Olympic Medals

[Isk8NYC]

Olympic Figure Skating has one set of medals per discipline: mens, ladies, pairs and ice dancing.

Each of these disciplines has more than one event to determine the overall displine placements. (Mens, ladies and pairs have a Short Program and Long Program, ice dancing has Compulsory, Original, and Free Dance events.)

Other sports, such as gymnastics, offer medals for each event as well as an "All Around" medal.

Why doesn't figure skating do that? Is there some limit?

[RachelSk8er]

Olympic Figure Skating has one set of medals per discipline: mens, ladies, pairs and ice dancing.

Each of these disciplines has more than one event to determine the overall displine placements. (Mens, ladies and pairs have a Short Program and Long Program, ice dancing has Compulsory, Original, and Free Dance events.)

Other sports, such as gymnastics, offer medals for each event as well as an "All Around" medal.

Why doesn't figure skating do that? Is there some limit?

Because despite multiple programs, it's still considered one "event". It's the same concept as hockey or other team sports being one event with one set of medals even though you play multiple games--medals aren't given out for every game.

In gymnastics, all-around its its own event with a set of medals. Then each individual thing (bar, floor, vault) is its own separate event with its own set of medals. Then the team thing is another separate event.

[Isk8NYC]

This chart was really eye-opening:

http://www.nbcolympics.com/event-results-schedules/index.html

Speed skating has TWELVE medal events during the Games versus Figure Skating's FOUR. That sport increased its medal events by adding short-track to the Olympics officially in 1992. (Prior to Speedy's reign, to my surprise.)

I really do think that the winner of the short program and the long program should each get a medal as well as the overall winner for singles and pairs. Ice dancing should give out three medals, one for each event. It doesn't add any events to the Olympics, so no ice time would be needed other than the awards ceremonies.

The skaters are already skating two and three separate events, with separate costumes, music and choreography.
IMO the proper thing to do would be to recognize those skaters' achievements. Someone like Sasha Cohen, who was a great short-program skater, deserves that recognition.

[Artemis]

Hmm, interesting idea! I like the thought of acknowledging a "win" in the individual programs, and I agree that because they're "programs" with separate skills, music, costumes, etc. they should be acknowledged as distinct (with perhaps the exception of the CD). But at the same time, skiers or divers, for example, don't get medals for "winning" a preliminary round, it just factors into the final result.

But I don't think there's any sense to compare # of figure skating medals to # of speed skating medals. In speed skating, each event is quite distinct, and different skaters race different distances. Plus there's zero overlap between short-track and long-track -- they're completely separate, like snowboard racing and ski racing.

Also, figure skating at the Olympics has its own anomolies in other regards. Most other medalists will be awarded their medals at the nightly "vistory ceremony," but the figure skating medal ceremony will continue to be held at the venue immediately following the event. And no other Olympic sport has a gala performance.

[Isk8NYC]

But I don't think there's any sense to compare # of figure skating medals to # of speed skating medals. In speed skating, each event is quite distinct, and different skaters race different distances. Plus there's zero overlap between short-track and long-track -- they're completely separate, like snowboard racing and ski racing. I compared it because it's an existing sport that expanded the medal count by adding events for the short track.


The trials are a different issue. I wouldn't want to see anyone eliminated from a final skate via a preliminary round. In effect, the long program handles that for television by grouping the top skaters towards the end of the event. As we saw at this year's US Nationals, the short program could end up with one of the favorites to win in every group, spreading out the big names, so to speak.

Also, figure skating at the Olympics has its own anomolies in other regards. Most other medalists will be awarded their medals at the nightly "vistory ceremony," but the figure skating medal ceremony will continue to be held at the venue immediately following the event. And no other Olympic sport has a gala performance.
That's very true. I thought Hockey also had on-ice medal ceremonies, but that might have been from the Dream Team movie I watched once. Do the figure skaters have to have a separate medals ceremony? Couldn't they be awarded with the others during the nightly ceremony?

The gala performance is just pure entertainment that sells tickets and funds the games. You're right: that won't go away soon.

[Artemis]

As we saw at this year's US Nationals, the short program could end up with one of the favorites to win in every group, spreading out the big names, so to speak.

At Canadian Nations, they seed skaters so that most/all the top contenders are in the final flight. I believe that's the way it goes at all ISU events, no? So I'm assuming it will be the same at the Olympics.