wow she had such a speed and grace..very powerful performance in this one...wow...not even the women figure skaters today can achieve this much grace and speed at the same time like she has..that's a fact for sure!
@Faeryquene, im sorry it annoys you. It doesn't annoy me. The typical lament is that baiul stole the medal. Just pointing out what's out there. While I agree that oksana won I don't think it was by the a majority and I im pretty sure there was bias. Either way, we will never know. Long live the olympic champion Oksana Baiul
I loved Oksana's skating from age 15 to 18. This SP is one of the greatest of all times, IMO. I was lucky enough to see her perform it live at skate America in 1993, and she was just 15 then. She was an amazing skater/artist.
I'm just glad the scoring standards of the time allowed for Baiul to place second and contend for the Olympic gold medal. I so wanted her to win-and she did! Nancy had lovely moments, superior jumps, etc. but Oksana was enchanting, her performances magical, a Ukrainian Fairy out there. I remember even President Bill Clinton thought Oksana was better when asked lol!! I imagine alot of less informed viewers who don't know much about figure skating thought the same based on her performance quality.
Her on-ice moves are SO characteristic of their ballet equivalents that it's amazing. She's not perfect, but she brings this classic ballet interpretation to the ice--SO hard to do.
17 Years later and stil no one can touch this. No one in our lifetimes will be able to express artistry the way this singular performance did. Regardless of whether you like oksana or think she stole a medal from nancy kerrigan doesn't matter. What does is that this little girl is breathtaking here and its mastery is unrivaled. This is why sport exist!
@ferdyspears It annoys me when people say Oksana 'stole' the gold medal from Nancy. She didn't steal anything, anymore than Tara Lipinski 'stole' the gold from Michelle Kwan four years later. The gold was awarded to them by a majority of the judges fair and square.
I'm not a huge Baiul fan but this was one of the most absolutely exquisite SP ever - For me I'd say this and Kwan's Romanza are among the top 5 - I'll leave the rest open - but those two are incomparable.
@Imogence Yes, back then the rules for the short were different to now. The double flip was a set jump and had to be performed. It was only towards the end of the 90's/early 2000's that the rules were changed to allow an optional jump on its own not in combination. Likewise back then one of the jumps in the combo was specified, this year (1994) it was double toe loop. The rules were less flexible then.
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This is the first time I've seen this since I saw it live in 1994. I've watched a lot of skating in my life, but only a few performances just stick with you. This is one of them.
@koolaidnhemlock no. it wasn't Katarina Witt. This commentator must be from Austria, according to her German. Katarina has got another german accent. By the way, ORF is the Österreicher Runkfunk from Asutria.
i dont think i've cried so much when i watched the movie based on her life. i couldnt imagine being an orphan and homeless. she truly overcame the odds!
there's something very refined and yet also very wild about her skating... it's very refreshing to watch regardless of whether it's "olympic standard" or not
@aryrupp I'm sorry, not graceful??? I can't quite fathom how any one skater could become any more graceful than Oksana in this program. Mayhap you should look up the definition of the word graceful, LOL!!
she is NOT honest. everything she does is either to look extravagant or to look cutesie. oksana should sit down before she farts away her whole fucking career... what's left of it
I'm not a huge fan of Baiul and didn't care for her LP in '94 but this is one of the greatest SP in my time watching figure skating (which is about 30 years)
Oksana was magic here, and for a few years later. The 1995 season was built around her, but she had an injury (I think something ripped in her her knee) but still she had to appear in all these scheduled events. I think this was far more serious than the public knew, and she went downhill from there. She never really got the chance to show what she could do as a mature skater. And her change of country, being a sudden media star, was no good for her. Luv, to the Oksana of now.
Baiul's SP in 1993 was nearly a masterpiece...this isn't on the same level. The choreography here doesn't blend all of the technical elements into the music with purpose. Her expression goes unnecessarily over the top at times as well (the huge, plastic grin after the Layback spin is off-putting). Look at how she ends the program too - that series of movements is very manic and they keep going after the music has stopped. Not good.
Also, that headpiece she is wearing is truly ugly.
3 two-footed landings in two performances, playing to and paying the judges and a big cow-face at the end and there's one of the most undeserving Olympic champions in history....congratulations Nancy, the true Olympic Gold Medalist of 1994. Those of us who actually know skating know the truth! Cowsana Mool sucks!
she looked like a ballerina in here, as any russians are. (though i don' t think she is a russian, i think she had very similar qualities) that's the reason why i love her so much. having the most difficult jumps isn't the most important if your artistry is not excellent enough in this sport indeed. that's how she won the olympics.
The scoring system has changed dramatically, so you can't really compare skaters from different periods. I agree this short program of Oksana has better artistry than the short program of Yuna but if they were to compete today, then Yuna would still win because of her technical ability. Today's scoring system is much more strict on technical aspects and Oksana's technical aspects aren't as strong as Yuna's. In fact, Yuna is the best technician of all time.
@todpose In old scoring system Asada would be considered to be the best technician, cuz she can do two triple-triple combinations and 3A in one program. In old system no one cared about full rotation, so I don't think Yuna would have been better (unless Kim tried to do 3A- I've heard she landed it few times). Female skating has improved since 1994 a lot (in terms of technique). I don't think oksana could win with Mao and Yuna- they are too strong
Not only would Oksana's two foot lutz not come anywhere close to beating Yuna's huge lutz, but even for '94 standards Oksana's footwork was a JOKE! Look at that circular sequence; it's all 3 turns!
@carriecmu0503 The sport has evolved, this was 1994! And in those days she was top class. I still prefer watching this than any of the stilted, everyone-does-the-same-moves-to-rack-up-points stuff we see now -not the skaters' fault, but it's still frustrating. Theres no point making comparisons. If you go that way, skating greats like John Curry, Gordeeva & Grinkov, Torvill & Dean and many more would lose against today's skaters, just because standards have changed.
@SvetlanaMillionaya Obviously the sport has evolved. I was merely responding to the people who asked if this performance by Oksana would beat Yuna Kim. And, like I said in my comment, even for 1994 standards, elements such as her footwork were a complete joke, even for her time. Go look at Nancy, Lu, Surya, YUKA! etc footwork, and name me one other skater whose footwork sequence consisted of almost nothing but 3 turns.
