Olympic Figure Skating Results 2022: Women's Short Program Scorers, Highlights
The Russian Olympic Committee overtook the United States for first place in the figure skating team event thanks to a first-place showing by Kamila Valieva in the women's short program.
Valieva earned a score of 90.18, putting her a wide distance ahead of Japan's Wakaba Higuchi.
Women's Short Program Results
Team Figure Skating Standings
The women's event represented the halfway point of the team competition. With 28 points, the United States maintained a two-point edge on the Russian Olympic Committee. Winter Games host China was in third with 21 points.
Considering Valieva was on tap to compete for the Russian Olympic Committee, the odds of the U.S. staying in first place weren't good.
The 15-year-old is the reigning European champion and already holds the world records in the short program, free skate and overall score. She's the heavy favorite to win gold in the women's individual event.
While she has met every challenge laid before her so far, the pressure of the Winter Olympics is unlike anything else.
Valieva rose to the occasion in the short program, delivering a routine that met the lofty expectations before her. She opened with a Triple Axel that earned her 11.31 points, and her big element was a triple lutz and a triple toeloop that added 13.30 points.
Karen Chen, the second-to-last skater to perform, left the door wide open for Valieva after she fell on an attempted triple loop.
Chen earned an overall score of 65.20, which put her in fourth place at the time.
The men's free skate will be the next stage in the team competition.
Nathan Chen catapulted the U.S. into first with a score of 111.71 in the short program, but the spotlight will be on Vincent Zhou in the free skate.
For Karen Chen, her disappointing performance could serve as motivation when she turns her focus toward the individual competition.
The gold medal there is shaping up to be Valieva's to lose, though.
