Figure skating duo didn't make Olympic team, coach says they'll come back stronger

Isha Bhargava · CBC News

· Posted: Jan 10, 2022 7:19 PM EST | Last Updated: January 13, 2022

Although figure skating team Evelyn Walsh and Trennt Michaud didn't suffice for the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics adjacent month, their manager is assured that the pair will present successful their aboriginal performances. 

The brace came successful 2nd spot successful the elder round at the National Figure Skating Championships successful Ottawa connected Saturday, with Vanessa James and Eric Radford being named for the Olympics instead.

The James-Radford duo finished successful fourth-place successful the abbreviated programme connected Friday and volition represent Canada alongside Kirsten Moore-Towers and Michael Marinaro, who won gold. 

Walsh of London, Ont., and Michaud from Belleville, Ont., person trained nether Alison Purkiss of Skate Canada for astir 5 years arsenic a team.  

Purkiss said the brace performed exceptionally and achieved their goals for the season, but not getting the Olympic tag on with immoderate feedback connected their show makes the nonaccomplishment harder.  

"They're much than disappointed, they're a spot heartbroken," she said. "They came successful truly prepared and focused and felt similar they had a morganatic shot, truthful that was hard on them." 

The unit of an planetary stage

Purkiss acknowledges that this was the duo's archetypal elder play successful an Olympic year, and they did a large occupation of managing the unit to present large connected the planetary stage.

"They're young, it took them immoderate clip to fig retired however to drown retired the expectations and absorption connected themselves to bash what they tin do, and they did precisely that," she said.   

For Purkiss, this was 20-year-old Walsh and 25-year-old Michaud's champion performance, arsenic they maintained their vigor and speed throughout contempt not having a assemblage to cheer them on.

"It was tough, determination was nary crowd, nary vigor successful the gathering oregon the large hype that nationals usually draw, and it was a situation for the full event," she added. 

However, Purkiss is confident that Walsh-Michaud volition person galore much opportunities to assertion a triumph astatine the Four Continents figure skating title adjacent week.

"They're going to pivot and effort to enactment this heartbreak down them to present beardown skates due to the fact that that's each you tin truly do, instrumentality a deed and determination on."

Disappointment for fans everywhere

Many fans took to societal media to explicit their vexation astir the results.

Purkiss acknowledgment each fans who person shown specified a keen involvement successful Canadian fig skating which volition spell a agelong mode for the team. 

"When you're successful a rink that's wholly bare each week, it's casual to consciousness like no one's paying attraction oregon watching, truthful convey you for each the support," she said. 

Kirsten-Moore Towers, and spouse Michael Marinaro showed their support for the 2 aft Moore-Towers posted a heartfelt photograph of each 4 competitors sharing a hug after the competition.

Walsh-Michaud are acceptable to instrumentality connected the Four Continents in Estonia starting Jan.18.