BEIJING, China — Kamila Valieva, the overwhelming favorite in the women's figure skating competition at the Winter Olympics, failed to get on the podium after a stunning collapse in her free skate program Thursday.
The 15-year-old Russian figure skater stumbled or fell on several of her jumps and was crying as she waited with her coaches for her score of 224.09, which put her in fourth place overall.
The gold medal went to Russian Anna Shcherbakova (255.95 points) and the silver to her teammate Aleksandra Trusova (251.73 points). Kaori Sakamoto of Japan took the bronze (233.13 points).
The Olympics figure skating competition has been overshadowed by the controversy around Valieva, who failed a doping test before the Olympics. The reaction has been complicated, with many saying she shouldn't have been allowed to compete while also showing sympathy for a 15-year-old girl under intense pressure and scrutiny.
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Valieva was shaky on an opening quad salchow, then stepped out on a triple axel and fell altogether on a quad toe loop-triple toe loop combination. She fell again on her other quad toe loop, keeping her from completing that combination, and spun out on another jump late in the program — though by that point, her fate was sealed.
Moments after Valieva walked between the curtains and out of the arena, workers began setting up for a flower ceremony that the International Olympic Committee said would not take place if she was in the top three.
Medals will be handed out Friday at a ceremony that would not have occurred in Beijing if Valieva had reached the podium.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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