Katarina Witt (GER) - 1994 Lillehammer, Figure Skating, Ladies' Free Skate

[musicpalace100]

Depth and Elegance.

[Mikelandscaper]

We need more programs(moments) like this.

[sneeyize45]

I don't care what the judges did, and I don't care about her marks or even mistakes on the jumps. This program still brings tears to my eyes to watch. Because of the beautiful music from Pete Seeger, and her baring her soul to skate this program and she touched more than audience there, Katarina touched so many people across the world with this program (I was in Florida at the time.)

[pelicanus11]

Since the 80's there was a requirement for more triples and Katarina didnt have the technicality to perform them as like Tonya Harding and Midori Ito with their triple Axels

[redredredtoo]

@claireshana I don't know? Always been rumours......who knows the east germans did dope all of their athletes....but the athletes did not know!!!!! They all later sued over health issues.....witt seems in good health

[3Axel1996]

@mexicanafan I haven't re-read the rules from back then but for a Long Program to be considered a balanced program, 4 different types of spins are required, a footwork sequence, moves such as an Ina Bauer or a spiral or spread eagle are needed, no more than 3 jump combinations/sequences... these types of requirements. Missing such elements can lead to mandatory deductions off the technical merit. Sorry for the delayed response.

[MRCHARLIEHAWK]

Grande interprete, ma pessima pattinatrice, anche quando vinse le sue due olimpiadi e questo, fino a prova contraria, deve prima di tutto essere uno sport e non un balletto.Per una perfetta e probabilmente insuperabile sintesi tra le due componenti, andate a guardarvi YuNa Kim

[petulia67]

This is what an olympic performance should be- an artist making a statement about the wotl

[oofahman]

I love her..she can be a snoot sometimes, but she is an amazing skater..the complete package :)

[zackaryswlk]

I think what hurt her technical merit is that she did not do some of the other jumps like the other women..and she only did 2 clean jumps. Allso in the middle of her program she really did not skate a lot. But her artistry was great! I would have gave her a 5.7 for artistry and a 5.5 for technical merit.

[joe11880]

Katarina had no technical content in this program but a 5.7 for artistry was spot on. Katarina Witt and Brian Boitano had no right to come back to Olympic competition. They had nothing else to prove in this sport. It was pure arrogance that brought them back.

[oofahman]

@joe11880 I disagree...I think they knew they had not a real shot at a medal, much less the gold. But they wanted to experience the olympics again, and for that I say "Cheers!" :)

[a5615]

@joe11880 I don't think it was arrogance. i just think Witt wanted to experience the Olympics with her family for the first time. She did compete under the iron curtain.

She had to earn her spot, and she did just that at the Europeans that year.

[Bpockar]

I have to point out that the German judge was Jan Hoffman... former world champion for DDR and coached by Jutta Muller at that time :) he was the teammate of Katarina Witt and the 80 World Champion. It must be weird to judge a person we know very well :)

[jhecht424]

Even though Katarina wasn't "in it to win it" at these games, it's true about how much the sport had changed since Calgary. Doing triple toe loops and triple salchows and posing prettily for the judges wasn't enough anymore...That being said though, the fact that she was given a 5.1 for presentation was a farce, it was a beautiful program.

[jovani2293]

She should have gotten at least two 6.0 for artistry. The judges knew with the technically marks she couldn't even affect the outcome of the medals.

[briwol]

Perhaps the most touching moment in all of sports history; Katarina lent an air of dignity and grace to this olympiad.

[3Axel1996]

@DimaOlerd Actually, the weak double Axel-double toe loop at the very end of Oksana's program counted as the required jump combination needed in the Long Program.

[yellowbanana104]

Though the world knows she cannot medal, I think her scores should have been a lot higher, especially the artistry. The world knows that.

[intldawn]

A 5.1 for artistry is complete nonsense. That judge should be absolutely ashamed.

[libralady1010]

Yes her artistry DID surpass everyone else's. Oksana Baiul-queen of the 2 footed landings; the first of many skinny CHILDREN who were TEENAGERS-some not even old enough to drive yet-to win the Olympics. Witness Tara Lipinski's cringing performance in 1998-all because of a triple loop/triple loop combination and the skating order of the Ladies. Anyone following Bonaly would look like Mona Lisa come to Life.

[grafgirl27]

@libralady1010 Thank goodness the last 2 Olympic winners have been beautiful and mature women who are both athletic and artistic.

[libralady1010]

@grafgirl27 I don't know about anyone else, but I'm sick and tired of watching skinny CHILDREN with no Artistry whatsoever, just hurl themselves in the air and receieve credit for at least " attenpting," to do a difficult jump. This is no longer Figure Skating. It's Skating Jumping. I don't recognize my beloved sport anymore. Thanks to 3Axel1996 for all the past ones he has posted so we know what Figure Skating is supposed to be about. Thanks SO MUCH 3Axel1996 for all the hard work you do! ;-)

[grafgirl27]

@libralady1010 yeah I agree. And even though I am not a fan of her skating or personality Kerrigan was royally robbed here. If not her then Chen. Even Sato was better than Baiul in the LP here. And the sport under the new system has become ridiculous and unwatchable for the most part. 

[libralady1010]

@grafgirl27 Yes I don't care much for her-Kerrigan's- personality but it's what she did on the ice that matters. And you're right: she WAS royally robbed as was Chen.Think the media were so enamored w/Bauil " being an orphan,"-we know now that's not true-don't forget the German judge was Jan Hoffman from the former East Germany. Not to mention that costume of Bauil's was ridiculous. Had nothing to do with the continuity(?) or content of the program. Were those pigeon feathers,what kind of bird?

[grafgirl27]

@libralady1010 and Baiul landed only the same # of clean triples as Tonya Harding (3) and still got a 5.9 and nearly all 5.8s for tech. merit. The referee based it on spins, footwork, and spirals. Really? No combo spin, no layback, no scratch, a weak death drop. No footwork sequence and a 2 very quick spirals. Talk about an emperor with no clothes.

And Baiul's costume was for sure ridiculous. As for fitting the continuity of the program, it wasnt like her program had much to begin with.

[aphroditewitch]

Katarina had the best free skate costume in 1994. She was underscored here, her artisry surpassed the rest of the field.

[barkingtree88]

Judge that gave her a 4.8 and a 5.1 gave Oksana Baiul a 5.9 for technical merit.... I just don't understand.

[3Axel1996]

@barkingtree88 Good ol' former Ukrainian judge (he now judges for Israel) Alfred Korachek, who would later get suspended in 1999 by the ISU for his involvement with the Russian judge in the footsie scandal during the pairs event at Worlds. With Katarina, he was too honest (she really only landed 2 clean triples and they were toe loops), but he showed way too much National bias with Oksana (he should have been suspended after these Games for that).

[TheCopper05]

@3Axel1996 This was the same judge who gave Nancy Kerrigan her marks, which were not good enough to win the Gold Medal.

[sneeyize45]

@barkingtree88 I still don't understand. This is the most moving program I've ever seen in figure skating.