“I think watching Kristi’s performance now, it’s so interesting because I can see someone who is so totally focussed on what they were doing and not so much on what the other competitors were doing,” Rippon said. Rippon called out that choreography, as well as Yamaguchi transitions, footwork and overall artistic presentation as what separated her from the rest – even without the triple Axel. “Her thing” included choreography by Canadian Olympic ice dancer Sandra Bezic, who had written Yamaguchi a note reminding her that the moment was hers to take, which she read before going onto the ice. “I think it was Kristi being like, ‘How can I separate myself from these other girls that are doing a triple Axel?' It was obvious that Kristi and her whole team had this plan." - Adam Rippon on Yamaguchi's winning strategy
It was like, ‘OK, fine, let them look at those other two and I’ll just do my thing.'" “You know, there was a lot of talk about me being the underdog and not having the triple Axel, so I used that to take some of the pressure off. “I was second at both of my international competitions: Skate America (to Harding) and (the French Grand Prix, to Ito).” “The whole competitive year heading into the Olympics, I was still seen as the underdog,” said Yamaguchi, who had swept the world podium the year prior with teammates Harding (silver) and Kerrigan (bronze). Ito was the favourite headed into Albertville. The first episode of ‘Time Machine’ addresses a myriad of storylines around 1992, including Kristi going head-to-head with Japan’s Ito, who – along with American Tonya Harding – was the only competitor to be trying the triple Axel at those Games in the women’s event. champion Tiffany Chin as her own hero: Chin, a two-time world medallist, was the first Asian American to win a singles title in the U.S. I also gained a deeper appreciation for my family, my ancestors and everything that they had gone through in order for me to live the American dream.” ‘Oh wow, what’s going on here?’ … I was able to really appreciate what it meant, particularly to the Japanese American community. “I think it was after when I received so much support and outreach from the Asian American community is when it hit me. “Honestly I just felt like another California girl that grew up (here), and I had to land a triple Lutz-triple toe,” Yamaguchi shared.
Yamaguchi was the first Asian American to win figure skating gold, and only the second Asian American woman to win an Olympic gold in any sport, following Vicki Manalo Draves’ 1948 victory in diving. Rippon’s 2018 American teammates with Asian heritage included Nathan Chen, Mirai Nagasu, Vincent Zhou, Karen Chen, Maia and Alex Shibutani and Madison Chock.
I think that you, Kristi, were a huge part of creating that movement.” “I think that those moments of representation where someone becomes the first, it leads to great things in the future as well. figure skating team was comprised of Asian Americans,” Davis reflected. “I think that you look at the moment for Kristi and then look forward to the 2018 Games in PyeongChang and so much of the U.S. I also gained a deeper appreciation for my family, my ancestors and everything that they had gone through in order for me to live the American dream.” - Yamaguchi on the meaning of 1992 gold "I was able to really appreciate what it meant, particularly to the Japanese American community. Yamaguchi was joined by Rippon to relive her glory, as well as Sochi 2014 ice dance champion Meryl Davis.
KRISTI YAMAGUCHI ICE SKATING GAME SERIES
The series will re-visit great Olympic moments of the past, and the first episode did just that with Yamaguchi beating Midori Ito and Nancy Kerrigan for gold. PyeongChang 2018 figure skating team bronze medallist Adam Rippon's comments on what Yamaguchi’s win meant to him - and many more came in a new original series, ‘Time Machine’, which debuted Saturday (17 October). Nearly 30 years later, the ripple effects of Kristi Yamaguchi’s Albertville 1992 Olympic gold are still being felt – in the United States and beyond. It means so much to young people.” - Adam Rippon “When you see someone who might not look like everyone else, might not be or might not have the same background as everyone, and you see them succeed… it means so much to young skaters.
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