soooo glad tara won! Kwan was ALWAYS overrated!! used to root for her to fall everytime! Funny how she was always touted as the best...don't see any olympic gold medals on the bitch's wall, do ya??
Whether you like Kwan or Michelle, you don't become Olympic champion without talent, hard-work, perseverance and maybe a little bit of luck. Yes, Kwan's legacy did not end with Gold but the Olympic long program is only 1 day. You cannot help how things turn out.
I remember being 4 and a half years old watching this on live television in my old living room, 15 years ago, and being so amazed. Now, at 18 years old, I still cry when I see this.
Tara, clearly was a better skater than Sasha, And she had more energy that I've seen through her.. Sasha may have the visual beauty and the soaring spirals. But Tara has genuine emotions as if she clearly was no actress Michelle Kwan, is more a reserved skater, but that doesn't mean she's a bad person at heart. I also might think it is more due to her upbringing. Michelle's father as shown here, is very much reserved as well. Do you see my point?
I was in 3rd grade......8 years old....and Tara was the first girl I had ever had a crush on, i remember saving all the newspaper sports pages and hanging them up on my wall....I was so obsessed I even went to see her for stars on ice at the Palace of Auburn Hills.....lol my mom took me and I made her promise not to tell any of my friends that I went to see a figure skating event
One thing I don't understand about Tara, is that if she was so good as she shows here, and was one of the favorites coming in, why did she never do anything after this? I mean that kind of talent can't just disappear can it?
@blackhorse099 She did a lot of shows after this, but her mom and dad had been living apart so she could train far away, and she didn't want to keep them apart forever. Also, she had to get hip surgery and that took her out of skating for a while.
Great performance by Tara, but I remember being a young kid watching this and screaming with frustration! I was SO upset! Michelle was and always will be my favorite figure skater.
@xx86Tutorialsxx I remember being so upset too! For this performance, I did think that Tara was technically a smidge better. However, I still think that you can't match the artistry of Michelle Kwan.
@johny258 You're the one that seem "obsessed" with Michelle Kwan... You're always talking about her and throwing around lame and juvenile statements. You even talk about her on other skater's videos! Get over it and grow up!
The only reason I didnt like her winning this game is because she disappeared from amateur skating. Yes, I am happy for her, earning money on tours and so on but I would love to see her growing on ice and competing. And maybe competing in OG 2002. She is an angel, It would be spectacular.
@Astra253 Agree. It was very problematic for her too, because at the age of 15 she started doing shows and tours with much older figure skaters. She was too young then and hmm sorry, she was only a young girl, even if she won the Olympics. Katharine Witt is always a good example for me, she could have retired after 1984 but she didn't want to, and then she won the gold again in 1988.
@lilic1 true but Tara was keeping her parents apart with her skating, had won all there is to win and wanted others to get a chance at it, and if you think about it she was around 3 seasons, all successful in there own way, and she did have a hip injury that was bugging her.
On my phone this comes out tiny and with lousy quality, but just about the instant she started her program, her enthusiasm, her love of skating, and her joy of being where she was just screamed out at me. For any art, that's so important, for them to love what they're doing. Sometimes it can make all the difference in the world. (Nothing against anyone else, I haven't seen them yet, I just mean in general.) This is absolutely amazing, and I hope I can dance as enthusiastically as Tara skates
SHE LOOKED TOO YOUNG AND EVEN LITTLE FRAGILE BUT SHE WAS TOUGH AND SKATED CONSERVATIVELY ONLY TO LET HERSELF GO IN THE MIDDLE HALF AND GOT BETTER AND BETTER AS TIMES WENT BY.
I am a big, BIG Michelle Kwan fan, but even I think Tara deserved to win. And I hate it when other Kwan fans say mean things about Tara, like calling her brat and all. It's not fair! Show some good sportsmanship! Michelle was happy for Tara and you should be too. Well done Tara, I think you deserved to win.
@lowdaisy1 You know what sucks? We used to have amazing figure skaters like Michelle and Tara where people actually CARED who won and still care and debate 14 years later. Nobody will be talking about the current girls 14 years from now. This sport has fallen. Whether you prefer Michelle or Tara, I'd take either of them over the current crop. (This is just referring to the American girls. I think Kim Yuna is amazing too.)
Although I am a Kwan fan (even having to hear bogus bullshit from others), This program skated by Tara was just amazing. No other word for it. I can only imagine how many more titles she could have won had she stayed an amateur. But I think she did the right thing and bailed out while she was ahead and went pro. :)
I hate that everyone always attacks Tara. I am a big fan of Michelle's and of Tara's and I'm glad to finally see some support for Tara. While I agree with arguments for both sides, I definitely think Tara won that OGM, hands down, without a doubt. Michelle, as always had amazing artistry and beautiful technique but Tara's Triple Toe, Half Loop, Triple Sal was perfection and had outstanding difficulty. She nailed a harder routine. It's just not an argument.
This gives me chills every time I watch it. She is so gorgeous and gracefull. The look on her face when she found out she won and what she felt must have made up for every tear, injury, and obstacle. I wish that I could be a quarter as talented as she is. Her tripple loop, tripple look combo is unbelievable, and at the end, with very little speed, her tripple toe loop, half loop, tripple salchow is breathtaking. This is an Olympic performance.
Tara was really great here... I wish Getreal and others could appreciate Tara without bashing Kwan (especially since they complain about "kwanatics). Talk about hypocrisy!!!
@romaniaforever She did not "fall out" of the final jump sequence. She completed the final jump and landed it cleanly. She deserved the gold that she got after this remarkable performance.
@HowsaBowsaYowsa You are right...Tara not only didn't fall out but there was a video with Scott Hamilton regarding that last sequence. Tara had NO speed and pulled it off on as Scott said 'drop dead legs'...she absolutely deserved the Gold Medal...she was up against phenomenal odds....in fact sports writers had to rush to change the already written headline from "Kwan to Lipinski" as the Gold Medalist for the 1998 Olympics:)-:)
@romaniaforever Emotion? Tara skated with joy, energy, smiles, and just plain enthusiasm. What do you mean when you say that emotion should count for something? Compared to the stale, boring, cautious, stiff Kwan? Tara was full of emotion and it was a pure delight to see.
Although she flutzed the lutzes, her triple triple combinations here stand the test of time--- the landings were clean and FULLY rotated. She didn't cheat the take offs or landings at all.
OK TEC SHE IS PERFECT WHERE IS HER POISE HER CHARACTER HER FEELING HER EMOTION IN HER PREFORMANCE. ANY SKATER CAN BE TECH PERFECT BUT TO FEEL HOW THEY PREFOREM IS DIFFERENT THE LITTTLE BITCH NEED POISE CHARACTER FEELING AND EMOTION
i see alot of sasha comments. i grew up with the nancys tonyas scott hamiltons and kristis i remember michelle and tara very little. more of michelle kwan tho...but WHO DA HELL IS THIS SASHA character?!
@alonzolerone Only the most gifted skater to ever grace the ice. That's who. I know this is Tara's video, but Sasha pushed the limits of this sport even more than Tara.
@HowsaBowsaYowsa LOL! The only thing that Sasha pushed was her butt off of the ice. Tara and Michelle were superior to Sasha. Sasha couldn't even win a World title or skate a clean LP at the Olympics (she never had a clean 7 triple performance at any major).
Kwan was still crying when her scores were posted. Her coach, Frank Carroll, saw the technical marks first, all 5.7s and 5.8s, and his face tightened. Even when all the marks for presentation came up 5.9s, Carroll's face said what was in his head. There was room there for someone else, for a 4-foot-10 15-year-old named Tara Lipinski who does triple jumps without breathing hard.
February 21, 1998|By Diane Pucin, INQUIRER STAFF WRITER
This has to be one of the last times that a US lady really pushed the technical envelope in the sport. Tara skated with speed and daring. Those are timeless qualities. She more than deserved this win.
@LDVTennis Absolutely. I also have to add Sarah bc she also worked on very difficult edge-edge triple-triples and pulled them off beautifully in SLC. And in a way Sasha as well. Jumps may not have been landed all the time but she did attempt difficult triple-triples and pushed the envelope on spins and flexibility. All in all, Tara, Sarah, and Sasha were true athletes and are true credits to American figure skating.
