BEIJING, China — After a disastrous free skate performance, Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva didn't make the podium in the women's individual event and watched as two of her teammates took gold and silver.
Valieva, 15, who was the overwhelming favorite, stumbled or fell on several jumps and cried 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 competition ended with a flurry of emotion. In the minutes after the competition ended, the gold medalist was left alone with no one to celebrate with while her team and the world processed Valieva's fall from grace. Trusova was also visibly upset and angry with the result.
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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Among the U.S. skaters, Alysa Liu was the top finisher in seventh place, while Mariah Bell finished in 10th, and Karen Chen finished 16th.
The International Olympic Committee had decided that if Valieva were to medal, there would be no medal or flower ceremony for the top skaters. Because she didn't make the podium, there will be a medal ceremony for the event.
Watch gold medalist Anna Shcherbakova's free skate below:
Alysa Liu's free skate
Liu, of Richmond, Calif., was the top U.S. skater after the short program, finishing in eighth place. She skated a mostly clean performance in the free skate, giving her the best score of any U.S. skater.
She scored 139.45 points, for an overall total of 208.95.
At 16 years old, Liu was the youngest member of Team USA. She was unable to compete in the U.S. Championships due to a positive COVID test but was chosen for the Olympic team based on her overall body of work.
Mariah Bell's free skate
Bell, who grew up in Colorado and graduated from Ralston Valley High School in Arvada, was in 11th place after the short program. She had a few minor mistakes in her free skate but was happy with her performance, pumping her fists in the air when she finished.
She scored 136.92 points, for an overall total of 202.30.
Bell missed making the Olympic team in 2018 when she placed fifth at the U.S. Championships. Four years later in Nashville, she won the title. At 25 years old, she was the oldest U.S. National Champion in women's figure skating in more than 90 years.
Karen Chen's free skate
Chen, who trains in Colorado Springs, went into the free skate in 13th place. After a fall on her triple loop – the same jump that gave her trouble in her short program – she left the ice clearly disappointed with her performance.
She scored 115.82 points in the free skate, for an overall total of 179.93.
Chen is the only returning women's figure skater for the U.S., having placed 11th in the women's competition at the 2018 Pyeongchang Games. She was part of the U.S. team that won silver in the team event, behind the ROC, though the results are under investigation due to Valieva's doping test.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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