@carriecmu0503 it's not just 3 turns. those are 3 turns combined with musicality, quality and the x-factor in artistry. it's pretty obvious that very few other skaters have enough artistry to get away with that; they would look silly, she looks great here. If you even know ballet at all, you would know that this is the very famous climax in Swan Lake where Odile does the famous fouettes ( repeated turns in a spot). Oksana's choreography has strong ballet essence, so the choreography was fine
If you even know ballet at all, you would know that this is the very famous climax in Swan Lake where Odile does the famous fouettes ( repeated turns in a spot). Oksana's choreography has strong ballet essence, so the choreography was fine as it was, 3 turns and all. i would cringe if she destroyed it with fancy twisty footwork just for the sake of trying to look like she's doing hard stuff. which a lot of skaters are guilty of frankly, making them look silly and struggling.
@ViVi80 That would have been good and fine if it was a ballet recital, but it was a FIGURE SKATING competition......If one wants to have a solid figure skating routine, choctaws, mohawks, counters, and rockers all need to be performed, in addition to 3 turns. There is a reason the International Skating Union has made videos of Oksana's Olympic performances as models to educate judges about what NOT to look for in a quality program.
few people have the level of true artistry like Oksana or Alexei or Ekaterina have. They are still beautiful to watch on the ice even without the triple jumps. Ekaterina's almost 40, and people still love to pay to see her beautiful skating, even without a single triple jump. i really don't imagine anyone wanting to pay to see the current skaters skate when they hit 40 - they will have nothing great left without their triple jumps. sad.
Love Oksana but she two-footed jumps in the LP, too. But, the judges didn't see them as they were completed at the far corner of the rink. In her own way, she mesmerized the judges.
Oksana wasn't always the most reliable jumper, but she was a ballerina on ice and you don't see this balletic style of women's figure skating anymore. I think Sasha Cohen came the closest to emulating this style, but her long programs were rarely clean. After Oksana, there haven't been any female skaters from Ukraine, Russia, or the former Soviet Union of this caliber. Irina Slutskaya won Olympic medals, but she didn't have the artistry.
i know... oksana still remains one if not the best european skaters out there... she has the complete package. if shes on she was absolutely great... her jumps, speed, artistry... everything... prime example her free skate for the 1994 olympics. it still remains in my mind the best skating moment of all time.
when you watch Oksana Baiul's performance you just fall in love with every move you see. the speed is tremendous, and her hands - oh - they're just awesome! that's a real talent and God's blessing for skating. Noone everafter was so interesting in Ladies' skating and the Olympics in Vancouver despite all those technical jumps were simply BORING
Oksana Baiul is easily one of my favorite skaters of all time and she always will be. I don't think anyone can doubt her artistry. But jumps were always her weakness. Figure skating is about both technical and performance quality, so I think it would be a real contest between her and the current skaters. That being said, I sometimes feel like the scoring (both old and new) is little better than mathematical voodoo. :P
I love Kim who did a fabulous job last night as did all 4 ladies. But believe this, if Oksana were on that ice last night in competition with Queen Kim, hands down, Oksana's at her best , no one would have stood a chance. I keep watching Kim's tape over and over, she did a fantastic job as did the other 4 ladies, but that's what's missing, the heart and soul, drama and special effects of figure skating. Give us another Oksana and no one will ever be able to beat her. No one.
i wonder why they dont do the spin now as they used to u. the one where they have to spin very very fast most commonly at the end of the prgram when skaters do it today its very slow not at all exciting like the skaters used to do it.
I have watched so many touching vids of her of the season 2005/2006. (Have a look at meditation from Thais). She was at her very best then. I have until now never seen a more expressive skater. She had everything. She could dance to modern as well as to classical music. She skated with her whole body, she was an actress, her hands were the most beautiful, I have ever seen. She is born to dance, born to be a ballerina not just a skater.
i know. skating during the 90's was absolutely spectacular they jumped higher had a lot more speed more artistry and overall elegance. almost all skaters during that time were good. nowadays it just seems sloppy some of them look even amateurish the quality of today is just so low compared to what it used to. it just so happens that kim yuna is the best of them all at the moment and i have to give it to her she is good great potential just needs more speed and the spin.
Not to compare with the figuaskaters of 2010 in Vancouver. No one of them can be so beautiful und expressiv like Oksana. This is the best programm I have ever seen.
Normally I couldn't care less about figure skating - don't ask how I ended up here - but this absolutely beautiful. She's magical. Not so much a figure skater as a ballerina who happens to be wearing skates.
I have watched figure skating for many years and I have never seen,before or since ANYONE that could rival this performance. Watch her hands! She skated a ballet, not a routine. She didn't look like a skater making nonsensical steps between jumps.She danced the ballet! She uses her hands like a ballerina, she gestures like a ballerina, the program had line and emotion of the music. Not just a bunch of jumps connected by nonsense. Oksana has never been equaled.
I agree that skating isn't as artistic as it used to be, but if you ask me, Johnny Weir has exceptional grace and he interprets his music very well. He also has a great personality, and maybe that's part of it too. Even if he isn't quite as artistic as the skaters of the early 90's, his routines have personality to them.
That's a winning smile at 3:22! Great program - love her signature headwear/tiaras. I remember the commentators saying that the teenage Oksana had a soft spot for ballet - and it showed. Amazing virtuosic performance - one of my faves.
I honestly thought that Tonya Harding looked like a barely capable piglet on the ice and I couldn't believe she honestly thought she had a shot againt Oksana.
Before you talk about Tonya, please know her history as a skater. She made some dumb decisions and ruined a promising career, but she was one hell of a skater. Almost noone stood a chance against her technically. She was a powerful skater with jumps that would decimate her competition leaving them sick. There were only two skaters who could land the dreaded triple axel; she was one of them. How many can do that even today? Her jumps and spins were incredible. If focused she would have medaled.
I watched her repeatedly and I do know her history. I do realize that she was apparently technically gifter. With her we have the same problem that has existed in skating for years, the line between what is technically correct and artistic. Sadly, many people lack both and simply can do one or the other. She may have been technically, but she still looked horrid on ice, IMO.
@Belle0308 ----Belle, you are soooo wrong---she never looked horrid on ice---and what a mean thing to say. She was beautiful, had a style of her own and was head and shoulders above everybody else. You sound like Nancy K. in disguise...