@allenglandlawns But Sarah's jumps were cheated (her tripe-triples and lutzes were mostly always cheated). Tara's 3L-3L and 3T-half-3S were good (if very small), but her luzes were ALWAYS cheated and her jumps were very small (I hated her double axel). Tara did deserve the OGM here (Kwan didn't skate her best like she did at Nationals). LOL! Sasha? One of the WORST jumpers and competitors in the history of this sport. Michelle Kwan at her best was superior than all of them.
@Karosanyo They had the courage to attempt and pull them off. Kwan never could even try them in her wildest dreams. Yes Sasha. Full of integrity and earned whatever she could without breaks. She paid for her mistakes and didn't step on anyone else's dream. She pushed the sport with her athletic talents: beautiful spins and flexibility. But this is Tara's moment here...a true champion and athlete who EARNED this win.
@allenglandlawns Yes, Tara attempted and pulled them off (she knew that she couldn't beat Kwan with her artistry). A 7 triple 3T-3T performance by Michelle beats Tara anyday.... Michelle had better techinque with her jumps (they were better and higher). Her lines and edging were better as well (her spirals and spins). Her artistry was also vastly superior. She didn't skate the same program all of the time like Tara. She was versatile.
@allenglandlawns There is NO WAY that Sasha "earned" her silver at the Olympics and Worlds. Did she ever even skate a clean 6 triple performance at Worlds? She WAS propped up. Kwan EARNED ALL OF HER titles at Worlds. She WAS undermarked at the 2000-2001, 2002, 2004 Worlds (she should have won the LP in 02). Hell, even the Brits stated that Kwan was undermarked.... Actually, Kwan's COE spiral impressed me more than anything that Sasha ever did (her charlotte was more difficult as well).
@HowsaBowsaYowsa Kwan's jumps were stronger than Sasha's in the long program (she did a 3z-2l and she landed 3 more triples latter on in her program).
There IS NO WAY that Sarah would have won if Michelle or Irina skated clean. Sarah had cheated jumps and very poor posture. Yes, Tara earned the OGM, but Kwan is still a better skater. Michelle Kwan has integrity. She didn't step on anyones's dream.
When I see Tara skate...I see a cute and lively "trickster" When I see Michelle skate,I see Soulfull maturity and great elegance(with technical difficulty as well) Im sorry ....she got robbed of the Gold......Not the first time his has happened....Nancy Kerrigan and Oksana B.!
It isnt ALL about jump difficulty,,,it is about TOTAL package...presentation and maturity......I believe Michelle should have won.. I also believe it was the skating order that determined the win..... It was close though!
I just wish that I could find the Euro Sport video of Michelle's free skate...the one where they said that Michelle skated with a maturity that surely Lipinski can't match...they said...it's not there yet (meaning the Gold around the neck of Kwan).....oh, how I hope Kwan was lapping all of it up and bending her neck in an ever so gracious position... Kwan is such a phony and Thank God for the Olympic Judges..they did all they could to help Kwan but then came TARA!
THIS GIRL is why I worked my butt off for 13 years as a figure skater. She truly has it all. And even in todays skating world she would be a legend. Timeless and flawless.
when this olympics was airing i was 8 years old and i was also a very competitive ice skater as well. i liked tara i wouldn't say i looked up to her (scott hamiilton was my idol) of course if she did this routine NOW it probably won't be good enough for first place.. but it was an overall pretty amazing routine back then..she smiled throughout the whole routine, didn't let any pressure get to her.. jumps were really clean. i hated the fact she went pro after this.. thats why i hate her now. :)
@anubethc45 Kwan actually shocked Lipinski when Kwan took the microphone, looked at Lipinski, and said, "I like you." Lipinski was shocked becasue she apparently couldn't imagine liking the competition.
@JNagarya Horse Manure!!!!! Kwan has no class, no courtesy, no grace...look at her wrinkle her nose at her marks in SLC...think Torino...she is just someone who hung around forever being held up, pampered, handed titles and medals.....Tara is the best and a lovely honest young woman who slammed Kwan out of the ball park...Kwan was SHOCKED that she was not just handed Olympic Gold..I read how the sports writers had to change the headlines from Kwan to Lipinski as Olympic Champion!
have you noticed...??? the last 4 ladies olympic champions wore blue-blueish costume!!! ok, sarah's was a kind of lavender, but still a bit blue in it;)
have you noticed? the last 4 womens olympic winners -(tara, sarah, shizuka, kim) - wore blue-blueish costume!!!! ok, sarah's was kind of lavender, but still a bit blue, no?;)
@12crayons haha! i remember watching a korean show where they stated that and asked if yuna knew about it and she said yes and thankfully the color matched her gershwin piece so she got a blue outfit.
Every red-blooded skater in the business wants to win the OGM. Kwan was ALL about winning the gold. Why else would she hang around forever and why else would she cheat Emily out of the Olympics if the gold wasn't important? Tara and Sarah wanted the Gold too but they skated like true champions when it counted and completely deserved their golds over Kwan by a mile.
@anubethc45 Heh heh heh,...Tara is the Olympic Gold Medalist for 1998. SHE brought it home for the USA and our National Anthem was played because SHE won Olympic Gold!!!! Michelle...safe, simple, silver.
Michelle had all of the advantages going into this olympics. Most notably the favor of the judges/bias of the judges. It was her gold to lose. And she flat out lost it with a nice but rather mediocre performance. Like the saying goes "seize the day" which she didn't seize.
After winning both the world's and U.S. championships, she came to Japan expecting a coronation. After taking the lead in the short program, Kwan skated a safe, conservative program that implied the gold medal was a foregone conclusion. Her scores were just good enough until Lipinski dazzled the judges and spectators with everything Kwan lacked: risk, energy, and, most of all, joy.
Michelle Kwan: America's biggest loser. - By Will Leitch
@getrealandsee AKA Allenglandlawns, I see you keep posting articles but I have yet to see one in which Michelle called Tanya her here after the attack on Nancy...you said it exists so please prove it. Or did you lie AGAIN??????????
@getrealandsee AKA Allenglandlawns... Where are all of the articles about your favorite skater, Sasha Cohen? There has got to be one article about Sasha losing the world title to Kimmie Meissner! Will you post the articles about Sasha's ability to skate cleanly in major championships? I missed those and would love to read them!
This comment has received too many negative votesshow
Tara should have lost simply because she FLUTZED both of her lutzes. How on earth did they give her 5.9 for artistry is beyond me. This is perhaps one of the saddest days in figure skating
@Greatass4 Ah contraire...this is one of the ABSOLUTE BEST days in figure skating history. The right person won the Olympic Gold Medal for the USA!! Michelle, safe, simple, timid, and silver. Tara blew her out of the water and her artistry was just as good as Michelle's...Tara didn't come in thinking that she had the gold bagged..she studied tapes and made changes and it paid off for her and our country. Tara transformed the sport!! Truly a night to remember forever and always. Thanks, Tara-)
@Greatass4 Oh please, Michelle flutzed too...most of her career...she was always criticized for that (except by American commentators of course)....her jumps never had much height nor did she hardly ever attempt hard combinations
@stefan7171 Absolutely right! Tara pushed this sport by going after those difficult jumps. She is/was/will always be a true champion and America's golden girl in 1998.
@Greatass4 Flutz, schmutz. Katarina didn't even do 3 lutz in 84 or 88; some say Kristi flutzed in 92; Oksana's lutz was good, but she badly two-footed her flip in her LP in 94; Sarah flutzed in 02; Shizuka lipped in 06; Yu-na had a real lutz, but a questionable flip and NO loop...
It's not about one or two jumps, and never was. Under 6.0, there was no mandatory deduction for wrong edge take offs in the LP.
I'd take Tara's LP over many of the others I listed any day of the week.
@iceroby72 Yes, Kwan flutzed sometimes, but at least I have seen true lutzes from her as well. I can't say the same about Tara... At least Michelle's lutzes weren't as awkward looking as well.
@Karosanyo I kind of think it varies for Michelle. She most often flattens her blade right before take off and it's hard to tell if it's either a lutz OR flip from there. I really really like Butyrskaya's lutz edge take-off the best :)
@getrealandsee@allenglandlawns You really detract from the brilliance of Tara's and Sarah's respective performances by continuing to bash Kwan at every chance you get. They won, fair and square. Kwan just didn't cut it on those two nights. That's all that needs to be said.
