Snowflake Tribune
"Every Story is Unique"
The Winter Olympics
1924
Olympic Rings
By: Baron Pierre de Coubertin
Figure Skating
History
Five years after the Olympics began, Sweden organized a winter competition. It was called the Nordic Games because only Scandinavian countries were involved. It was held every four years, but, unlike the Olympics, was always held in the same place every time.
When the International Olympic Committee proposed a winter competition for 1912, Sweden declined trying to keep their Nordic Games. In 1916, Germany's planned Winter Olympics and Berlin Summer Olympics were both cancelled due to WWI.
Ice hockey was added as an Olympic event in 1920 in Belgium. Canada took many of the first medals for this event. Not too long after this the International Olympic Committee finally reached an agreement with the Scandinavians about holding an International Winter Sports Week.
Because of the popularity of the Winter Games, the next go around was in Chamonix. By the time it was held in Switzerland, the games were called the Winter Olympics. So, Chamonix was technically first and St. Moritz was the second with the title of Winter Olympics.
Figure Skating
The blade on their ice skates is usually made from either carbon steel and chrome or aluminum and stainless steel. The blades can be made many different ways. There are blades with small toe picks and ones with large toe picks. The curve on the bottom of the blade can also change depending on the brand of skates.
The article below explains a little about her and her skates, as well as the owners of the store she gets her skates from.
Injuries on Ice
There are two types of injuries in figure skating: overuse and traumatic. The most common overuse injuries are: stress fractures, tendinitis, and various knee or hip injuries. The most common traumatic injuries are: ankle injuries, shoulder dislocation, and head injuries.
Gracie Gold
Biography
Birth Town: Newton, Massachusetts
Parents: Carl & Denise Gold
Twin Sister: Carly Gold
Enjoys: Juggling, Ice Skating, Music
High School: University of Missouri HS
Academic Awards: National Honor Society, US Presidential Award for Academic Excellence
Awards: 2012 World Juniors- Silver, Rostelecom Cup, 2013 US Nationals-Silver
Dreams: Attend college, Work in Medical Field
Gold first learned to ice skate at the age of two. She began to take lessons when she was in second grade. She started her skating career in 2003.
Below is a link to an article that explains a little bit about her childhood.
A Look Back
Come the 2009-2010 season, she won two first places and a fourth place at the Novice level. She went up the levels so quickly that she only competed at the Novice level that year.
The next two seasons she competed at the junior level. She earned four firsts and two seconds in those two seasons. The two seasons when she competed at the senior level, she took two firsts and four seconds.
There are many similarities between her skating in 2009 and her skating this year in the Olympics. She found her style early on. Even though she has skated to different genres of music, there is always that quality to show that it is her style.
Quotes
In her blog online, Gold puts inspiring quotes in some of her entries.
"Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards." - Soren Kierkegaard
Sleeping Beauty
Life is Beautiful
Bronze
Figure Skating Schedule
Short Program- Pairs: 2/6/14 @ 11:10
Short Dance- Ice Dance: 2/8/14 @8:30
Short Program- Ladies: 2/8/14 @10:10
Free Program- Pairs: 2/8//14 @ 12:05
Free Program- Men: 2/9/14 @ 9:00
Free Program- Ladies: 2/9/14 @ 10:05
Free Dance- Ice Dance: 2/9/14 @ 11:10
Short Program- Pairs: 2/11/14 @ 9:00
Free Skating- Pairs: 2/12/14 @ 9:45
Short Program- Men: 2/13/14 @ 9:00
Free Skating- Men: 2/14/14 @ 9:00
Short Dance- Ice Dance: 2/16/14 @ 9:00
Free Dance- Ice Dance: 2/17/14 @ 9:00
Short Program- Ladies: 2/19/14 @ 9:00
Free Skating- Ladies: 2/20/14 @ 9:00
Score Report
Free Program-Ladies
Gold finishes second with her best score ever of 129.38.
2/9/14
Free Dance-Ice Dance
US team places Bronze.
2/19/14
Short Program-Ladies
Gold finished 4th with a score of 68.63. Which qualified her for the Free Skating- Ladies.
2/20/14
Free Skating-Ladies
Gold finishes 5th with a score of 136.90 for that program. Total score of 205.53 for the last two events which puts her in 4th place.
About the Author
Email: katiegaskey@gmail.com
Location: Indiana, USA