Kamila Valieva Is in First Place After the Brief Program

“I don’t know what I anticipated, however I imagined it could be someway totally different,” she mentioned. “After I fell off the axel bounce, the remaining I did simply.”

After her efficiency, Trusova sat stone-faced and frozen within the space the place skaters wait for his or her scores, as if it hadn’t even registered that she may rating 74.60 factors and sit simply off the medals stand as the ladies go into the free skate.

Shcherbakova, the reigning world champion, didn’t wish to discuss medals, saying, “It’s early to talk about the medals. It’s too early for the medals.” However she is in place, actually, to win one after touchdown her double axel and three triple jumps, and checking off ability after ability with dedication.

“I noticed how essential this skate was and I attempted to concentrate to each element,” she mentioned.

When requested about Valieva and the doping state of affairs, Shcherbakova mentioned she wouldn’t touch upon it. Valieva didn’t make herself obtainable to reporters, both, strolling previous them after which skipping the information convention after the occasion.

Sakamoto admitted that there have been occasions when she puzzled what was going to occur with the Valieva affair, however as with most skaters right here she wanted to attempt to block it out if she was going to skate her finest.

“I’m probably not specializing in these issues,” she mentioned. “I must deal with me, on my recreation.”

Due to Valieva, a medal ceremony for the ladies’s occasion could not even happen.

If Valieva goes on to win or place within the high three on this occasion, there will likely be no medal ceremony for any of the medalists — not even a ceremony the place they’re awarded stuffed Olympic panda mascots — as a result of her doping case stays below investigation. Already, medals for the workforce occasion Russia received final week, when it beat america and Japan, are on maintain till her case is resolved.