I'm a huge fan of Michelle Kwan but have to give credit where credit is due. This time around Tara really did deserve the top spot. Having noted that, Kwan's best performances had a mature beauty, style and range of emotion that comes with time.
Considering the day and age, Tara totally won. Michelle was good (better edging, flow, overall technique) but Tara more than made up for it with her much more difficult combo jumps, speed, and very good artistry. This isn't the 70's when school figures were important. This is an athletic, jumping, free skate contest and Tara helped push the sport in that direction. She is the precursor to the athletes today attempting more and more difficult jumps.
I've watched a lot of olympic skating performances many times over. I'm not as familiar with the specifics of U.S. and World Championships, so you could be right about Kwan in these regards, but I will tell you this. I think in '02, they tried TOO hard to show that it was NOT predetermined. By which I mean they found indefensible ways to put Slutskaya over Kwan in the long program, because this was necessary in order to give the gold to Sarah Hughes for the best long program.
This article details the 'Heart of Lipinski's Triumph' as well as the efforts to give Kwan the gold. TARA beat the sequins off Kwan despite the judges best efforts and against phenomenal odds...oh, the sweet victory!!!!
Thank you for posting this performance! This is one of my all time favorite Olympic programs and wins! Tara brings an infectious joy to her skating and to the audience that's watching her. The speed, difficulty and maturity is what made this program special and is ultimately what won her the gold. She interpreted the uplifting, joyous music beautiful and that's why she got such high marks on the artistic judging.
The right skater won that night. Outstanding performance! One I'll never forget.
Thank you for posting this performance! This is one of my all time favorite Olympic programs and wins! Tara brings an infectious joy to her skating and to the audience that's watching her. The speed, difficulty and maturity is what made this program special and is ultimately what won her the gold. She interpreted the uplifting, joyous music beautiful and that's why she got such high marks on the artistic judging.
The right skater won that night. Outstanding performance! One I'll never forget.
tara OUTJUMPED michelle.. michelle OUT SKATED tara with no comparison. its called ICE SKATING not ice jumping. THE JUDGES should personally apologize to michelle. to this day tara cant "outskate" michelle... tara iceskates like a roller skater.
@mudhead24 LOL are you SERIOUS?? Tara skates rings around Michelle (oooooh, I am in the lead and not about to take any chances even if I shouldn't be in the lead I am, and I don't have to do anything but grin and be Michelle Kwan and I will be given the olympic gold medal) Kwan...Tara blew Kwan the Kareful right out of the water and not for the 1st time either!
@mudhead24 Tara was a Primary Junior National Champion at Roller Skating as well and is in the Roller Skating Hall Of Fame ans has won every major competition in figure skating at least once.
@mudhead24 Tara was a Primary Junior National Champion at Roller Skating as well and is in the Roller Skating Hall Of Fame ans has won every major competition in figure skating at least once.Unlike Sarah Hughes who also beat Michelle at the Olympics Tara owns a Triple Crown 2 Grand Prix Titles and a Pro Championship Title.
@mudhead24 I'm willing to bet a classy lady like Michelle let it go and isn't bitter about Nagano as you seem to be. It's been what? 13 years? Tara won. Deal with it and move on with your life already. Like Michelle did. Let it go for pity's sake.
@faeryquene Great insight. It's really amusing to see Kwan defenders/worshippers (esp MissThingSings who seems to think that there is only one who doesn't worship Kwan) come out in force to attack those with differing views. Tara has accomplished a whole lot and didn't need to hang around forever. She treated the Olympics like a true once-in-a-lifetime event and nailed it.
From Scott's mouth to the Judges ears, "And technically this program is more difficult then Michelle Kwans". I watched Michelles performance again. (personally I still think she's phony) and though I don't like her, she did skate extremely well, however she had a couple of bobbles, where Tara did not.
wow her performances were incredible. she really deserved well the gold. however michelle kwans performance had more grace and her jumps looked more smooth. they should have given kwan at least more points for artistry. anyways both were phenomenal.
@88droid Kwan was GIVEN 5.9s across the board!!! Predetermined 5.9s. However, you admit that Tara deserved the Gold so just take my comment for what it is..just a plain fact:) God Bless you and yours!
You're saying Kwan didn't deserve those across the board 5.9's on the second mark? Of course she did--her performance was breathtaking. This night Lipinski was just so on and the joy she showed combined certainly with maturity on the ice beyond her years would make, I would say, her program also worthy of presentation 5.9's, and she would thus get the edge because of her more difficult program technically. So not saying the judging was unfair, but Kwan definitely deserved those 5.9's
@ADEAL416 Hmmm..interesting that in most figure skating competitons the judges leave room for other skaters. No, with that wobble I don't believe that Kwan deserved those 5.9s across the board and even at that they were pre determined as per article and as per the blatant favortism of Kwan. Look at her 1997 splatfest scores and judge for yourself. I will condede, however, that you may be right. She MAY have deserved them here but with Kwan credibility is rare.
@getrealandsee And I'll especially remind you that a small bobble on a landing is NOT supposed to affect artistic marks. Often even a blatant fall doesn't affect them. I can name COUNTLESS skaters who had falls who still got artistic 5.9's. That's only supposed to affect the first mark. Maybe say you can't get a PERFECT score with a fall, but 5.9's definitely. And Kwan didn't get all 5.9's on the second mark in '02, when even more of the skating world was pulling for her than in '98.
@ADEAL416 Often even a blatant fall doesn't affect them. I can name COUNTLESS skaters who had falls who still got artistic 5.9's
Name names...I would really be interested! I hear the commentary on other skaters and when they mess up it's really noted and taken from the artistic scores due to a disruption in the flow of the program. I really am asking...not being hostile.
@getrealandsee If you're looking for people just with bobbles not affecting artistic marks, (or at least not precluding 5.9's) it happened with Slutskaya in '02, Wylie in '92, Candeloro in '98, Gordeeva and Grinkov, and Aleksei Urmanov in '94. (These are olympic long programs). Some programs with actual falls that still got second mark 5.9's include Yamaguchi and Petrenko both in '92, Berezhnaya and Sikeruledze (spelling?) in '98. Pretty sure it happened in the '70's with Janet Lynn as well.
@ADEAL416 Well, I stand corrected and impressed with your knowledge. Guess my dislike of Kwan and all the swooning over her has angered me to the point where I can't give her credit where it IS due. No, I still don't like her at all...I think she is as phony and scripted as they come, and I still believe that a whole lot of her wins and titles are/were givens but ok...she deserved the 5.9s HERE predetermined or not:)
I've watched a lot of olympic skating performances many times over. I'm not as familiar with the specifics of U.S. and World Championships, so you could be right about Kwan in these regards, but I will tell you this. I think in '02, they tried TOO hard to show that it was NOT predetermined. By which I mean they found indefensible ways to put Slutskaya over Kwan in the long program, because this was necessary in order to give the gold to Sarah Hughes for the best long program.
I've watched a lot of olympic skating performances many times over. I'm not as familiar with the specifics of U.S. and World Championships, so you could be right about Kwan in these regards, but I will tell you this. I think in '02, they tried TOO hard to show that it was NOT predetermined. By which I mean they found indefensible ways to put Slutskaya over Kwan in the long program, because this was necessary in order to give the gold to Sarah Hughes for the best long program.
@getrealandsee And I'll especially remind you that a small bobble on a landing is NOT supposed to affect artistic marks. Often even a blatant fall doesn't affect them. I can name COUNTLESS skaters who had falls who still got artistic 5.9's. That's only supposed to affect the first mark. Maybe say you can't get a PERFECT score with a fall, but 5.9's definitely. And Kwan didn't get all 5.9's on the second mark in '02, when even more of the skating world was pulling for her than in '98.
@getrealandsee And I'll especially remind you that a small bobble on a landing is NOT supposed to affect artistic marks. Often even a blatant fall doesn't affect them. I can name COUNTLESS skaters who had falls who still got artistic 5.9's. That's only supposed to affect the first mark. Maybe say you can't get a PERFECT score with a fall, but 5.9's definitely. And Kwan didn't get all 5.9's on the second mark in '02, when even more of the skating world was pulling for her than in '98.