Look, that is my opinion. I realize that not everyone agrees. I never understood what all the fuss was and I never will. I wasn't a Nancy fan either. Never did or will think Tonya was a great skater. Sorry if that offends the "Tonya" crowd, but it is my opinion only. I am certainly no skating judge.
I checked out a Tonya video where I didn't think she looked that bad. It was the 1991 world championship. I will stand corrected that she ONCE was a goot skater, however I still think she lacked elegance.
her skating is so beautiful that it is truly an art in the highest form, not just athletics with the "artistic" thrown in. It's so beautiful that it just makes me weep.
she skates from her heart and touches everybody else's.
I agree, this is completely unparalleled and always will be.
No medal performance has ever rivaled this one, and maybe never will, for birdlike grace and exceptional beauty - and maturity. She makes everyone who has come since seem like an overweight teenager with braces, little cloddish and sweaty.
I didn't care for Baiul's LP but I think this is one of the best ladies programs ever performed in modern Olympic competition - its absolutely stunning - comparable to anything Kwan has done and from me that's saying a lot.
I would have dinged her for the two-foot landing on the lutz-and given her straight 6.0's. for artistic impression. I would have given Kerrigan higher technical marks and given her about 5.4-5.5 for artistic impression because she was no where in the same league as Oksana artistically.
@dsrtflwr I was enchanted by Oksana the moment I saw her at '93 Euros. She was magical and I was so happy she won the Olympics. I didn't like Kerrigan anyway. If she hadn't bombed '93 Worlds there would have been 3 slots open at the Olympics not just 2.
Actually, you're mistaken. The fact that the other two Americans didn't finish above 13th place meant we couldn't have had three ladies in the Lillehammer games, period. Even if Nancy had finished first, we wouldn't have qualified for three Olympic spots.
I didn't even know there were 3 Americans at that years Worlds-and I thought under that system the ladies who medalled got 3 spots for their countries. That was my understanding at the time-and that later they came up with the system where the skaters had to total 13.
I remember watching this ..she was brilliant .. and I think what made it even more exciting was the fact she came out of no where.. and it was like watching the ugly duckling turn into a swan.. Nancy had been talked about soo much and what happened with Tanya .. it just made Oksana's win that much sweeter. ( and no I dont think Oksana is ugly in any way.. just a comparison of the amount of awe..which took place.) She deserved it ..
Nancy should have won the Gold..She was robbed and anyone with two eyes and a basic understanding of figure skating would have saw that. Oksana, two footed her combo in the short, she two footed her flip and combo in the long( her combo was also easier then Nancy's 3tl-3tl &3s-2dt) Sorry but she knew she was robbed and I know I would have had a hard time being gracious about it as well
The only people who cared for Nancy were the rigid stiff people with no sense of rhythm whatsoever. The kind of people who dance and clap all off-beat, but don't know it. Serious, that's why they thought she was good.
To compare the two is ludicrous. Oksana was brilliant!!!
@youariston I agree she was so much better then Nancy, she is a true artist! Perfection! Feels the song and the emotion in the routine. I liked Nancy but was blown away by Oksana!
hows she better in EVERY aspect? ol drunkard here made many technical mistakes including a very clear 2 foot on her lutz in this sp. ill readily admit shes far superior in artistry to almost anyone that has ever skated including todays current stars. sadly ms drunks technical mistakes get ignored cos people are mesmerized by balletic moves which is NOT fair judging. even if oksy from 94 were to skate today shed still suffer in the tech scores with those mistakes. this is a sport not the ballet.
@youariston as an American I have to say in Nancy's defense she was not as far behind Oksana as you say.... to me anyway. BUT Oksana won without a doubt!
There's nothing 'only' about artistry, hers or anyone else's. Besides, a two-footed lutz never put anyone in 4th place when it's their one mistake. Anyone who knows more than basics of skating knows technical elements are not restricted to the jumps that dazzle the crowds. Look up edges, interconnecting footwork, consistent speed, variations...she does them well. And artistry counts for almost 2/3 of overall marks.Skating isn't an easily quantifiable sport...or we wouldn't have disagreements!
There will never be a more talented skater than Oksana. Isabelle Duchesnay said it right, she was the only one you never got tired to watch. Her artistic skills are unmatched until now. Her arms are from heaven. In her best time between 2004 and 2005 she was incomparable, she could do everything to every music. I remember a piece from Les Sylphides, it was breathtaking. Hopefully I will be able to watch it on you tube one day. That said, I am very disappointed of what has become of Oksana.
@staronella That is funny that you said that, because I was just thinking that most skaters are boring to watch, except for Oksana. She brought something no one else ever has, or ever will to the ice.
Wow, this brings back memories! I just watched Nancy Kerrigan's short program, and to be honest, Nancy was no match for Oksana. Sure, Oksana made errors in this program -- for example, she two-footed her combination jump. But her speed, her moves, her artistry, and her overall athletic prowess made her a much better skater than Nancy.
Oksana owns the ice. Yes, other skaters have had better technique, but she is truly an artist and performer. I think her short program is the closest to perfection I have ever seen. It's a shame she no longer skates at that level, but like I said, she is still a captivating performer.
You're right Tara was perfection. But why don't you like Kerrigan? She may not have been as elegant or graceful as Oksana, but she skated with a crisp sophistication and was a technical phenom.
This comment has received too many negative votesshow
I didn't care for the way she acted at the medal presentation.... I didn't care for some of her snippy comments either. She's awfully gullible in front of the camera.
Well I understand that. But Nancy was young at the time and upset over her loss. She and Oksana were so close in the marks she felt kind of cheated, as I or you would have felt. I mean either lady could have won. However, that was years ago. Nancy has changed with age. She has grown, even her skating and performances have changed. She seems more care free now, and has knock that chip she once carried around off her shoulders. Both are incredible to me!
She did win gold, this was her SP though so there still was the LP to go.
The music is from Tchaikovsky's ballet 'Swan Lake', most of it is an edit from the Pas De Deux in Act 1, but the first 10 seconds are from another part of the same ballet, sorry can't remember which!
tears to my eyes it was beautiful performance
MrCoffeefreak2010 2 weeks ago
I remember watching this live and thinking this is the most beautiful performance I have ever seen. Sorry Nancy... You're gonna lose ;-)
itzjoeymac 3 weeks ago
Just watched the movie about her on the Halmark Channel! OMGoodness absolutely amazing story!
saltandlight4him 1 month ago
@saltandlight4him I saw that too
itzjoeymac 3 weeks ago
She still has my crying!
