By Jennifer
What it was about:
As the new World Championship approaches, the glory of winning it in 1991
quickly fades away.
Not having a triple Axel.
Kristi Quote: "I know what I can do, and I’ve trained all year for the World Championships, and you know whether I do what people expect me to do or not, it’s OK."
A triple Axel would assure another World title:
While training a triple Axel, coach Christy Ness tells Kristi to close her eyes and visualize her doing a perfect triple Axel. Kristi falls several times, and is unfortunately unsuccessful.
On not having the triple Axel:
"I don’t think I have to absolutely land a triple Axel, because there are other sides of skating that are very important."
The History of the Triple Axel: A Wise Jump?
As Kristi later proves, not having a triple Axel was the smartest thing anyone can do. After Midori Ito was freaked out by Surya Bonaly doing a back flip right in front of her in practice, Midori lost the ability to land the triple Axel. She didn’t do it in the short program, and replaced it with a triple lutz. She fell on that in the short program, and made it harder to get a medal: she finished second. The stubborn Tonya Harding had to do the Triple Axel in the short program, because she said, "It’s my most consistent jump." Well, she fell on that in the short program, and pulled herself way down in the standings. The only woman to land the Triple Axel in the 1992 Olympics was Midori Ito in the long program, already after one failed attempt.
The first triple Axel was landed by Midori Ito at the 1989 World Championships in Paris, France (also Kristi’s first World Championships - in pairs and singles!). That triple Axel assured Midori the World title, but it was just a jumping fad. She finished second at the Worlds in 1990.
Then, in 1991, Tonya Harding became the first American woman to land a triple Axel at the 1991 Nationals. She won over heavy favorite, Kristi Yamaguchi. It seemed that Tonya and Midori - the only two women in the world doing the Triple Axel would be assured of gold and silver at the Worlds in 1991 and the Olympics in 1992. Not only is that jump spectacular when landed cleanly, but it is also devastating when not landed properly.
Despite having a clean Triple Axel at the 1991 Worlds, Tonya Harding finished second to Kristi Yamaguchi who had a beautiful program. Since the 1992 Winter Olympics, we haven’t seen the Triple Axel. Many thought Tonya Harding would try it at the 1994 Olympics, but just did a double.
However, it is inevitable that that jump will return to the World scene. Already, 12 year old National Novice champion, Elizabeth Kwon trains it with the assistance of a belt. Someday she will land it in major competition. It is also said that Brian Boitano and Elvis Stojko have taught Michelle Kwan how to do a triple Axel. As you can see, the Triple Axel will come back, but who will win: the artist or the jumper?
Use 1991 and 1992 as the protocol.
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