And I'll especially remind you that a small bobble on a landing is NOT supposed to affect artistic marks. Often even a blatant fall doesn't affect them. I can name COUNTLESS skaters who had falls who still got artistic 5.9's. That's only supposed to affect the first mark. Maybe say you can't get a PERFECT score with a fall, but 5.9's definitely. And Kwan didn't get all 5.9's on the second mark in '02, when even more of the skating world was pulling for her than in '98.
this was truely an amazing performance. I skate in New Jersey, at the rink she start at from the very beginning. And she was back home visiting her family for the holidays and came to the rink today. Got to watch her skate and everything, she's an incredible athlete♥
She trained at my ice rink! We even have posters all over autographed by her saying, "Thank you Aerodrome!" (name of ice rink). She puts a star on all of her signings.
Tara is beautiful in artistry and in my opinion skates better than michelle. Her smile is beautiful, and she's energetic and skates so greatly and perfectly. Michelle Kwan had a wonderful career and changed the sport, but now Tara will change the sport again. Kwan and Tara are both amazing, but Tara is younger and more youthfully enthusiastic. Kwan is older and less of a skater :)
@TheSkatingGirlDream Tara Lipinski TRANSFORMED the sport. Christine Brennan wrote an article re this and Christine is a very informed and totally credible source of information especially since prior to this she had written an article stating that Kwan had gold in the bag unless she made a glaring mistake or stumbled in her program. For Tara to have pulled off this incredible and DESERVED upset of Kwan is phenomenal and changed figure skating forever! You are right Tara is the better skater:)
@TheSkatingGirlDream You are also right when you say that Michelle changed the sport. She did quite well here....Silver isn't shabby and Silver Michelle did deserve and actually earn. You are a rarity and I want to choose my words carefully when responding...
This program had nowhere near the elegance, grace, and maturity of Michelle Kwan's. It wasn't fluid nor beautiful. A true travesty on ice that it won Olympic Gold. Figure skating is not all about jumping, and unfortunately that's all that was rewarded in the end. Such a shame.
@ilikeatingcats This program had it all...grace, elegance, risk, athleticism...you know ..the stuff of which TRUE champions are made. Figure skating is about athleticism...not just dramatic arm waving and grinning or grimacing.One of the travesties in figure skating happened in SLC when Kwan's cruddy boring safe program filled with errors and a butt plant was deemed worthy of Bronze. That was/is Sasha's Bronze medal. Kwan is SHAMELESS and a coward. Think Torino!
@ilikeatingcats On the contrary, this is a more difficult programe than Kwan's performed with supremem technical accuracy. If both skaters skate their programmes cleanly, the more difficult programme wins. Simple as that. Tara skated with maturity and beauty, nothing ever seemed like a struggle. I love Kwan's skating, but everyone has to accept that just because you prefer one skater doesn't mean another (Tara) can't be better in others' (the judges) opinions.
Lol @ all the bitterness by Kwan fans. There's no shame coming in 2nd to one of the best performances in history.
However, it was arrogant to believe she would win with a less difficult program. Not like she could have pulled off the triple, half, triple combo anyways.
Her joy is ridiculously infectious in this skate. I love it. And I am super impressed by the 3l/3l. The more I watch the programs, the more I think Tara deserved gold at the Olympics.
IMO, if Michelle had skated her LP the way she had at Nationals, and if Tara had skated her LP the way she had at Nationals, then the results would have been different. But as it stands... this IS a gold medal performance.
She trained at my ice skating rink! We have a huge poster of her in a blue skating dress (not this one, it's like turquoise, it's very bright) and she signed it and put a little heart :] She's awesome, an inspiration!
People, people Kwan and Tara are both amazing
Balletanna15 5 days ago
I thougth she did wonderful worthy of the Gold medals heads down. She landed 7 triples two of then in combinations..
Yummy1976 3 weeks ago
GO TARA!
Coolalicious3 3 weeks ago
Cool
Coolalicious3 1 month ago
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soooo glad tara won! Kwan was ALWAYS overrated!! used to root for her to fall everytime! Funny how she was always touted as the best...don't see any olympic gold medals on the bitch's wall, do ya??
anachristyful 1 month ago
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anachristyful 1 month ago
Whether you like Kwan or Michelle, you don't become Olympic champion without talent, hard-work, perseverance and maybe a little bit of luck. Yes, Kwan's legacy did not end with Gold but the Olympic long program is only 1 day. You cannot help how things turn out.
officeaddict33 1 month ago
I remember being 4 and a half years old watching this on live television in my old living room, 15 years ago, and being so amazed. Now, at 18 years old, I still cry when I see this.
pointeprincess20 1 month ago
Tara, clearly was a better skater than Sasha, And she had more energy that I've seen through her.. Sasha may have the visual beauty and the soaring spirals. But Tara has genuine emotions as if she clearly was no actress Michelle Kwan, is more a reserved skater, but that doesn't mean she's a bad person at heart. I also might think it is more due to her upbringing. Michelle's father as shown here, is very much reserved as well. Do you see my point?
anne91276 2 months ago
Wooow, 3L-3l! Never saw this combo!!! Amazing!
VicGon07 2 months ago
Ohhh Kwan, what were you thinking!!!! YOU GO TARA!!!!
MrDonluismario 2 months ago
I was in 3rd grade......8 years old....and Tara was the first girl I had ever had a crush on, i remember saving all the newspaper sports pages and hanging them up on my wall....I was so obsessed I even went to see her for stars on ice at the Palace of Auburn Hills.....lol my mom took me and I made her promise not to tell any of my friends that I went to see a figure skating event
XXformula 2 months ago
Oh my god my name is TARA!!!!!!
MollyEmily767 2 months ago
One thing I don't understand about Tara, is that if she was so good as she shows here, and was one of the favorites coming in, why did she never do anything after this? I mean that kind of talent can't just disappear can it?
blackhorse099 2 months ago
@blackhorse099 She did a lot of shows after this, but her mom and dad had been living apart so she could train far away, and she didn't want to keep them apart forever. Also, she had to get hip surgery and that took her out of skating for a while.
KathyKlamisme 2 months ago
Great performance by Tara, but I remember being a young kid watching this and screaming with frustration! I was SO upset! Michelle was and always will be my favorite figure skater.
xx86Tutorialsxx 2 months ago
@xx86Tutorialsxx I remember being so upset too! For this performance, I did think that Tara was technically a smidge better. However, I still think that you can't match the artistry of Michelle Kwan.
jfluter 1 month ago
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you must be talking about the wide nosed Neandarthal aka Michelle Loser Kwan
johny258 3 months ago
@johny258 You're the one that seem "obsessed" with Michelle Kwan... You're always talking about her and throwing around lame and juvenile statements. You even talk about her on other skater's videos! Get over it and grow up!
Karosanyo 2 months ago
Michelle Kwan never had the difficulty that others had. Enough said.
Julesb2183 3 months ago
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what is the obsession with Michelle f---n Kwan
johny258 3 months ago
Tara was real heroine to me for many years.....Tara really did deserve the Gold
Smartpowerfulgirl 4 months ago 5
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Smartpowerfulgirl 4 months ago
excuse me, what's the music since 0:48 ??
coldonblue 5 months ago
The only reason I didnt like her winning this game is because she disappeared from amateur skating. Yes, I am happy for her, earning money on tours and so on but I would love to see her growing on ice and competing. And maybe competing in OG 2002. She is an angel, It would be spectacular.
Astra253 5 months ago
@Astra253 Agree. It was very problematic for her too, because at the age of 15 she started doing shows and tours with much older figure skaters. She was too young then and hmm sorry, she was only a young girl, even if she won the Olympics. Katharine Witt is always a good example for me, she could have retired after 1984 but she didn't want to, and then she won the gold again in 1988.
lilic1 5 months ago
@lilic1 true but Tara was keeping her parents apart with her skating, had won all there is to win and wanted others to get a chance at it, and if you think about it she was around 3 seasons, all successful in there own way, and she did have a hip injury that was bugging her.
spunkysk8er1997 4 months ago 3
I LOVE her reactions! She's so cute! And she looks so tiny and delicate, but she's soo powerful. I love Tara!
KathyKlamisme 5 months ago in playlist KathyKlamisme's Favorited Videos
On my phone this comes out tiny and with lousy quality, but just about the instant she started her program, her enthusiasm, her love of skating, and her joy of being where she was just screamed out at me. For any art, that's so important, for them to love what they're doing. Sometimes it can make all the difference in the world. (Nothing against anyone else, I haven't seen them yet, I just mean in general.) This is absolutely amazing, and I hope I can dance as enthusiastically as Tara skates
pointe4Jesus 5 months ago
I DON'T KNOW HOW SHE NAILED ON THIS DAY.
