2014 World Championships - Men's Short Programme Highlights
All bets are on Yuzuru Hanyu for the Gold! The question is, now that Chan is out of the game, who will occupy the other two podium steps? Today's event might give us a clue.
Kevin Reynolds has rock music in his veins. Despite the fall on the Quad Toeloop and the step out of the Quad Salchow, this is a fabulous routine. He feels every beat of the drum and enjoys himself out there. We might have just got a glimpse of Kevin's persona when attending AC/DC concerts. His score: 68.52.
Misha Ge's routine falls short of what we expected. He lands the Triple Axel awkwardly, then falls on the Triple Toeloop and after that, the music only seems to emphasize the failure. He gets 60.34 points.
Last time we saw Jeremy Abbott skate this programme, our hearts almost stopped (remember that nasty fall in Sochi?). This time, although he still falls on the Quad Toeloop, he gets up quickly and things go smoothly from here on. He has a great posture and this music sure brings out the dancer in him. His score: 79.67.
Maxim Kovtun's routine is an excellent flamenco dance for one on ice, but as good as his body language is, he always looks worried when he skates, as if he's always planning ahead. Perhaps it's just a matter of having a bit more experience. He has a hand down on the Quad Salchow. He gets 84.66 points.
Unlike the Russian, you can see that Max Aaron is into the piece he's skating on. The only mistake is on the Triple Axel, which he almost loses control of. His score: 78.32.
Michal Brezina fiddled with his routine and it's affecting him. He puts the hand down on the Quad, falls on the Triple Flip and singles the Axel. He doesn't look alright at the end, so maybe the problem is an injury. He gets 62.25 points.
Takahiko Kozuka can be very proud of his home country. He double-foots the Quad, but manages an otherwise flawless performance. The real star though is the audience, who gives Takahiko what sounds like a personalized clapping pattern. Absolutely amazing atmosphere! His score: 85.54.
Tatsuki Machida has been in the spotlight before, but never like this. With perfect jumps and an even better interpretation of East of Eden, he gets the audience, all 18 000 of them, to stand up and cheer for him all at once. This is the best performance he's ever pulled off and it's certainly glorious. He gets 98.21 points.
We've been holding our breath for him and it's finally paying off. Tomas Verner lightens up the mood with a very believable cowboy alter-ego. His comical rendition of Dueling Banjos is impeccable. He is the second skater to receive a standing ovation today and his own reaction might just be the greatest in figure skating history. His score: 89.08.
Yuzuru Hanyu might not be as perfect as he was in the Olympics, but he manages quite an impressive programme. He falls on the Quad Toeloop, but that doesn't affect the rest of the performance. He gets 91.24 points.
Javier Fernandez keeps his cool and finishes his Satan Takes a Holiday without mistake. He does seem a bit tight, as if he's focusing harder than usually, but given what he could win here, nobody blames him for it. His score: 96.42.
Surprising victories are becoming quite common in figure skating, which goes to show what an amazingly talented generation of skaters we have. Tatsuki Machida was nowhere near the gold medal before this short programme, but in just three minutes, he's become known as one of the best. Close behind are two record-breakers trained by the same coach: Javier Fernandez and Yuzuru Hanyu.
Kevin Reynolds has rock music in his veins. Despite the fall on the Quad Toeloop and the step out of the Quad Salchow, this is a fabulous routine. He feels every beat of the drum and enjoys himself out there. We might have just got a glimpse of Kevin's persona when attending AC/DC concerts. His score: 68.52.
Misha Ge's routine falls short of what we expected. He lands the Triple Axel awkwardly, then falls on the Triple Toeloop and after that, the music only seems to emphasize the failure. He gets 60.34 points.
Maxim Kovtun's routine is an excellent flamenco dance for one on ice, but as good as his body language is, he always looks worried when he skates, as if he's always planning ahead. Perhaps it's just a matter of having a bit more experience. He has a hand down on the Quad Salchow. He gets 84.66 points.
Unlike the Russian, you can see that Max Aaron is into the piece he's skating on. The only mistake is on the Triple Axel, which he almost loses control of. His score: 78.32.
Michal Brezina fiddled with his routine and it's affecting him. He puts the hand down on the Quad, falls on the Triple Flip and singles the Axel. He doesn't look alright at the end, so maybe the problem is an injury. He gets 62.25 points.
Takahiko Kozuka can be very proud of his home country. He double-foots the Quad, but manages an otherwise flawless performance. The real star though is the audience, who gives Takahiko what sounds like a personalized clapping pattern. Absolutely amazing atmosphere! His score: 85.54.
Tatsuki Machida has been in the spotlight before, but never like this. With perfect jumps and an even better interpretation of East of Eden, he gets the audience, all 18 000 of them, to stand up and cheer for him all at once. This is the best performance he's ever pulled off and it's certainly glorious. He gets 98.21 points.We've been holding our breath for him and it's finally paying off. Tomas Verner lightens up the mood with a very believable cowboy alter-ego. His comical rendition of Dueling Banjos is impeccable. He is the second skater to receive a standing ovation today and his own reaction might just be the greatest in figure skating history. His score: 89.08.
Yuzuru Hanyu might not be as perfect as he was in the Olympics, but he manages quite an impressive programme. He falls on the Quad Toeloop, but that doesn't affect the rest of the performance. He gets 91.24 points.
Javier Fernandez keeps his cool and finishes his Satan Takes a Holiday without mistake. He does seem a bit tight, as if he's focusing harder than usually, but given what he could win here, nobody blames him for it. His score: 96.42.
Han Yan waltzes across the ice rink with great speed and masterful jumps. What truly makes this stand out is the choreography: the funny bits and his interaction with an invisible dance partner make it clear this is not your typical ballroom story. He gets 86.70 points.
Surprising victories are becoming quite common in figure skating, which goes to show what an amazingly talented generation of skaters we have. Tatsuki Machida was nowhere near the gold medal before this short programme, but in just three minutes, he's become known as one of the best. Close behind are two record-breakers trained by the same coach: Javier Fernandez and Yuzuru Hanyu.
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