RoseWood1488 1 month ago
Could anyone please tell me the music? It is almost as good as the performance. :D
StStefans 2 months ago
@StStefans Arrangements of Swan Lake by Tchaikovsky (Black Swan Pas De Deux and Odile Coda)
syissa92 1 month ago
wow she had such a speed and grace..very powerful performance in this one...wow...not even the women figure skaters today can achieve this much grace and speed at the same time like she has..that's a fact for sure!
SLuMberMoOn7 2 months ago
GORGEOUS!
MaddyAgAnny 4 months ago
Ukraine had it going on in the early to mid 90's! Gold for Gutsu in Barcelona, Baiul in Lillehammer, and Podkopayeva in Atlanta.... good for them!
championtaurussan 4 months ago
@Faeryquene, im sorry it annoys you. It doesn't annoy me. The typical lament is that baiul stole the medal. Just pointing out what's out there. While I agree that oksana won I don't think it was by the a majority and I im pretty sure there was bias. Either way, we will never know. Long live the olympic champion Oksana Baiul
ferdyspears 4 months ago
i love her smile at 1:58
lowdaisy1 4 months ago
What ever happened to the great European skaters!!!!!!!!!
MrDonluismario 4 months ago
Adoreable!
vivecaask 4 months ago
MY AUNT INTRODUCED ME TO THIS
eep853 4 months ago
I loved Oksana's skating from age 15 to 18. This SP is one of the greatest of all times, IMO. I was lucky enough to see her perform it live at skate America in 1993, and she was just 15 then. She was an amazing skater/artist.
NashfanVash 5 months ago
I'm just glad the scoring standards of the time allowed for Baiul to place second and contend for the Olympic gold medal. I so wanted her to win-and she did! Nancy had lovely moments, superior jumps, etc. but Oksana was enchanting, her performances magical, a Ukrainian Fairy out there. I remember even President Bill Clinton thought Oksana was better when asked lol!! I imagine alot of less informed viewers who don't know much about figure skating thought the same based on her performance quality.
faeryquene 5 months ago
Beautiful!
maracuyaicecream 7 months ago
Her on-ice moves are SO characteristic of their ballet equivalents that it's amazing. She's not perfect, but she brings this classic ballet interpretation to the ice--SO hard to do.
manderson610 7 months ago 3
every human area gets a Genius every 30-50 years
Oksana is a Figure Skating Genius and we are very lucky to live the same time with Oksana !!!
mvy2k 7 months ago 2
17 Years later and stil no one can touch this. No one in our lifetimes will be able to express artistry the way this singular performance did. Regardless of whether you like oksana or think she stole a medal from nancy kerrigan doesn't matter. What does is that this little girl is breathtaking here and its mastery is unrivaled. This is why sport exist!
ferdyspears 9 months ago 12
@ferdyspears It annoys me when people say Oksana 'stole' the gold medal from Nancy. She didn't steal anything, anymore than Tara Lipinski 'stole' the gold from Michelle Kwan four years later. The gold was awarded to them by a majority of the judges fair and square.
faeryquene 5 months ago
Who could dislike this??? This is breathtaking!
The1GenericUsername 9 months ago
Even though she double footed the triple toe this was a spectacular performance ...
JUNGLEJIMY123 9 months ago
Whatever you think of her, the chick could sell a program.
mlc2005 9 months ago
i keep on thinking that her dying swan, swan lake and black swan programs are the same . . .
IcySasha 9 months ago
I'm not a huge Baiul fan but this was one of the most absolutely exquisite SP ever - For me I'd say this and Kwan's Romanza are among the top 5 - I'll leave the rest open - but those two are incomparable.
Chutson353 9 months ago
Im sorry, did she only do a double flip?
Imogence 10 months ago
@Imogence Yes, back then the rules for the short were different to now. The double flip was a set jump and had to be performed. It was only towards the end of the 90's/early 2000's that the rules were changed to allow an optional jump on its own not in combination. Likewise back then one of the jumps in the combo was specified, this year (1994) it was double toe loop. The rules were less flexible then.
npe1 9 months ago 2
this commentator was so funny. i don't think she saw Oksanas first jump, triple lutz, was two footed, otherweise she would have found it very good.
roderickingermany 10 months ago
wukalar76 10 months ago
Who on earth could give this performance a thumbs down?
dizneegirl76 11 months ago
wow
who1cares 11 months ago
This is the first time I've seen this since I saw it live in 1994. I've watched a lot of skating in my life, but only a few performances just stick with you. This is one of them.
Floatie114 11 months ago 4
She's a real swan! So beautiful, feminine, elegant skating! I love this program, and I've never seen anything such beautiful as this performance!
slavaro1992 11 months ago 2
anyone know who choreagraph this program?
lowellhales 1 year ago
@lowellhales Her coach Galina Zmievskaya, with help from an Ukrainan ballet dancer whose name I can't recall just now unfortunately...
SvetlanaMillionaya 10 months ago
One of the very best SP ever in the history of Ladies Olympic Figure Skating!
rickram1961 1 year ago
beutiful
kimosa1127 1 year ago
is katarina witt commentating?
koolaidnhemlock 1 year ago
@koolaidnhemlock no. it wasn't Katarina Witt. This commentator must be from Austria, according to her German. Katarina has got another german accent. By the way, ORF is the Österreicher Runkfunk from Asutria.
roderickingermany 10 months ago
When I feel depressed, I always watch this magical performance....it brings hope...and faith in humanity..
FrenchExpat1 1 year ago
A true ballerina on ice. She is no robot cranking out every jump and move to score points. She is living and breathing artistry itself.
plumeria66 1 year ago
I don't care what anyone says. This is still a rad short program. I love the toe work at the beginning and the soft arm movements.
skau10 1 year ago
Shes my fav.
moonriens 1 year ago
She defines humanity.......
FrenchExpat1 1 year ago
I love this program
gladamour 1 year ago
i dont think i've cried so much when i watched the movie based on her life. i couldnt imagine being an orphan and homeless. she truly overcame the odds!
girlygirlx0 1 year ago
Artistic and Amazing!