SHE LOOKED TOO YOUNG AND EVEN LITTLE FRAGILE BUT SHE WAS TOUGH AND SKATED CONSERVATIVELY ONLY TO LET HERSELF GO IN THE MIDDLE HALF AND GOT BETTER AND BETTER AS TIMES WENT BY.
EquinoxGlide 5 months ago in playlist Olympic #1
I am a big, BIG Michelle Kwan fan, but even I think Tara deserved to win. And I hate it when other Kwan fans say mean things about Tara, like calling her brat and all. It's not fair! Show some good sportsmanship! Michelle was happy for Tara and you should be too. Well done Tara, I think you deserved to win.
lowdaisy1 6 months ago 27
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ncjuppiter 1 month ago
@lowdaisy1 You know what sucks? We used to have amazing figure skaters like Michelle and Tara where people actually CARED who won and still care and debate 14 years later. Nobody will be talking about the current girls 14 years from now. This sport has fallen. Whether you prefer Michelle or Tara, I'd take either of them over the current crop. (This is just referring to the American girls. I think Kim Yuna is amazing too.)
ncjuppiter 1 month ago 3
YOU LOOK BEST IN THE PLAIN WHITE SHIRT.
WHEN IT COMES TO THE CLEANESS OF THE ROUTINES YOU WERE THE BEST AND THE MUSIC CHOICE AND CHOREOGRAPHY WAS THE BEST, ALWAYS.
MANY GIRLS FOLLOWED AFTER YOU BUT NO ONE COULD EVER COME CLOSER TO YOU ON THIS DAY.
I WISH YOU A GOOD LUCK.
DID HE WHIP YOU SOMETIMES?
EquinoxGlide 6 months ago
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EquinoxGlide 6 months ago
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EquinoxGlide 6 months ago
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EquinoxGlide 6 months ago
This was just the best! I love Tara's performance. She was a bundle of joys.
hongligl 6 months ago
Although I am a Kwan fan (even having to hear bogus bullshit from others), This program skated by Tara was just amazing. No other word for it. I can only imagine how many more titles she could have won had she stayed an amateur. But I think she did the right thing and bailed out while she was ahead and went pro. :)
oofahman 6 months ago
FU Danny Kwan....FU.
haroof 7 months ago
I hate that everyone always attacks Tara. I am a big fan of Michelle's and of Tara's and I'm glad to finally see some support for Tara. While I agree with arguments for both sides, I definitely think Tara won that OGM, hands down, without a doubt. Michelle, as always had amazing artistry and beautiful technique but Tara's Triple Toe, Half Loop, Triple Sal was perfection and had outstanding difficulty. She nailed a harder routine. It's just not an argument.
juicy013 7 months ago 25
the best skater of all time
amandakova 7 months ago
This gives me chills every time I watch it. She is so gorgeous and gracefull. The look on her face when she found out she won and what she felt must have made up for every tear, injury, and obstacle. I wish that I could be a quarter as talented as she is. Her tripple loop, tripple look combo is unbelievable, and at the end, with very little speed, her tripple toe loop, half loop, tripple salchow is breathtaking. This is an Olympic performance.
bubblesrthebest 7 months ago
i met her once...that was when i was 5 and now i'm 14 and she's still an inspiration :]
smallfry04211 8 months ago
Tara was really great here... I wish Getreal and others could appreciate Tara without bashing Kwan (especially since they complain about "kwanatics). Talk about hypocrisy!!!
mlc2005 8 months ago
Am I wrong to believe that emotion doesn't count for something? Also,didn't she fall out of that last jump combo a bit,
romaniaforever 8 months ago
@romaniaforever She did not "fall out" of the final jump sequence. She completed the final jump and landed it cleanly. She deserved the gold that she got after this remarkable performance.
HowsaBowsaYowsa 8 months ago
@HowsaBowsaYowsa You are right...Tara not only didn't fall out but there was a video with Scott Hamilton regarding that last sequence. Tara had NO speed and pulled it off on as Scott said 'drop dead legs'...she absolutely deserved the Gold Medal...she was up against phenomenal odds....in fact sports writers had to rush to change the already written headline from "Kwan to Lipinski" as the Gold Medalist for the 1998 Olympics:)-:)
getrealandsee 7 months ago
@romaniaforever Emotion? Tara skated with joy, energy, smiles, and just plain enthusiasm. What do you mean when you say that emotion should count for something? Compared to the stale, boring, cautious, stiff Kwan? Tara was full of emotion and it was a pure delight to see.
getrealandsee 7 months ago
Although she flutzed the lutzes, her triple triple combinations here stand the test of time--- the landings were clean and FULLY rotated. She didn't cheat the take offs or landings at all.
indiatree 8 months ago
This, is what made figure skating what it is today... LOVE IT!
spunkysk8er1997 8 months ago
OK TEC SHE IS PERFECT WHERE IS HER POISE HER CHARACTER HER FEELING HER EMOTION IN HER PREFORMANCE. ANY SKATER CAN BE TECH PERFECT BUT TO FEEL HOW THEY PREFOREM IS DIFFERENT THE LITTTLE BITCH NEED POISE CHARACTER FEELING AND EMOTION
scott12061972 8 months ago
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getrealandsee 8 months ago
i see alot of sasha comments. i grew up with the nancys tonyas scott hamiltons and kristis i remember michelle and tara very little. more of michelle kwan tho...but WHO DA HELL IS THIS SASHA character?!
alonzolerone 8 months ago
@alonzolerone Only the most gifted skater to ever grace the ice. That's who. I know this is Tara's video, but Sasha pushed the limits of this sport even more than Tara.
HowsaBowsaYowsa 8 months ago
@HowsaBowsaYowsa LOL! The only thing that Sasha pushed was her butt off of the ice. Tara and Michelle were superior to Sasha. Sasha couldn't even win a World title or skate a clean LP at the Olympics (she never had a clean 7 triple performance at any major).
Karosanyo 7 months ago
Kwan was still crying when her scores were posted. Her coach, Frank Carroll, saw the technical marks first, all 5.7s and 5.8s, and his face tightened. Even when all the marks for presentation came up 5.9s, Carroll's face said what was in his head. There was room there for someone else, for a 4-foot-10 15-year-old named Tara Lipinski who does triple jumps without breathing hard.
February 21, 1998|By Diane Pucin, INQUIRER STAFF WRITER
getrealandsee 8 months ago
This has to be one of the last times that a US lady really pushed the technical envelope in the sport. Tara skated with speed and daring. Those are timeless qualities. She more than deserved this win.
LDVTennis 8 months ago
@LDVTennis Absolutely. I also have to add Sarah bc she also worked on very difficult edge-edge triple-triples and pulled them off beautifully in SLC. And in a way Sasha as well. Jumps may not have been landed all the time but she did attempt difficult triple-triples and pushed the envelope on spins and flexibility. All in all, Tara, Sarah, and Sasha were true athletes and are true credits to American figure skating.
allenglandlawns 8 months ago
@allenglandlawns But Sarah's jumps were cheated (her tripe-triples and lutzes were mostly always cheated). Tara's 3L-3L and 3T-half-3S were good (if very small), but her luzes were ALWAYS cheated and her jumps were very small (I hated her double axel). Tara did deserve the OGM here (Kwan didn't skate her best like she did at Nationals). LOL! Sasha? One of the WORST jumpers and competitors in the history of this sport. Michelle Kwan at her best was superior than all of them.
Karosanyo 8 months ago
@Karosanyo They had the courage to attempt and pull them off. Kwan never could even try them in her wildest dreams. Yes Sasha. Full of integrity and earned whatever she could without breaks. She paid for her mistakes and didn't step on anyone else's dream. She pushed the sport with her athletic talents: beautiful spins and flexibility. But this is Tara's moment here...a true champion and athlete who EARNED this win.
allenglandlawns 8 months ago
@allenglandlawns Yes, Tara attempted and pulled them off (she knew that she couldn't beat Kwan with her artistry). A 7 triple 3T-3T performance by Michelle beats Tara anyday.... Michelle had better techinque with her jumps (they were better and higher). Her lines and edging were better as well (her spirals and spins). Her artistry was also vastly superior. She didn't skate the same program all of the time like Tara. She was versatile.
