In any event, the only moment that mattered was tucked into Osmond’s two-and-a-half-minute rendition of Edith Piaf’s “Sous le ciel de Paris” and “Milord”, sur le glace , a breezy and clean performance at the Gangneung Ice Arena on Wednesday that brought the 22-year-old from Newfoundland wrinkly-nosed sniffing around the event-leading teenagers from Russia.
Maybe it rubs off on parents, especially when they come halfway around the world for the kid’s ta-da tick-tock.
So everybody in the Osmond family kind of had their “moment” — as Canadian athletes invariably describe their fragment of competition limelight, like they’ve all been processed through the same emotional-visceral-visualization sausage-maker. They speak in sports psychologist cue cards.
PYEONGCHANG, SOUTH KOREA—Just before Kaetlyn Osmond stepped on the ice to skate her short program, the Kiss-Cam caught her parents, Jackie and Jeff, in the crowd.
(The Olympic Athletes from Russia, that is to say, who have yet to cop gold in anything at Pyeongchang. But likely will in ladies single skating.)
“I am not chasing after numbers but after inner feelings,” said the 18-year-old who hadn’t lost a figure skating competition during a two-year run, until an ankle injury in late autumn. She was not delighted with her opening triple flip-triple toe combination — and by opening, we mean no jumps until past the halfway point of the routine, when they’re ascribed a 10 per cent added value, a quirk of the scoring that is being utterly exploited by the Russians.
Evgenia Medvedeva, two-time and reigning world champion, led off the final flight of lady skaters and immediately threw up a new world record score for the short, besting the world record score she already owned. Yet 81.61 seemed kind of fragile for this prodigiously talent crop of female and even Medvedeva looked under-impressed with her marks.
“I could have had a higher score if the combination would have been better,” Medvedeva observed.
World record loftiness, so what’s the prob?
Alina Zagitova was the problem, and maybe Medvedeva had an intuition about her 15-year-old compatriot, decorated as Russian champion last month, with Medvedeva still recovering.
And, yup, Zagitova stepped out there, all aflutter to “Black Swan”, laying down a new-newer-newest world record score of 82.92, with a stupendous triple Lutz-triple loop combination and incomparable throughout the entirety of the program. “I was very happy when I saw the score but I did not expect it,” said the wraith. “Now my name will be connected to that record.”
Maybe for a minute and a half, as these things have been going.
The Russian nesting dolls — Maria Sotskova the third entrant — are totally expected to finish 1-2 at these Games, though this was not the 1-2 order most had anticipated, albeit separated by just over one point.
Right up in that high order of angels, however, is Osmond, who struck a much finer routine chord than she’d contributed to Canada’s team event gold last week.
“In the team event, I had so much excitement,” she explained. “It almost shocked me, the amount of excitement that I had in the team event.”
This is not her first Olympics rodeo, after all.
“As good as I felt, I couldn’t control the jumps the way I wanted to. So in the past week since then, I’ve been focusing on keeping my jumps the same way that are every day.” Back home, which is now Edmonton, she meant. “And I grounded myself a little bit more. Still enjoyed the performance and still put myself into the program component side of my short.”
Actually, that less than self-thrilling team event short — she was third then, just like now, but now feels a lot different — “definitely” helped Osmond get her short-groove-on for Wednesday. Like a run-though for the reigning world silver medallist.
“I am very, very thrilled,” said the 22-year-old, still beaming from her 78.87 score.
“That short program has always been one of my favourites to compete — for the last two years.”
Liked it so much — helped lift her to No. 2 in the world — that she and coach Ravi decided to stick with it for the Olympics year.
“The last time, performing the short program, it didn’t go the way I wanted,” said Osmond. “So I was really excited to just go out there, enjoy every moment of it. I had to keep telling myself to relax a little bit but I felt very strong and in the moment.”
It’s a tough gig, fighting for podium space amidst those Russian ingenues — though Sotskova came a cropper at 12th — with Japan also having strong representatives and the U.S. too. But over the last couple of years, certainly since worlds, Osmond believes she can breathe the same rarefied air as the Russians.
“They’re such strong competitors. They’re always at the top of every event. So it’s really inspiring, not so much intimidating, being on the ice with them, knowing that I’m able to compete at their level.”
Just as she’ll be in the same final flight with them for Friday’s free skate competition. “It shows that I have the same strength.”
Osmond came out determinedly, attacking her jumps, feeling fitter and stronger than ever before in her life. “I wasn’t going to shy away from anything in my program. That’s the way I’ve been focusing at home, to attack every element, and leave nothing behind.”
Doubtless Gabrielle Daleman had the same idea, simply because that attack-mode style is in her DNA. But the current Canadian champion — a title wrested from Osmond in January — had one costly flub in her “Carmen”, with a over-rotation on a measly triple toe, the back end of her triple-triple combination, resulting in a hand down. Rest of the program was fine, however, earning a score of 68.90 and, ultimately, seventh in the short program.
But Daleman was seething at herself and clearly upset in the kiss’n’cry before the marks went up, even more so once they did.
“I’m very hard on myself,” said the 20-year-old from Newmarket, lips quivering. “Overall I just wasn’t happy because that’s my jump. It’s just a stupid mistake.”
Although she couldn’t put her finger on what exactly went wrong with the toe. “That’s what I’m most frustrated about. But at the end of the day, I could have let the program completely go. I have in the past. But I’m very happy how I fought everything and how I handled myself today.”
When it was suggested she was perhaps beating herself up over a minor misstep, Daleman dug in her heels. “I’m being very hard on myself but that’s who I am. To be honest, I’m going to get angry over the next few days and make sure it doesn’t happen again.”
Four Carmens in the short program, by the way. Just sayin’.