101Qoo 1 year ago
She has to be one of the best skaters I have ever seen...
Gitsie007 1 year ago
I <3 OKSANA!!!!!!!!
bredebo100 1 year ago
there's something very refined and yet also very wild about her skating... it's very refreshing to watch regardless of whether it's "olympic standard" or not
ilikeatingcats 1 year ago
really nice choreography but she's not graceful
aryrupp 1 year ago
@aryrupp I'm sorry, not graceful??? I can't quite fathom how any one skater could become any more graceful than Oksana in this program. Mayhap you should look up the definition of the word graceful, LOL!!
russiaboy58 3 months ago
she is NOT honest. everything she does is either to look extravagant or to look cutesie. oksana should sit down before she farts away her whole fucking career... what's left of it
TracyAndersonFoxhunt 1 year ago
I'm not a huge fan of Baiul and didn't care for her LP in '94 but this is one of the greatest SP in my time watching figure skating (which is about 30 years)
Chutson353 1 year ago 15
懐かしいですね～
自分もバレエ習っていたのでこれを見た時は
「わ～本当にまんまバレエだ～」と魅入りました。
白鳥湖の振りが随所に。しかも上手。
美しい中にもスピード感があるのもいいですね。
hana81018 1 year ago
Oksana was magic here, and for a few years later. The 1995 season was built around her, but she had an injury (I think something ripped in her her knee) but still she had to appear in all these scheduled events. I think this was far more serious than the public knew, and she went downhill from there. She never really got the chance to show what she could do as a mature skater. And her change of country, being a sudden media star, was no good for her. Luv, to the Oksana of now.
ja3399 1 year ago 3
Does she still skate? How old was she here? She looks like a teenager.
gingermist21 1 year ago
@gingermist21 Sixteen
snowballwannabe 1 year ago
Baiul's SP in 1993 was nearly a masterpiece...this isn't on the same level. The choreography here doesn't blend all of the technical elements into the music with purpose. Her expression goes unnecessarily over the top at times as well (the huge, plastic grin after the Layback spin is off-putting). Look at how she ends the program too - that series of movements is very manic and they keep going after the music has stopped. Not good.
Also, that headpiece she is wearing is truly ugly.
Zuranthium 1 year ago
3 two-footed landings in two performances, playing to and paying the judges and a big cow-face at the end and there's one of the most undeserving Olympic champions in history....congratulations Nancy, the true Olympic Gold Medalist of 1994. Those of us who actually know skating know the truth! Cowsana Mool sucks!
twilliger123 1 year ago
@twilliger123 Lol. Bitter much?
faeryquene 1 year ago
@faeryquene Go fuck yourself with a skate blade, faeryCUNT
twilliger123 1 year ago
@twilliger123 Lol. There is something desperately wrong with you. But you ARE entertaining psycho. :b
faeryquene 1 year ago
At least she deserved that gold!
A350Airways 1 year ago
I like her smile when jumps are clean!
liuhuajj 1 year ago
I like her smile when jumps are clean!
liuhuajj 1 year ago
she looked like a ballerina in here, as any russians are. (though i don' t think she is a russian, i think she had very similar qualities) that's the reason why i love her so much. having the most difficult jumps isn't the most important if your artistry is not excellent enough in this sport indeed. that's how she won the olympics.
yellowbanana104 1 year ago
does she two foot the first jump???? with today's scoring system, that would be a truly costly error.......
checkerboardkid 1 year ago
The double axel at 1:40 is beautiful too
sk8412c 1 year ago
i don't watch ice skating but I remember her
saifulizhan 1 year ago
is it tchaikovsky? or what?
Gezemice93 1 year ago
which music is it? tchaikovsky or ... ?
Gezemice93 1 year ago
she is absolutely amazing. I wonder if this perforance would beat Yuna kim's short program if performed at 2010 olympics.
eddiespaghettiify 1 year ago
The scoring system has changed dramatically, so you can't really compare skaters from different periods. I agree this short program of Oksana has better artistry than the short program of Yuna but if they were to compete today, then Yuna would still win because of her technical ability. Today's scoring system is much more strict on technical aspects and Oksana's technical aspects aren't as strong as Yuna's. In fact, Yuna is the best technician of all time.
todpose 1 year ago 2
@todpose In old scoring system Asada would be considered to be the best technician, cuz she can do two triple-triple combinations and 3A in one program. In old system no one cared about full rotation, so I don't think Yuna would have been better (unless Kim tried to do 3A- I've heard she landed it few times). Female skating has improved since 1994 a lot (in terms of technique). I don't think oksana could win with Mao and Yuna- they are too strong
1swan2aranjuez 1 year ago
@eddiespaghettiify
Not only would Oksana's two foot lutz not come anywhere close to beating Yuna's huge lutz, but even for '94 standards Oksana's footwork was a JOKE! Look at that circular sequence; it's all 3 turns!
carriecmu0503 1 year ago
@carriecmu0503 The sport has evolved, this was 1994! And in those days she was top class. I still prefer watching this than any of the stilted, everyone-does-the-same-moves-to-rack-up-points stuff we see now -not the skaters' fault, but it's still frustrating. Theres no point making comparisons. If you go that way, skating greats like John Curry, Gordeeva & Grinkov, Torvill & Dean and many more would lose against today's skaters, just because standards have changed.
SvetlanaMillionaya 1 year ago
@SvetlanaMillionaya Obviously the sport has evolved. I was merely responding to the people who asked if this performance by Oksana would beat Yuna Kim. And, like I said in my comment, even for 1994 standards, elements such as her footwork were a complete joke, even for her time. Go look at Nancy, Lu, Surya, YUKA! etc footwork, and name me one other skater whose footwork sequence consisted of almost nothing but 3 turns.
carriecmu0503 1 year ago
@carriecmu0503 it's not just 3 turns. those are 3 turns combined with musicality, quality and the x-factor in artistry. it's pretty obvious that very few other skaters have enough artistry to get away with that; they would look silly, she looks great here. If you even know ballet at all, you would know that this is the very famous climax in Swan Lake where Odile does the famous fouettes ( repeated turns in a spot). Oksana's choreography has strong ballet essence, so the choreography was fine
ViVi80 1 year ago 2
@carriecmu0503
If you even know ballet at all, you would know that this is the very famous climax in Swan Lake where Odile does the famous fouettes ( repeated turns in a spot). Oksana's choreography has strong ballet essence, so the choreography was fine as it was, 3 turns and all. i would cringe if she destroyed it with fancy twisty footwork just for the sake of trying to look like she's doing hard stuff. which a lot of skaters are guilty of frankly, making them look silly and struggling.