Karosanyo 8 months ago
@allenglandlawns There is NO WAY that Sasha "earned" her silver at the Olympics and Worlds. Did she ever even skate a clean 6 triple performance at Worlds? She WAS propped up. Kwan EARNED ALL OF HER titles at Worlds. She WAS undermarked at the 2000-2001, 2002, 2004 Worlds (she should have won the LP in 02). Hell, even the Brits stated that Kwan was undermarked.... Actually, Kwan's COE spiral impressed me more than anything that Sasha ever did (her charlotte was more difficult as well).
Karosanyo 8 months ago
@Karosanyo There is no way Kwan "earned" the bronze in Salt Lake 2002. That should have been Sasha's medal.
HowsaBowsaYowsa 8 months ago
@HowsaBowsaYowsa Kwan's jumps were stronger than Sasha's in the long program (she did a 3z-2l and she landed 3 more triples latter on in her program).
Karosanyo 8 months ago
There IS NO WAY that Sarah would have won if Michelle or Irina skated clean. Sarah had cheated jumps and very poor posture. Yes, Tara earned the OGM, but Kwan is still a better skater. Michelle Kwan has integrity. She didn't step on anyones's dream.
Karosanyo 8 months ago
@Karosanyo Google 'Shattered Dreams, Courtesy of Michelle Kwan
getrealandsee 8 months ago
@getrealandsee More opinions...
Karosanyo 8 months ago
When I see Tara skate...I see a cute and lively "trickster" When I see Michelle skate,I see Soulfull maturity and great elegance(with technical difficulty as well) Im sorry ....she got robbed of the Gold......Not the first time his has happened....Nancy Kerrigan and Oksana B.!
izlude2 8 months ago
It isnt ALL about jump difficulty,,,it is about TOTAL package...presentation and maturity......I believe Michelle should have won.. I also believe it was the skating order that determined the win..... It was close though!
belartful 8 months ago
awsome triple toe triple lutz.Tara is a beautiful skater.her spins are perfect.Bset jump at the end of program.Tara deserved the gold medal
roxychickw49 9 months ago
awsome triple toe triple lutz.Tara is a beautiful skater.her spins are perfect
roxychickw49 9 months ago
I just wish that I could find the Euro Sport video of Michelle's free skate...the one where they said that Michelle skated with a maturity that surely Lipinski can't match...they said...it's not there yet (meaning the Gold around the neck of Kwan).....oh, how I hope Kwan was lapping all of it up and bending her neck in an ever so gracious position... Kwan is such a phony and Thank God for the Olympic Judges..they did all they could to help Kwan but then came TARA!
getrealandsee 9 months ago
THIS GIRL is why I worked my butt off for 13 years as a figure skater. She truly has it all. And even in todays skating world she would be a legend. Timeless and flawless.
FiGRSK8R07 9 months ago
when this olympics was airing i was 8 years old and i was also a very competitive ice skater as well. i liked tara i wouldn't say i looked up to her (scott hamiilton was my idol) of course if she did this routine NOW it probably won't be good enough for first place.. but it was an overall pretty amazing routine back then..she smiled throughout the whole routine, didn't let any pressure get to her.. jumps were really clean. i hated the fact she went pro after this.. thats why i hate her now. :)
shortbunbun 10 months ago
hahaha when she wins it is adorable!! she was my fave figure skater when i was younger...i had her barbie doll
glitterlove22 10 months ago
@anubethc45 Kwan actually shocked Lipinski when Kwan took the microphone, looked at Lipinski, and said, "I like you." Lipinski was shocked becasue she apparently couldn't imagine liking the competition.
Lipinski is only outdone by Cohen as nasty twit.
JNagarya 10 months ago
@JNagarya Horse Manure!!!!! Kwan has no class, no courtesy, no grace...look at her wrinkle her nose at her marks in SLC...think Torino...she is just someone who hung around forever being held up, pampered, handed titles and medals.....Tara is the best and a lovely honest young woman who slammed Kwan out of the ball park...Kwan was SHOCKED that she was not just handed Olympic Gold..I read how the sports writers had to change the headlines from Kwan to Lipinski as Olympic Champion!
getrealandsee 9 months ago
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have you noticed...??? the last 4 ladies olympic champions wore blue-blueish costume!!! ok, sarah's was a kind of lavender, but still a bit blue in it;)
12crayons 10 months ago
have you noticed? the last 4 womens olympic winners -(tara, sarah, shizuka, kim) - wore blue-blueish costume!!!! ok, sarah's was kind of lavender, but still a bit blue, no?;)
12crayons 10 months ago
@12crayons haha! i remember watching a korean show where they stated that and asked if yuna knew about it and she said yes and thankfully the color matched her gershwin piece so she got a blue outfit.
ixsharon 9 months ago
i was just born when this olympic game started. . .
i was born in the 1998:D
olivialau88 10 months ago
she had two triple triple combinations!!!
MyLaser12 10 months ago
Every red-blooded skater in the business wants to win the OGM. Kwan was ALL about winning the gold. Why else would she hang around forever and why else would she cheat Emily out of the Olympics if the gold wasn't important? Tara and Sarah wanted the Gold too but they skated like true champions when it counted and completely deserved their golds over Kwan by a mile.
allenglandlawns 11 months ago
@anubethc45 Heh heh heh,...Tara is the Olympic Gold Medalist for 1998. SHE brought it home for the USA and our National Anthem was played because SHE won Olympic Gold!!!! Michelle...safe, simple, silver.
getrealandsee 11 months ago
Michelle had all of the advantages going into this olympics. Most notably the favor of the judges/bias of the judges. It was her gold to lose. And she flat out lost it with a nice but rather mediocre performance. Like the saying goes "seize the day" which she didn't seize.
HowsaBowsaYowsa 11 months ago
@HowsaBowsaYowsa Right On!!!!!!!!!
getrealandsee 11 months ago
she was the one who made me want to be a skater when i was younger. love her!
triwizchamp07 11 months ago
After winning both the world's and U.S. championships, she came to Japan expecting a coronation. After taking the lead in the short program, Kwan skated a safe, conservative program that implied the gold medal was a foregone conclusion. Her scores were just good enough until Lipinski dazzled the judges and spectators with everything Kwan lacked: risk, energy, and, most of all, joy.
Michelle Kwan: America's biggest loser. - By Will Leitch
getrealandsee 11 months ago
@getrealandsee AKA Allenglandlawns, I see you keep posting articles but I have yet to see one in which Michelle called Tanya her here after the attack on Nancy...you said it exists so please prove it. Or did you lie AGAIN??????????
MissThingSings 11 months ago
@getrealandsee AKA Allenglandlawns... Where are all of the articles about your favorite skater, Sasha Cohen? There has got to be one article about Sasha losing the world title to Kimmie Meissner! Will you post the articles about Sasha's ability to skate cleanly in major championships? I missed those and would love to read them!
MissThingSings 11 months ago
This comment has received too many negative votes show
Tara should have lost simply because she FLUTZED both of her lutzes. How on earth did they give her 5.9 for artistry is beyond me. This is perhaps one of the saddest days in figure skating
Greatass4 1 year ago
@Greatass4 Ah contraire...this is one of the ABSOLUTE BEST days in figure skating history. The right person won the Olympic Gold Medal for the USA!! Michelle, safe, simple, timid, and silver. Tara blew her out of the water and her artistry was just as good as Michelle's...Tara didn't come in thinking that she had the gold bagged..she studied tapes and made changes and it paid off for her and our country. Tara transformed the sport!! Truly a night to remember forever and always. Thanks, Tara-)
getrealandsee 1 year ago
@Greatass4 Oh please, Michelle flutzed too...most of her career...she was always criticized for that (except by American commentators of course)....her jumps never had much height nor did she hardly ever attempt hard combinations
stefan7171 1 year ago
@stefan7171 Absolutely right! Tara pushed this sport by going after those difficult jumps. She is/was/will always be a true champion and America's golden girl in 1998.
allenglandlawns 1 year ago
@Greatass4 Flutz, schmutz. Katarina didn't even do 3 lutz in 84 or 88; some say Kristi flutzed in 92; Oksana's lutz was good, but she badly two-footed her flip in her LP in 94; Sarah flutzed in 02; Shizuka lipped in 06; Yu-na had a real lutz, but a questionable flip and NO loop...
