Skater Anna Shcherbakova competing at the Beijing Winter Olympics.Photo: David Ramos/Getty Images
Anna Shcherbakovais filled with bittersweet emotions following her big victory.
The Russian Olympic Committee figure skater, 17, who won gold Thursday at the2022 Winter Olympicsin Beijing, said she feels “this emptiness inside” aftertaking first placein the women’s individual event.
“It’s hard to tell. I have mixed feelings — I was very happy to be in the right time and the right place,” Shcherbakovatoldreporters. “This has been what I’ve been working toward every day. I still can’t comprehend what has happened — on one hand, I feel this emptiness inside.”
The Beijing Winter Olympic women’s figure skating medalists (from left) after Thursday’s free skate: Alexandra Trusova and Anna Shcherbakova of the Russian Olympic Committee and Japan’s Kaori Sakamoto.Matthew Stockman/Getty Images
“After I skated, I thought I had skated to my maximum and I skated to my goal,” Shcherbakovaadded. “During Kamila’s [free skate], I was just thinking the Olympics are done. I saw from her first jump what a burden it was for her — I will tell her how I feel about it personally later.”
Valieva previouslytested positivefor the drugTrimetazidine, a banned substance that is used to treat angina, a condition that causes severe pain in the chest. The Court of Arbitration for Sport announced Monday that Valievawould be allowed to compete, but the International Olympic Committee said itwould not be “appropriate"to have a medal ceremony if she placed.
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Shcherbakova won Thursday’s event with a final score of 255.95. Her ROC teammate Alexandra Trusova took silver with 251.73, while Japan’s Kaori Sakamoto placed third with 233.13.
“I don’t know what will happen tomorrow and I still don’t know what my plans are in the future, so I can’t tell you about 2026,” Shcherbakovasaid. “But I can’t imagine my life without figure skating. Today, I have achieved result that is considered the pinnacle of sport.”
To learn more about Team USA, visitTeamUSA.org. Watch the Winter Olympics, now, and the Paralympics, beginning March 4, on NBC.
source: people.com