ViVi80 1 year ago
@ViVi80 That would have been good and fine if it was a ballet recital, but it was a FIGURE SKATING competition......If one wants to have a solid figure skating routine, choctaws, mohawks, counters, and rockers all need to be performed, in addition to 3 turns. There is a reason the International Skating Union has made videos of Oksana's Olympic performances as models to educate judges about what NOT to look for in a quality program.
carriecmu0503 1 year ago
@carriecmu0503
few people have the level of true artistry like Oksana or Alexei or Ekaterina have. They are still beautiful to watch on the ice even without the triple jumps. Ekaterina's almost 40, and people still love to pay to see her beautiful skating, even without a single triple jump. i really don't imagine anyone wanting to pay to see the current skaters skate when they hit 40 - they will have nothing great left without their triple jumps. sad.
ViVi80 1 year ago 3
名作品よね。けりがんはこんなパフォーマンスできなかったわ。
michellebro1 1 year ago 3
love the headpiece and dress!....or should i say tutu? =)
laudese 1 year ago
彼女が王冠をつけてバレエの演技をした時の衝撃といったらなかったわ！ここまで氷上バレエをしたスケーターっていなかったもの！
今見ても素晴らしいパフォーマンスね！感激だわ！！！！！
Okama55GO 1 year ago 24
@Okama55GO あたいもそう思う。彼女はartist,dancer,ballerinaなのよ。
もっと日本に来てほしいわ！Welcome to Japan!
onabeboy 1 year ago
Love Oksana but she two-footed jumps in the LP, too. But, the judges didn't see them as they were completed at the far corner of the rink. In her own way, she mesmerized the judges.
mpjrdldn 1 year ago
It was her artistic scores that really boosted.
Remember, she was also injured when she skated as well.
KissOfCyanide 1 year ago
she brought beauty and story to the rink for the 1st time. before that most skaters were just collecting points by jumping and spinning. this is art!
smurfiennes 1 year ago
Oksana has the jumps, but she just doesn't have the choreography. I don't think this matched Nancy Kerrigan in any way, except for the better jumps.
blue4t 1 year ago
I don't care about two-foot landing
6.0
b2367 1 year ago
Oksana wasn't always the most reliable jumper, but she was a ballerina on ice and you don't see this balletic style of women's figure skating anymore. I think Sasha Cohen came the closest to emulating this style, but her long programs were rarely clean. After Oksana, there haven't been any female skaters from Ukraine, Russia, or the former Soviet Union of this caliber. Irina Slutskaya won Olympic medals, but she didn't have the artistry.
avocate201 1 year ago
i know... oksana still remains one if not the best european skaters out there... she has the complete package. if shes on she was absolutely great... her jumps, speed, artistry... everything... prime example her free skate for the 1994 olympics. it still remains in my mind the best skating moment of all time.
kanzaki88 1 year ago
@avocate201 Sasha's lines and extensions are far better than Oksana's, not to mention the balletic perfection of her posture and moves in general.
snowballwannabe 1 year ago
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when you watch Oksana Baiul's performance you just fall in love with every move you see. the speed is tremendous, and her hands - oh - they're just awesome! that's a real talent and God's blessing for skating. Noone everafter was so interesting in Ladies' skating and the Olympics in Vancouver despite all those technical jumps were simply BORING
SmbsHeadache 1 year ago
Oksana Baiul is easily one of my favorite skaters of all time and she always will be. I don't think anyone can doubt her artistry. But jumps were always her weakness. Figure skating is about both technical and performance quality, so I think it would be a real contest between her and the current skaters. That being said, I sometimes feel like the scoring (both old and new) is little better than mathematical voodoo. :P
BelovedBitterSea 1 year ago
Oksana's genius is clear here, but she two-footed her first lutz. that would have put her behind mao and yuna after the short program..... sorry...
MrFrenchBulldog 1 year ago
I love Kim who did a fabulous job last night as did all 4 ladies. But believe this, if Oksana were on that ice last night in competition with Queen Kim, hands down, Oksana's at her best , no one would have stood a chance. I keep watching Kim's tape over and over, she did a fantastic job as did the other 4 ladies, but that's what's missing, the heart and soul, drama and special effects of figure skating. Give us another Oksana and no one will ever be able to beat her. No one.
ssminor 1 year ago 2
i wonder why they dont do the spin now as they used to u. the one where they have to spin very very fast most commonly at the end of the prgram when skaters do it today its very slow not at all exciting like the skaters used to do it.
kanzaki88 1 year ago
@kanzaki88 MY THOUGHT EXACTLY. That's one of the parts I loved most!!
alienbanana 1 year ago
I have watched so many touching vids of her of the season 2005/2006. (Have a look at meditation from Thais). She was at her very best then. I have until now never seen a more expressive skater. She had everything. She could dance to modern as well as to classical music. She skated with her whole body, she was an actress, her hands were the most beautiful, I have ever seen. She is born to dance, born to be a ballerina not just a skater.
staronella 1 year ago
I'm not a skating expert, but this looks better than what ever that record breaking Korean skater did last night.
bos78 1 year ago
i know. skating during the 90's was absolutely spectacular they jumped higher had a lot more speed more artistry and overall elegance. almost all skaters during that time were good. nowadays it just seems sloppy some of them look even amateurish the quality of today is just so low compared to what it used to. it just so happens that kim yuna is the best of them all at the moment and i have to give it to her she is good great potential just needs more speed and the spin.
kanzaki88 1 year ago
Not to compare with the figuaskaters of 2010 in Vancouver. No one of them can be so beautiful und expressiv like Oksana. This is the best programm I have ever seen.
simsa21 1 year ago 2
yes, a ballerina. No one else like her, at that level of grace & artistry.
liananette 1 year ago
Normally I couldn't care less about figure skating - don't ask how I ended up here - but this absolutely beautiful. She's magical. Not so much a figure skater as a ballerina who happens to be wearing skates.