It's not about one or two jumps, and never was. Under 6.0, there was no mandatory deduction for wrong edge take offs in the LP.
I'd take Tara's LP over many of the others I listed any day of the week.
BmcC102 1 year ago
@Greatass4 Kwan Flutzed as well you full...
iceroby72 11 months ago
@iceroby72 Yes, Kwan flutzed sometimes, but at least I have seen true lutzes from her as well. I can't say the same about Tara... At least Michelle's lutzes weren't as awkward looking as well.
Karosanyo 11 months ago
@Karosanyo I kind of think it varies for Michelle. She most often flattens her blade right before take off and it's hard to tell if it's either a lutz OR flip from there. I really really like Butyrskaya's lutz edge take-off the best :)
allenglandlawns 11 months ago
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getrealandsee 11 months ago
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getrealandsee 11 months ago
@Karosanyo Well, hang around like forever and you are bound to get a jump right here and there.
getrealandsee 11 months ago
@getrealandsee @allenglandlawns You really detract from the brilliance of Tara's and Sarah's respective performances by continuing to bash Kwan at every chance you get. They won, fair and square. Kwan just didn't cut it on those two nights. That's all that needs to be said.
ehrenaissance 10 months ago
I'm a huge fan of Michelle Kwan but have to give credit where credit is due. This time around Tara really did deserve the top spot. Having noted that, Kwan's best performances had a mature beauty, style and range of emotion that comes with time.
romaniaforever 1 year ago 13
4:25 Richard Callahan, her coach, looks like James E. Cornette.
PrinceOfEternos83 1 year ago
Considering the day and age, Tara totally won. Michelle was good (better edging, flow, overall technique) but Tara more than made up for it with her much more difficult combo jumps, speed, and very good artistry. This isn't the 70's when school figures were important. This is an athletic, jumping, free skate contest and Tara helped push the sport in that direction. She is the precursor to the athletes today attempting more and more difficult jumps.
allenglandlawns 1 year ago 71
@allenglandlawns ITA.
faeryquene 11 months ago
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I've watched a lot of olympic skating performances many times over. I'm not as familiar with the specifics of U.S. and World Championships, so you could be right about Kwan in these regards, but I will tell you this. I think in '02, they tried TOO hard to show that it was NOT predetermined. By which I mean they found indefensible ways to put Slutskaya over Kwan in the long program, because this was necessary in order to give the gold to Sarah Hughes for the best long program.
ADEAL416 1 year ago
By Jennifer Frey
Washington Post Columnist
Saturday, February 21, 1998; Page B1
This article details the 'Heart of Lipinski's Triumph' as well as the efforts to give Kwan the gold. TARA beat the sequins off Kwan despite the judges best efforts and against phenomenal odds...oh, the sweet victory!!!!
getrealandsee 1 year ago
Thank you for posting this performance! This is one of my all time favorite Olympic programs and wins! Tara brings an infectious joy to her skating and to the audience that's watching her. The speed, difficulty and maturity is what made this program special and is ultimately what won her the gold. She interpreted the uplifting, joyous music beautiful and that's why she got such high marks on the artistic judging.
The right skater won that night. Outstanding performance! One I'll never forget.
LutzDeluxe 1 year ago
Thank you for posting this performance! This is one of my all time favorite Olympic programs and wins! Tara brings an infectious joy to her skating and to the audience that's watching her. The speed, difficulty and maturity is what made this program special and is ultimately what won her the gold. She interpreted the uplifting, joyous music beautiful and that's why she got such high marks on the artistic judging.
The right skater won that night. Outstanding performance! One I'll never forget.
LutzDeluxe 1 year ago
tara OUTJUMPED michelle.. michelle OUT SKATED tara with no comparison. its called ICE SKATING not ice jumping. THE JUDGES should personally apologize to michelle. to this day tara cant "outskate" michelle... tara iceskates like a roller skater.
mudhead24 1 year ago
@mudhead24 LOL are you SERIOUS?? Tara skates rings around Michelle (oooooh, I am in the lead and not about to take any chances even if I shouldn't be in the lead I am, and I don't have to do anything but grin and be Michelle Kwan and I will be given the olympic gold medal) Kwan...Tara blew Kwan the Kareful right out of the water and not for the 1st time either!
getrealandsee 1 year ago
@mudhead24 Tara was a Primary Junior National Champion at Roller Skating as well and is in the Roller Skating Hall Of Fame ans has won every major competition in figure skating at least once.
raksan4083 1 year ago
@mudhead24 Tara was a Primary Junior National Champion at Roller Skating as well and is in the Roller Skating Hall Of Fame ans has won every major competition in figure skating at least once.Unlike Sarah Hughes who also beat Michelle at the Olympics Tara owns a Triple Crown 2 Grand Prix Titles and a Pro Championship Title.
raksan4083 1 year ago
@mudhead24 I'm willing to bet a classy lady like Michelle let it go and isn't bitter about Nagano as you seem to be. It's been what? 13 years? Tara won. Deal with it and move on with your life already. Like Michelle did. Let it go for pity's sake.
faeryquene 11 months ago
@faeryquene Great insight. It's really amusing to see Kwan defenders/worshippers (esp MissThingSings who seems to think that there is only one who doesn't worship Kwan) come out in force to attack those with differing views. Tara has accomplished a whole lot and didn't need to hang around forever. She treated the Olympics like a true once-in-a-lifetime event and nailed it.
allenglandlawns 11 months ago
From Scott's mouth to the Judges ears, "And technically this program is more difficult then Michelle Kwans". I watched Michelles performance again. (personally I still think she's phony) and though I don't like her, she did skate extremely well, however she had a couple of bobbles, where Tara did not.
Jukka70 1 year ago 33
Even though I wanted Michelle to win Tara did have the better skate.
uky1985 1 year ago 3
wow her performances were incredible. she really deserved well the gold. however michelle kwans performance had more grace and her jumps looked more smooth. they should have given kwan at least more points for artistry. anyways both were phenomenal.
88droid 1 year ago
@88droid Kwan was GIVEN 5.9s across the board!!! Predetermined 5.9s. However, you admit that Tara deserved the Gold so just take my comment for what it is..just a plain fact:) God Bless you and yours!
getrealandsee 1 year ago
You're saying Kwan didn't deserve those across the board 5.9's on the second mark? Of course she did--her performance was breathtaking. This night Lipinski was just so on and the joy she showed combined certainly with maturity on the ice beyond her years would make, I would say, her program also worthy of presentation 5.9's, and she would thus get the edge because of her more difficult program technically. So not saying the judging was unfair, but Kwan definitely deserved those 5.9's
ADEAL416 1 year ago
@ADEAL416 Hmmm..interesting that in most figure skating competitons the judges leave room for other skaters. No, with that wobble I don't believe that Kwan deserved those 5.9s across the board and even at that they were pre determined as per article and as per the blatant favortism of Kwan. Look at her 1997 splatfest scores and judge for yourself. I will condede, however, that you may be right. She MAY have deserved them here but with Kwan credibility is rare.
getrealandsee 1 year ago
@getrealandsee And I'll especially remind you that a small bobble on a landing is NOT supposed to affect artistic marks. Often even a blatant fall doesn't affect them. I can name COUNTLESS skaters who had falls who still got artistic 5.9's. That's only supposed to affect the first mark. Maybe say you can't get a PERFECT score with a fall, but 5.9's definitely. And Kwan didn't get all 5.9's on the second mark in '02, when even more of the skating world was pulling for her than in '98.
ADEAL416 1 year ago
@ADEAL416 Often even a blatant fall doesn't affect them. I can name COUNTLESS skaters who had falls who still got artistic 5.9's
Name names...I would really be interested! I hear the commentary on other skaters and when they mess up it's really noted and taken from the artistic scores due to a disruption in the flow of the program. I really am asking...not being hostile.
getrealandsee 1 year ago
@getrealandsee If you're looking for people just with bobbles not affecting artistic marks, (or at least not precluding 5.9's) it happened with Slutskaya in '02, Wylie in '92, Candeloro in '98, Gordeeva and Grinkov, and Aleksei Urmanov in '94. (These are olympic long programs). Some programs with actual falls that still got second mark 5.9's include Yamaguchi and Petrenko both in '92, Berezhnaya and Sikeruledze (spelling?) in '98. Pretty sure it happened in the '70's with Janet Lynn as well.
