Japan’s Ami Nakai has made a big statement on the sport’s biggest stage. She took a surprise lead after the women’s short program at the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics with the United States much talked about Blade Angels left chasing from behind.
The 17 year old skated cleanly at the Milano Ice Skating Arena on Tuesday. She landed a triple axel and scored 78.71 points in her Olympic debut.
Three time world champion Kaori Sakamoto is close behind on 77.23. American Alysa Liu is third on 76.59 as the medal fight moves to Thursday’s free skate.
Nakai said she stayed calm by seeing it as a chance, not pressure. Ami Nakai told reporters that “Since this is my first Olympics, I had nothing to lose, and that mindset definitely translated into my results.”
For Sakamoto, the short program was another steady step in what she has called her final Olympic campaign.
She still felt she left points out there. Kaori Sakamoto told reporters that “In the first half, I was a little bit anxious but as the music goes on, I got very comfortable and I was able to really enjoy my performance today.”
Liu, at her second Olympics after stepping away from the sport as a teenager and later coming back, skated cleanly and stayed close. Alysa Liu told reporters that “A medal? I don’t need a medal.”
The rest of the US line up, dubbed the Blade Angels could not match Liu’s steadiness. Isabeau Levito finished eighth with 70.84.
Amber Glenn slipped to 13th after a mistake that wiped out a key element, hurting her medal hopes with only one skate left.
Japan’s depth also showed with Mone Chiba in fourth that keeps alive the chance of a historic Japanese podium sweep.
Russian teenager Adeliia Petrosian, competing as a neutral athlete, is fifth on 72.89. She is still in reach if the free skate becomes a high risk shootout.
