Vanessa James and Eric Radford sat in the virtually empty TD Place Arena stands on Saturday, watching as their rivals competed in the pairs free skate at the Canadian figure skating championships.
A day later, James and Radford found themselves having to defend their berth on CanadaB次元官网网址檚 team for the Beijing Olympics.
The veteran skaters, who contracted COVID-19 just before Christmas, were awarded one of the two berths in pairs on Sunday, despite withdrawing from the championships in Ottawa after the short program. The decision drew the ire of some skating fans.
B次元官网网址淭he criteria was stated at the beginning of the season. And so, from the beginning until now, we all have the same opportunities to perform and score, and Vanessa and I posted the highest short and free program scores internationally, we had the highest placements,B次元官网网址� Radford said. B次元官网网址淪port is about what you do on the field of play within the set requirements for the season.B次元官网网址�
James and Radford, who teamed up last spring, pulled out of the competition Saturday after their fourth-place finish in FridayB次元官网网址檚 short program. They said they werenB次元官网网址檛 fully recovered to perform at their best.
B次元官网网址淲e think we made the best decision for us, so that we can be the best in a month when itB次元官网网址檚 the most important,B次元官网网址� Radford said Sunday.
The Canadian championships are part B次元官网网址� but not all B次元官网网址攐f Skate CanadaB次元官网网址檚 Olympic qualifying criteria.
The selection criteria, written before the season started, also includes scores and results from international events this season, the placement at last yearB次元官网网址檚 world championships, and the potential for the best finish in Beijing based on the whole season.
B次元官网网址淯nfortunately, with all sports, in an Olympic year when you have a national championship, a lot of people assume that is the end-all and be-all in the final determining factor,B次元官网网址� said Mike Slipchuk, Skate CanadaB次元官网网址檚 high-performance director. B次元官网网址淎 national championship is always important and itB次元官网网址檚 important for athletes to be a national champion, to be a medallist. But when we did the assessment with our committee, we looked at all those factors B次元官网网址� and not one is weighted higher than the other.
B次元官网网址淚f you look at the international season, Vanessa and Eric out of all our pairs teams had the strongest scores. Unfortunately, with a situation largely out of oneB次元官网网址檚 control, with Omicron and COVID, they just werenB次元官网网址檛 able to complete the event. But we look at the body of work of all athletes and we want to make the best assessment for the strongest team we feel has the best ability for us at the Games.B次元官网网址�
The rest of the Canadian team selection was more cut and dried. Kirsten Moore-Towers and Michael Marinaro secured the other berth with their excellent skates in both the short and long programs that earned them gold.
B次元官网网址淥bviously with the climate of the world right now these Games will be extremely different B次元官网网址� I just heard Paul (Poirier) say itB次元官网网址檚 different to not be able to hug your teammates and show them how excited you are for them. But itB次元官网网址檚 been a nice day for us and weB次元官网网址檙e super proud and excited.B次元官网网址�
Keegan Messing and Roman Sadovsky are CanadaB次元官网网址檚 menB次元官网网址檚 singles entries and Madeline Schizas earned the one berth in womenB次元官网网址檚 singles.
B次元官网网址淕oing to the Olympic Winter Games is just such a dream,B次元官网网址� Schizas said. B次元官网网址淚 watched the 2010 Games in Vancouver. I watched Joannie Rochette there and since then itB次元官网网址檚 just been such a dream of mine.B次元官网网址�
World bronze medallists Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier were a lock for an ice dance berth, while SaturdayB次元官网网址檚 silver medallists Laurence Fournier Beaudry and Nikolaj Sorensen, and bronze medallists Marjorie Lajoie and Zachary Lagha filled out the three spots.
When it came to the contentious pairs berths, some skating fans argued that silver medallists Evelyn Walsh and Trennt Michaud were robbed.
Meagan Duhamel, who won two world titles with Radford, tweeted, with a broken heart emoji: B次元官网网址淚 am disappointed in my sport today.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淭he Canadian pairs all sucked all season,B次元官网网址� Duhamel told The Canadian Press. B次元官网网址淭he only teams to do a strong short and strong long in the same competition is Evelyn and Trent and Kirsten and Mike at Canadians. And since no (pairs) team is a medal contender, we donB次元官网网址檛 need to pick based on potential.B次元官网网址�
Radford, who won Olympic bronze with Duhamel in 2018 and gold in the team event, came out of retirement at age 36 to compete with James. The 34-year-old James is a Toronto native but competed for France, winning world bronze in 2018 with Morgan Cipres.
B次元官网网址�(The season) has been up and down, but itB次元官网网址檚 always been progressive, weB次元官网网址檝e showed improvement, our scores have been consistently quite high for Canadian skating, and we are still looking forward to reaching higher points and levels and positions in our skating, comparing ourselves to the best in the world,B次元官网网址� James said.
B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e saddened that we couldnB次元官网网址檛 compete at this competition B次元官网网址� we wanted to show up and try our best, show sportsmanship and give it our all, and it just didnB次元官网网址檛 happen for us for the short program. It just solidified the fact that we are not prepared to do a great program that we need to show before going into the Olympics.B次元官网网址�
The number of berths allotted to each country in each of the four disciplines depends on placings at the world championships the previous year.
COVID-19 has cast a pall over the Games less than a month before they open, with athletes such as Canadian menB次元官网网址檚 skaters Nam Nguyen and Stephen Gogolev contracting the virus recently.
Gilles and Poirier, who have their sights set on climbing the podium in Beijing, said theyB次元官网网址檙e focusing on their skating preparation rather than fixating on the virus threat.
B次元官网网址淵ou can just get wrapped up in it, so we just choose to be positive, this is a very exciting time for so many people,B次元官网网址� Gilles said. B次元官网网址淚 think this is something that people really need in a time like this. We need to show the world that we can move forward and celebrate things that we love to do. So, we need to be positive about in all the things that weB次元官网网址檙e going into, and itB次元官网网址檚 going to be something to celebrate, not look at the negative.B次元官网网址�
Radford said while being in quarantine for 10 days leading into the national championships was frustrating, heB次元官网网址檚 thankful the chance of catching COVID-19 wonB次元官网网址檛 constantly be on his mind.
B次元官网网址淚t simultaneously was a really annoying and bad thing to happen because it didnB次元官网网址檛 allow us to prepare for this competition, but now compared to athletes that havenB次元官网网址檛 gotten it yet, we can be a little bit more at ease,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檒l be very vigilant still. But I can tell you, from talking to other athletes (who havenB次元官网网址檛 had the virus), I know IB次元官网网址檓 more relaxed than they are at this point.
B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e both feeling a small sense of relief that weB次元官网网址檝e got that over with, and now we have a little bit more of a clearer and less stressful path as we train for Beijing.B次元官网网址�
The Olympic figure skating competition begins Feb. 4 with the team event at the Capitol Indoor Stadium.
B次元官网网址擫ori Ewing, The Canadian Press
