American Ashley Wagner won a silver medal Saturday night at the World Figure Skating Championships in Boston. The medal ends a 10-year losing streak for American women at the championships.
Wagner was the last skater of the night, and earned the medal after her American rival Gracie Gold fell during her performance. The Boston-born Gold had been in first place coming out of the short program on Thursday.
Wagner immediately followed Gold on the ice. She said she couldn’t see Gold’s fall, but heard the crowd react and realized there was an opening to get a medal. Wagner said she tried not to focus on that, and she seized the opportunity in a performance that brought the sell-out crowd at TD Garden to its feet.
Wagner’s medal is something of a redemption, following a disappointing performance on the same Boston ice in the 2014 National Championship,
“I’m a different athlete,” she said. “And I think this was the perfect opportunity to show people what two years of a difference can really make.”
It’s the first medal at a World Championships for the U.S. ladies since 2006.
“I can’t believe it quite yet,” Wagner said. “I think to be able to end the drought here in Boston, in front of this crowd in the States, that is huge.”
Wagner spoke to reporters after the medal ceremony.
“To go up against such a strong field and to get this medal, I’m very proud of myself, and I’m so glad that I could accomplish something like this in the States for U.S. Figure Skating.”
She said now it’s up to the U.S. ladies to keep up the consistency.
The ladies’ gold medal was won by Russian Evgenia Medvedeva, and the Russians also took bronze.
Earlier in the week, Americans won two medals in the ice dancing competition. Brother and sister team Maia and Alex Shibutani received the silver medal. Alex was born in Boston, but not his younger sister. Madison Chock and Evan Bates won bronze.
