Leaders tumble, and Arakawa wins Gold (AP) Updated: 2006-02-24 08:49
"I am really excited about what happened, this being my first Olympics and my
first big international. I am taking away a lot from this competition," said
Hughes, who replaced the injured Kwan and arrived in Turin just a week before
the free skate.
The other American, 16-year-old Kimmie Meissner, wound up sixth, one spot
down from her standing after the short program.
"For my first pretty big international competition and the Olympics, I think
I did pretty good," Meissner said.
Arakawa landed five triples, three in combination, and her gliding lean-back
move, performed directly in front of the judges, was particularly brilliant.
Highlighting it all was her speed, interpretation of "Violin Fantasy of
Turandot" by Puccini, and overall beauty.
The win also capped a comeback this season for Arakawa, who, after winning
the 2004 world championship, fell to ninth at last year's competition. She was
just third at the Japanese nationals this year. Then again, Sarah Hughes won the
2002 Olympics after a third-place finish at the U.S. nationals.
Arakawa sang her national anthem on the podium, then held the medal tight
while she took a victory lap — only letting go when she was handed a Japanese
flag.
Cohen also waved, but Slutskaya stood stone-faced on the podium.She looked as
though she wanted to be anywhere but the Palavela arena.
Cohen's silver was the eighth ever by an American woman and the second for
the United States in the games; ice dancers Tanith Belbin and Ben Agosto won the
other. Those were the only U.S. figure skating medals in Turin.
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