Figure Skaters: Quotes From the 2010 Olympic Winter Games
FEBRUARY 12
Joannie Rochette: “I am really excited to be at the Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver, at home, in my country, hearing the fans cheer. It’s an experience that I will never forget.”
Paul Poirier: “We’re standing backstage now, there’s still about an hour before we actually head out into the stadium but already, I think everyone can feel the anticipation we’re all so excited to be here and you know that the whole crowd is going to be supporting us and behind us and we can’t wait to just step out there and know that our whole country is so proud of us.”
FEBRUARY 14
Jessica Dubé, after the short program (pair):
“After the short program, we felt good. We have made a major error in the side-by-side jump. We are happy to leave it behind and to move on. On the other side, we are happy about the triple twist. It’s one of our best ones ever.”
Bryce Davison, following the short program, pairs figure skating:
“It was a really nice program. We attacked it how we wanted to, we put the emotion on that we wanted with the music. Sure we had the mistake on the side-by-side jump. Everything else that normally we are not known for was really nice. The triple twist was great, the lift was really smooth, the throw was nice. It just that jump, and now we’re looking forward to going out and skating tomorrow.”
Anabelle Langlois, following a clean short program: “It was a very good program. The crowd was amazing. We were really stressed, excited and emotional before we started to skate. With the crowd’s reaction, we regained our focus. We skated well, and we are very satisfied.”
Cody Hay following a clean short program:
This was one of the most incredible feelings, no the most incredible feeling, I’ve ever had in my life. There was nothing that could prepare you for it, and there is nothing, I don’t think, that could top it. The crowd was so supportive, it was one of the proudest moments of my life.
FEBRUARY 15
Anabelle Langlois on the long program:
“We are really happy with our program. Obviously, there are things we would have liked to do better. Overall, though, it was our best performance of the season, so it’s another step for Cody and I.”
Jessica Dubé after the pairs competition:
“Today, unfortunately, we didn’t have the performance we had hoped for. After the first mistake, things got worse and worse. We had a little trouble and we left a lot of points out there and I think that cost us.”
FEBRUARY 19
Tessa Virtue after finishing second in the compulsory dance:
“Scott and I are thrilled with our performance tonight. It was so fun to dance in front of the Canadian crowd. Who knew you could clap along to a tango romantica? That was a first! We feel very confident in our programs, they have been going really well in practice. We are really trained and really prepared.”
Paul Poirier, First experience at the Olympics, compulsory ice dance tango romantica:
It felt amazing. I can’t even describe the feeling of the support from the Canadian audience. It felt so proud to be Canadian to see how much we support our athletes. I enjoyed it so much, and I am so glad to say I am officially an Olympian. It was definitely something I enjoyed.”
Vanessa Crone – First experience at the Olympics, compulsory ice dance tango romantica:
“My first experience was amazing. The crowd definitely uplifted us, and they had so much support and love. I felt very comfortable on the ice. I feel like that was the strongest performance we’ve done in the tango romantica this season, and I couldn’t ask for anything more.”
FEBRUARY 20
Joannie Rochette:
“I have made changes in my program to adopt to the changes in rules. I think of myself as a chameleon.”
FEBRUARY 21
Scott Moir, currently in first place in ice dance
“Tessa and I are really excited about tomorrow, we really do love our free dance. We’ve loved it since the minute we heard the music. We’re just pumped about going out there again and skating in front of our Vancouver fans and our country, and try to do everyone proud.”
Tessa Virtue, in 1st place following the original dance
“Wow, we’re so pleased with that performance. That’s exactly how we’ve been training it, but magnified because of the amazing Canadian crowd. It felt wonderful. We were right in the moment delivering every element, and we sort of got lost in the program. It is a very good feeling, and it gives us a lot of confidence heading into tomorrow.”
FEBRUARY 22
Scott Moir, after winning gold:
“It’s amazing, it’s the best feeling in the world. We believed, we dreamed of this moment for a long time.”
FEBRUARY 25
Cynthia Phaneuf, her experience at the Olympic Games
“It was a good experience, and I am really happy of what I have done here. I am a little bit disappointed because I did not skate as I could, but at the same time, it is my best international mark. I know that I will have to build my confidence. That was my problem here, because I started well with the jumps I missed, and it is only at the end that I was changing my mind instead of going for it and showing self-confidence.”
