Russian pairs.
Complete Medal Predictions
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The competition is so intense heading into the the pairs free skate that there is no room for error among the top contenders. Legacies will be made or lost as these pairs thrill the crowds with their precision, artistry and athleticism.
Predictions
Gold: Tatiana Volosozhar and Maxim Trankov, Russia
Silver: Aliona Savchenko and Robin Szolkowy, Germany
Bronze: Pang Qing and Tong Jian, China
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