Long after many in Newfoundland and Labrador had gone to bed, those who gathered on the ice at the Kaetlyn Osmond Arena in Marystown to watch the 22-year-old's first solo skate at the 2018 Olympics didn't leave disappointed.
With the short program finished, Osmond was in 3rd place, having put forth a score of 78.87 — her best of the season.
"I'm proud. I am completely overwhelmed," her brother Gary Osmond said.
"It's just amazing to watch her skate. She does what she does with such grace. I love her."
Seasons best for @kaetlyn_23 . Lots of proud people in Marystown tonight #cbcnl pic.twitter.com/I6nr8BF2Pv — @Jeremy_Eaton
About 50 people braved the cold of the arena – and the 1:30 a.m. local start time – for a special Olympics watch party that featured a fire for roasting marshmallows, hot drinks and a fantastic routine from Osmond.
Inspiring skate
Among the fans was high school student Kayley Cheeseman, who despite having a school test on Wednesday, sat front and centre watching Osmond with a red Canadian maple leaf painted on her cheek.
"I think it's just really important to support Kaetlyn. She's doing really good and we are really proud of her."
It was a mother daughter event for the Kayley, left, and Charlotte Cheeseman. (Jeremy Eaton/CBC)
Cheeseman's mother Charlotte also took in the figure skating short program to support Newfoundland and Labrador's lone Olympian in 2018.
"She did an amazing job," Charlotte said.
"She had a perfect skate and and she's in a great position going to into her long program and we are excited for Thursday night."
Osmond effect
The Ice Crystal Skating Club in Marystown boasts a membership of about 120 skaters, a full time coach and more than 30 hours a week of ice time.
For 15-year-old Olivia Ryan, training in an arena named for Kaetyln Osmond provides incentive to work a little harder.
"We can really take after her and believe that if she can do it, so can we."
Ice Crystal competative skaters are big fans of Osmond. (Jeremy Eaton/CBC )
Ryan's younger sister Isabella is also a skater with the club. She stayed up late to watch Osmond's performance and looks up to the two-time Olympic medallist.
"She has such a great attitude when she skates," she said. "She performs out there, she enjoys herself and it gives me so much inspiration to be like her."
To celebrate Kaetlyn Osmond's skate in the Olympics the Ice Crystal Skating Club held a few skating parties on Tuesday. (Jeremy Eaton/CBC)
Despite her personal top score in the short program, Osmond still faces an uphill battle against the two Olympic Athletes from Russia.
Alina Zagitova, who turns 16 in May, set a new world record in the women's short program, scoring 82.92 points. Fellow OAR Evgenia Medvedeva sits in second with a score of 81.61.
The long program is set to get underway in PyeongChang late Thursday, or early Friday morning in Newfoundland and Labrador. Even with the late the start, more people are expected to turn up at the Kaetlyn Osmond Arena in Marystown to cheer on their local Olympian.
By Benjamin Blum, CBC Sports
Canada's Kaetlyn Osmond thrust herself into podium consideration with a strong third-place performance in the women's short program at the Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea.
The 22-year-old short program specialist from Marystown, N.L., earned a season's-best 78.87 points in the short skate for her Edith Piaf routine.
"I left nothing out on the table and I'm really glad I could do that," the 2017 world silver medallist said.
Olympic Athlete from Russia Alina Zagitova, who turns 16 in May, set a new world record in the women's short program, scoring 82.92 points to oudo the previous standard set by teammate Evgenia Medvedeva, who sits in second, earlier in the event with 81.61.
Zagitova flawlessly executed a triple Lutz triple loop off the top of her Black Swan routine, followed later by a triple flip and a double Axel. That performance put the 2017 world junior champion into first place ahead of the free program, which begins Thursday at 8 p.m. ET.
Medvedeva, the 18-year-old two-time world champion, skated to Chopin's Nocturne and briefly held the world record until Zagitova's performance. She missed the Grand Prix Final with a fractured metatarsal and told The Associated Press that her two Grand Prix wins this season were achieved on painkillers because of the break.
"I'm satisfied with my performance today. It was not my best, but it was OK," she said. "All the battle is still ahead."
Osmond in gold-medal conversation
Medvedeva had not lost a competition in two years until she was beaten by Zagitova at the European Championships in Moscow. While the two enter the free skate as gold-medal favourites, Osmond "put herself right in that [podium] conversation with that performance," CBC commentator Carol Lane said immediately after her skate.
Osmond competed in the short skate for Canada in the team event, earning gold in the process. Osmond's triple flip with a sweeping free leg drew particular praise from CBC commentator Kurt Browning, calling her "one of the most natural performers under stress."
Osmond has had a difficult journey back to Olympic ice after she broke her right fibula in two places when she swerved to avoid hitting a skater in practice in September 2014.
She finished 13th in Sochi four years ago.
"I barely remember my last Olympic experience it was such a whirlwind," said Osmond. "Here, I feel so much more mature, so much more in control and to be able to put a program like that is always much better than it was four years ago."
Daleman slips to 7th
Fellow Canadian Gabrielle Daleman of Newmarket, Ont., fell on the second half of her triple toeloop combination near the beginning of her skate, but recovered to qualify in seventh place.
The 20-year-old from Newmarket, Ont., scored 68.90 points skating to Habanera from the opera Carmen. Daleman already owns gold in the team event from these Games, guaranteeing the title for Canada with her free skate.
Browning referred to Daleman's fall as a "very uncharacteristic mistake," adding that "the rest of the program was a masterpiece."
Larkyn Austman of Coquitlam, B.C., was 0.04 points shy of qualifying for the 24-member free skate. The 19-year-old scored 51.42 while skating to Mein Herr from Cabaret.
With files from The Canadian Press and The Associated Press