Please tell me she won.
galenaie 1 year ago
I have watched figure skating for many years and I have never seen,before or since ANYONE that could rival this performance. Watch her hands! She skated a ballet, not a routine. She didn't look like a skater making nonsensical steps between jumps.She danced the ballet! She uses her hands like a ballerina, she gestures like a ballerina, the program had line and emotion of the music. Not just a bunch of jumps connected by nonsense. Oksana has never been equaled.
emorrisIV 1 year ago 4
I completely agree.
Belle0308 1 year ago
What an exquisite, ethereal skater she was.
oneoriginalthought 1 year ago
@johnnyblack1974
I agree that skating isn't as artistic as it used to be, but if you ask me, Johnny Weir has exceptional grace and he interprets his music very well. He also has a great personality, and maybe that's part of it too. Even if he isn't quite as artistic as the skaters of the early 90's, his routines have personality to them.
100Percent2Nothing 1 year ago 2
a-frickin-mazing!!
znasmom 1 year ago
Hopefully Lysacek's win over Plushenko will help prevent figure skaters from becoming "acrobats on ice"
octopussy1234 1 year ago
Awesome way to put it! I thought that Plushenko's performance lacked fire. It was maybe technically spot on, but I feel you need both.
Belle0308 1 year ago
tonya looked like ms.piggy on ice compare to oksana.
m1kenas 1 year ago 7
That's a winning smile at 3:22! Great program - love her signature headwear/tiaras. I remember the commentators saying that the teenage Oksana had a soft spot for ballet - and it showed. Amazing virtuosic performance - one of my faves.
anniebhier 1 year ago 2
I honestly thought that Tonya Harding looked like a barely capable piglet on the ice and I couldn't believe she honestly thought she had a shot againt Oksana.
Belle0308 1 year ago
Before you talk about Tonya, please know her history as a skater. She made some dumb decisions and ruined a promising career, but she was one hell of a skater. Almost noone stood a chance against her technically. She was a powerful skater with jumps that would decimate her competition leaving them sick. There were only two skaters who could land the dreaded triple axel; she was one of them. How many can do that even today? Her jumps and spins were incredible. If focused she would have medaled.
ThePharaoho 1 year ago
I watched her repeatedly and I do know her history. I do realize that she was apparently technically gifter. With her we have the same problem that has existed in skating for years, the line between what is technically correct and artistic. Sadly, many people lack both and simply can do one or the other. She may have been technically, but she still looked horrid on ice, IMO.
Belle0308 1 year ago
@Belle0308 ----Belle, you are soooo wrong---she never looked horrid on ice---and what a mean thing to say. She was beautiful, had a style of her own and was head and shoulders above everybody else. You sound like Nancy K. in disguise...
lifevorce 1 year ago
Look, that is my opinion. I realize that not everyone agrees. I never understood what all the fuss was and I never will. I wasn't a Nancy fan either. Never did or will think Tonya was a great skater. Sorry if that offends the "Tonya" crowd, but it is my opinion only. I am certainly no skating judge.
Belle0308 1 year ago
I checked out a Tonya video where I didn't think she looked that bad. It was the 1991 world championship. I will stand corrected that she ONCE was a goot skater, however I still think she lacked elegance.
Belle0308 1 year ago
her skating is so beautiful that it is truly an art in the highest form, not just athletics with the "artistic" thrown in. It's so beautiful that it just makes me weep.
she skates from her heart and touches everybody else's.
I agree, this is completely unparalleled and always will be.
beckylink 1 year ago 15
No medal performance has ever rivaled this one, and maybe never will, for birdlike grace and exceptional beauty - and maturity. She makes everyone who has come since seem like an overweight teenager with braces, little cloddish and sweaty.
pinkdrink 1 year ago 3
$10 says scott hamilton would wear that outfit
Vomear 1 year ago
I didn't care for Baiul's LP but I think this is one of the best ladies programs ever performed in modern Olympic competition - its absolutely stunning - comparable to anything Kwan has done and from me that's saying a lot.
Chutson353 1 year ago 4
I would have dinged her for the two-foot landing on the lutz-and given her straight 6.0's. for artistic impression. I would have given Kerrigan higher technical marks and given her about 5.4-5.5 for artistic impression because she was no where in the same league as Oksana artistically.
faeryquene 2 years ago
Nancy was so mechanical and emotionless (she can't help it though; she's from New England).
Oksana is one of the few (perhaps the only) female figure skater who can actually dance. Beautiful and artistic in every way.
dsrtflwr 2 years ago 9
@dsrtflwr I was enchanted by Oksana the moment I saw her at '93 Euros. She was magical and I was so happy she won the Olympics. I didn't like Kerrigan anyway. If she hadn't bombed '93 Worlds there would have been 3 slots open at the Olympics not just 2.
faeryquene 2 years ago
Actually, you're mistaken. The fact that the other two Americans didn't finish above 13th place meant we couldn't have had three ladies in the Lillehammer games, period. Even if Nancy had finished first, we wouldn't have qualified for three Olympic spots.
caseyphx 1 year ago
I didn't even know there were 3 Americans at that years Worlds-and I thought under that system the ladies who medalled got 3 spots for their countries. That was my understanding at the time-and that later they came up with the system where the skaters had to total 13.
faeryquene 1 year ago
@faeryquene
yep. Lisa Ervin finished 13th, and Tania Kwiatkowski didn't make it out of the qualifying round. it was a rough year for the U.S.
caseyphx 1 year ago
Good lawd-I had forgotten about poor Lisa Ervin! Yeah-horrible year for ladies of Team USA to say the least.
faeryquene 1 year ago
Do you recall why Tonya Harding was not there?
faeryquene 1 year ago
Tonya supposedly had a cold and only landed two clean triples. She finished fourth.
caseyphx 1 year ago
I remember watching this ..she was brilliant .. and I think what made it even more exciting was the fact she came out of no where.. and it was like watching the ugly duckling turn into a swan.. Nancy had been talked about soo much and what happened with Tanya .. it just made Oksana's win that much sweeter. ( and no I dont think Oksana is ugly in any way.. just a comparison of the amount of awe..which took place.) She deserved it ..
Zenoah1 2 years ago
This comment has received too many negative votes show
kind of a boring routine, and her lines aren't that stellar.
jrt31169 2 years ago
Отлично!
