By Sara Kaplow (March 6, 2002)

Figure skating is a sport that is largely ignored outside of the Olympics, but every four years it steps in and takes the stage at the winter games. This year was no exception; between judging scandals, double gold medals, and incredible upsets, the sport once again flew into the spotlight for the sport’s biggest moment.

As a longtime figure skater myself, I was thrilled to be in the possession of tickets to the ladies’ long program, the event that decides the gold medal for women’s figure skating. It is worth a two thirds of the entire competition, meaning that anyone who is in the top three after the short program has a chance to win the gold by winning the long program. And, as this year proved, you don’t really have to be in the top three.

The results from the short program, or the technical program as it is sometimes called because there are certain technical elements that are required, were just what people expected. America’s sweetheart, Michelle Kwan, was in the top position, coming in barely ahead of Russia’s Irina Slutskya. In third was up-and-coming 17 year old Sasha Cohen, followed by Sarah Hughes, a 16 year old from New York. Due to the huge amounts of competition during the first program, the long program looked like it was going to be incredibly suspenseful, and the ladies did not disappoint.

My sister and I arrived at the arena on time, and therefore got to see some of the lesser known skaters, skaters that did not really stand a chance for a medal. It was nice to see these skaters because even though they weren’t in competition for the gold medal, performing at the Olympics had to be a thrill, and an honor. The final group was reserved for the girls lucky enough to be in the top six spots going into the long program, the Michelle Kwans of the world. 

Finally the last group was about to skate, and things were getting really tense. Sarah Hughes skated second, and by now most people should know the results of this spectacular performance. She was fourth going into the final night, but she pulled off a stunning performance, landing two triple-triples (something that no other lady did that night, and I believe had ever done before in the Olympics). Sasha Cohen skated directly after her, and fell while attempting a triple-triple combination. 

The audience was disappointed for Sasha, but Michelle Kwan had yet to skate, and that is who they really wanted to win. Again, the result of this competition is known now, and she fell while attempting a jump, as well as committed a few minor errors that made the program less smooth. Her disappointing performance left the door open for Irina Slutskya who is known for amazingly high jumps and for completing lots of rotations in combination. Slutskya’s performance, while almost perfect technically except for a bobble on a triple jump, lacked the passion and artistry of Sarah Hughes’s program, and of course lacked the two triple combinations. 

Before anyone knew it (literally- they did not show us the ordinal marks, the 1s and 2s that can be the tie breaker in situations such as these), Sarah Hughes appeared on the monitor from backstage, hugging her coach, crying, screaming, and falling on the floor. That’s when I turned to my sister. "Did she just win?" I asked, incredulously. It seemed that she had, an amazing feat, and while I was disappointed and felt horribly for Michelle Kwan, the fact that someone my age (actually, I think she’s about a month younger than I am) had just won the Olympic gold medal. 

Irina Slutskya finished second above Michelle Kwan, the second time that both of them had lost to someone 16 years old or younger (Tara Lipinski won the gold over Kwan in 1998 in Nagano, much to the shock of the world). Sasha Cohen finished fourth, respectable considering she had only competed in two international events before. The remarkable thing about the turnout of this event was that it was fair. Unlike the pairs event the previous week, the person who skated better on that particular night, won the gold. The judges didn’t give it to the person who was probably a better skater overall, they gave it to the person who had previously been cast aside both in the U.S. Figure Skating Championships, and in world events, but who turned out the performance of her young life. 

To be in the Delta Center that night is something I will tell my children about in years to come, and certainly never forget. My heart broke for Michelle Kwan, as did the hearts of most Americans in the rink that night. But seeing a system that had so recently been revealed to be corrupt have the right outcome was incredible, for me personally, and for the sport that I love. The pairs event early in the Olympics was a mess, but this seemed to show the world that the sport would be OK after all.