ADEAL416 1 year ago
@ADEAL416 Well, I stand corrected and impressed with your knowledge. Guess my dislike of Kwan and all the swooning over her has angered me to the point where I can't give her credit where it IS due. No, I still don't like her at all...I think she is as phony and scripted as they come, and I still believe that a whole lot of her wins and titles are/were givens but ok...she deserved the 5.9s HERE predetermined or not:)
getrealandsee 1 year ago
I've watched a lot of olympic skating performances many times over. I'm not as familiar with the specifics of U.S. and World Championships, so you could be right about Kwan in these regards, but I will tell you this. I think in '02, they tried TOO hard to show that it was NOT predetermined. By which I mean they found indefensible ways to put Slutskaya over Kwan in the long program, because this was necessary in order to give the gold to Sarah Hughes for the best long program.
ADEAL416 1 year ago
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ADEAL416 1 year ago
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ADEAL416 1 year ago
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I've watched a lot of olympic skating performances many times over. I'm not as familiar with the specifics of U.S. and World Championships, so you could be right about Kwan in these regards, but I will tell you this. I think in '02, they tried TOO hard to show that it was NOT predetermined. By which I mean they found indefensible ways to put Slutskaya over Kwan in the long program, because this was necessary in order to give the gold to Sarah Hughes for the best long program.
ADEAL416 1 year ago
@getrealandsee And I'll especially remind you that a small bobble on a landing is NOT supposed to affect artistic marks. Often even a blatant fall doesn't affect them. I can name COUNTLESS skaters who had falls who still got artistic 5.9's. That's only supposed to affect the first mark. Maybe say you can't get a PERFECT score with a fall, but 5.9's definitely. And Kwan didn't get all 5.9's on the second mark in '02, when even more of the skating world was pulling for her than in '98.
ADEAL416 1 year ago
This has been flagged as spam show
@getrealandsee And I'll especially remind you that a small bobble on a landing is NOT supposed to affect artistic marks. Often even a blatant fall doesn't affect them. I can name COUNTLESS skaters who had falls who still got artistic 5.9's. That's only supposed to affect the first mark. Maybe say you can't get a PERFECT score with a fall, but 5.9's definitely. And Kwan didn't get all 5.9's on the second mark in '02, when even more of the skating world was pulling for her than in '98.
ADEAL416 1 year ago
And I'll especially remind you that a small bobble on a landing is NOT supposed to affect artistic marks. Often even a blatant fall doesn't affect them. I can name COUNTLESS skaters who had falls who still got artistic 5.9's. That's only supposed to affect the first mark. Maybe say you can't get a PERFECT score with a fall, but 5.9's definitely. And Kwan didn't get all 5.9's on the second mark in '02, when even more of the skating world was pulling for her than in '98.
ADEAL416 1 year ago
is there something about the commentators, when they always yell at the jumps, you get goosebumps also?
haveumetmark 1 year ago
this was truely an amazing performance. I skate in New Jersey, at the rink she start at from the very beginning. And she was back home visiting her family for the holidays and came to the rink today. Got to watch her skate and everything, she's an incredible athlete♥
IceLife1023 1 year ago
This Is Just amazing!!! She is Sooo Talented and So Deserved the gold!!!! She Is Living her dream!!!
TheSkateeeKatie 1 year ago
This is wonderful. Thankyou TheSkatingGirlDream for telling me about this video, its wonderful.
ForeverFigureSkater 1 year ago
I think she deserved to win.
chuhboemember6 1 year ago
@chuhboemember6 Of course she did.
ForeverFigureSkater 1 year ago
She trained at my ice rink! We even have posters all over autographed by her saying, "Thank you Aerodrome!" (name of ice rink). She puts a star on all of her signings.
seaturttlee 1 year ago
Tara is beautiful in artistry and in my opinion skates better than michelle. Her smile is beautiful, and she's energetic and skates so greatly and perfectly. Michelle Kwan had a wonderful career and changed the sport, but now Tara will change the sport again. Kwan and Tara are both amazing, but Tara is younger and more youthfully enthusiastic. Kwan is older and less of a skater :)
TheSkatingGirlDream 1 year ago
@TheSkatingGirlDream Tara Lipinski TRANSFORMED the sport. Christine Brennan wrote an article re this and Christine is a very informed and totally credible source of information especially since prior to this she had written an article stating that Kwan had gold in the bag unless she made a glaring mistake or stumbled in her program. For Tara to have pulled off this incredible and DESERVED upset of Kwan is phenomenal and changed figure skating forever! You are right Tara is the better skater:)
getrealandsee 1 year ago
@TheSkatingGirlDream You are also right when you say that Michelle changed the sport. She did quite well here....Silver isn't shabby and Silver Michelle did deserve and actually earn. You are a rarity and I want to choose my words carefully when responding...
getrealandsee 1 year ago
cool
XanaduZune 1 year ago
This program had nowhere near the elegance, grace, and maturity of Michelle Kwan's. It wasn't fluid nor beautiful. A true travesty on ice that it won Olympic Gold. Figure skating is not all about jumping, and unfortunately that's all that was rewarded in the end. Such a shame.
ilikeatingcats 1 year ago
@ilikeatingcats This program had it all...grace, elegance, risk, athleticism...you know ..the stuff of which TRUE champions are made. Figure skating is about athleticism...not just dramatic arm waving and grinning or grimacing.One of the travesties in figure skating happened in SLC when Kwan's cruddy boring safe program filled with errors and a butt plant was deemed worthy of Bronze. That was/is Sasha's Bronze medal. Kwan is SHAMELESS and a coward. Think Torino!
getrealandsee 1 year ago
@ilikeatingcats On the contrary, this is a more difficult programe than Kwan's performed with supremem technical accuracy. If both skaters skate their programmes cleanly, the more difficult programme wins. Simple as that. Tara skated with maturity and beauty, nothing ever seemed like a struggle. I love Kwan's skating, but everyone has to accept that just because you prefer one skater doesn't mean another (Tara) can't be better in others' (the judges) opinions.
fantastischfish 1 year ago
So cool .it looks like she's just skating freestyle
phoe5be 1 year ago
like that :).
dumasses like JNagarya make me lol
randumo24 1 year ago
Lol @ all the bitterness by Kwan fans. There's no shame coming in 2nd to one of the best performances in history.
However, it was arrogant to believe she would win with a less difficult program. Not like she could have pulled off the triple, half, triple combo anyways.
randumo24 1 year ago
@randumo24 I totally agree!!!!
getrealandsee 1 year ago
i used 2 watch her and michelle kwan as a child
Lolalalaization 1 year ago
she is good but sasha cohen is still my favorite and (sasha is better)
figresk8er1130 1 year ago
3,1/2, 3. damn
randumo24 1 year ago
A prepubescent stick figure of a skater should have points deducted automatically for lack of artistic presentation.
infinera06 1 year ago
Tara may have won those Olympics, but Michelle still had the artistry that no one else can ever match.
jfluter 1 year ago
@jfluter Sasha Cohen has Michelle Kwan so beat in artistry it isn't even close.
HowsaBowsaYowsa 1 year ago
This actually makes me tear up. :) It's truly beautiful skating, yes, but the pure joy in it is just lovely. I love watching this.
queenmorgan23 1 year ago 5
So impressive. I had chills in the back of my head (odd place to have them I know lol) the whole time
goozy101 1 year ago
Her joy is ridiculously infectious in this skate. I love it. And I am super impressed by the 3l/3l. The more I watch the programs, the more I think Tara deserved gold at the Olympics.
IMO, if Michelle had skated her LP the way she had at Nationals, and if Tara had skated her LP the way she had at Nationals, then the results would have been different. But as it stands... this IS a gold medal performance.
UnoriginalJess92 1 year ago
shes my 1st cousin
cupcake45328 1 year ago
better than yu na kims olympic long? blue dress?
trojanrob24 1 year ago
she's amazing!
chuhboemember6 1 year ago
6:29 was absolutely PRICELESS. :-D I'm so proud of her, even 12 years later.
honeygirl931 1 year ago
Tara Lipinski is one of my idols :)
She trained at my ice skating rink! We have a huge poster of her in a blue skating dress (not this one, it's like turquoise, it's very bright) and she signed it and put a little heart :] She's awesome, an inspiration!
peachyfizz 1 year ago