TheAljonochka 2 years ago
Nancy should have won the Gold..She was robbed and anyone with two eyes and a basic understanding of figure skating would have saw that. Oksana, two footed her combo in the short, she two footed her flip and combo in the long( her combo was also easier then Nancy's 3tl-3tl &3s-2dt) Sorry but she knew she was robbed and I know I would have had a hard time being gracious about it as well
fortenatascha 2 years ago
perfect!!
chiarathegreat 2 years ago 3
the best performance ever on ice for me.
neorquino 2 years ago 4
Oksana was far superior to Nancy in every aspect.
The only people who cared for Nancy were the rigid stiff people with no sense of rhythm whatsoever. The kind of people who dance and clap all off-beat, but don't know it. Serious, that's why they thought she was good.
To compare the two is ludicrous. Oksana was brilliant!!!
youariston 2 years ago 15
@youariston I agree she was so much better then Nancy, she is a true artist! Perfection! Feels the song and the emotion in the routine. I liked Nancy but was blown away by Oksana!
suburbandweller 2 years ago 2
hows she better in EVERY aspect? ol drunkard here made many technical mistakes including a very clear 2 foot on her lutz in this sp. ill readily admit shes far superior in artistry to almost anyone that has ever skated including todays current stars. sadly ms drunks technical mistakes get ignored cos people are mesmerized by balletic moves which is NOT fair judging. even if oksy from 94 were to skate today shed still suffer in the tech scores with those mistakes. this is a sport not the ballet.
jogu78 2 years ago
Except the technical aspect.
MTVMANN 2 years ago
@youariston ITA.
faeryquene 2 years ago
@youariston as an American I have to say in Nancy's defense she was not as far behind Oksana as you say.... to me anyway. BUT Oksana won without a doubt!
itzjoeymac 1 year ago
Comment removed
jovani2293 2 years ago
There's nothing 'only' about artistry, hers or anyone else's. Besides, a two-footed lutz never put anyone in 4th place when it's their one mistake. Anyone who knows more than basics of skating knows technical elements are not restricted to the jumps that dazzle the crowds. Look up edges, interconnecting footwork, consistent speed, variations...she does them well. And artistry counts for almost 2/3 of overall marks.Skating isn't an easily quantifiable sport...or we wouldn't have disagreements!
SvetlanaMillionaya 2 years ago 6
No one could touch her... even today. The greatest jewel skating has ever known, like her or not. And I LOVE her. ;O)
gloss26 2 years ago 9
There will never be a more talented skater than Oksana. Isabelle Duchesnay said it right, she was the only one you never got tired to watch. Her artistic skills are unmatched until now. Her arms are from heaven. In her best time between 2004 and 2005 she was incomparable, she could do everything to every music. I remember a piece from Les Sylphides, it was breathtaking. Hopefully I will be able to watch it on you tube one day. That said, I am very disappointed of what has become of Oksana.
staronella 2 years ago 11
why what has become of her?
dumyhary 2 years ago
Comment removed
nomkit224 2 years ago
@staronella That is funny that you said that, because I was just thinking that most skaters are boring to watch, except for Oksana. She brought something no one else ever has, or ever will to the ice.
amberjade11 1 year ago 3
je m appelle oksana moi aussi
HytsuFTW 2 years ago
Wow, this brings back memories! I just watched Nancy Kerrigan's short program, and to be honest, Nancy was no match for Oksana. Sure, Oksana made errors in this program -- for example, she two-footed her combination jump. But her speed, her moves, her artistry, and her overall athletic prowess made her a much better skater than Nancy.
spiralshaman 2 years ago 11
Spot on comment! :)
ILoveFigures 2 years ago 3
If this program had been scored with the new scoring system, it would still have the highest score ever.
octopussy1234 2 years ago 3
Old Russian skaters were like ballet dancers. I didn't like Kerrigan either, her program was too robotic for my taste.
mamadoenut 2 years ago 8
@mamadoenut True-but Oksana is from Ukraine-not Russia. Different country. :)
faeryquene 2 years ago 2
amazing, she is the reason why i start following skating in 1999, after seeing her autobiography on tv
collegeguy15 2 years ago
Oksana owns the ice. Yes, other skaters have had better technique, but she is truly an artist and performer. I think her short program is the closest to perfection I have ever seen. It's a shame she no longer skates at that level, but like I said, she is still a captivating performer.
seruleane 2 years ago 9
This comment has received too many negative votes show
I like Sasha Cohen's spirals better
shawntaylorcassidy 2 years ago
Comment removed
seruleane 2 years ago
The Americans will never get the talent, grace and sensitivity of the European iceskaters. Oksana is simply p e r f e c t! ! !
swaingles 2 years ago
What about Kerrigan? She was great too.
ThePharaoho 2 years ago
This comment has received too many negative votes show
The only one talented American ice-skating girl has been Tara Lipinsky. She was great!
swaingles 2 years ago
You're right Tara was perfection. But why don't you like Kerrigan? She may not have been as elegant or graceful as Oksana, but she skated with a crisp sophistication and was a technical phenom.
ThePharaoho 2 years ago
Actually, I like sport performers rather than performers only. I like that kind of energy put on jumps and spins that Russians can only do.
swaingles 2 years ago
@swaingles Oksana's Ukrainian.
faeryquene 2 years ago
This comment has received too many negative votes show
I didn't care for the way she acted at the medal presentation.... I didn't care for some of her snippy comments either. She's awfully gullible in front of the camera.
MelleAndKev 2 years ago
Well I understand that. But Nancy was young at the time and upset over her loss. She and Oksana were so close in the marks she felt kind of cheated, as I or you would have felt. I mean either lady could have won. However, that was years ago. Nancy has changed with age. She has grown, even her skating and performances have changed. She seems more care free now, and has knock that chip she once carried around off her shoulders. Both are incredible to me!
ThePharaoho 2 years ago
Oksana ... so graceful and delicate yet talented. Someone like her comes *once* or *twice* in a lifetime. What a stunning performer!
sookiestackhouse2u 2 years ago 3
She did win gold, this was her SP though so there still was the LP to go.
The music is from Tchaikovsky's ballet 'Swan Lake', most of it is an edit from the Pas De Deux in Act 1, but the first 10 seconds are from another part of the same ballet, sorry can't remember which!
SvetlanaMillionaya 2 years ago