“You can tap into that and really use that to your advantage in a lot of situations and competitions. 'There's a lot to say about experience,” she said. Once Bell took the lead in the next-to-last routine, the door seemed to be open for Chen, a 22-year-old college student with more experience and success internationally.Ĭhen skated solidly, but not well enough.Īfterward, Bell described herself as, “Very excited to finally be national champion.” Then on the ice, neither Bell nor Chen could come away feeling as if she’d flawlessly thrown her best stuff. The competition was overshadowed by the COVID-related absences of Liu and Amber Glenn, who also withdrew Friday. It also came on an evening that opened with distractions. She skated well in the free skate, too, but her victory was a close call. But also, I do love skating and I have individual goals and dreams and things that I want to do.'Īfter Thursday’s short program, Bell entered Friday in first place. “The idea of wanting to show that age is just a number is part of what keeps me going.

'I want that to be a known fact that skating doesn't end at a certain age,” said Bell, who’s originally from Tulsa, Oklahoma and started skating when she was 4.

So for many, it was a feel-good moment to finally see a skater like Bell, who had paid her dues for years, get rewarded on a big stage. Sports can so often be cruel and especially figure skating. Levito took third place in the Ladies Competition of the championship. Figure Skating Championships at Bridgestone Arena Friday, Jan. Isabeau Levito skates in the Championship Ladies Free Skate event during the U.S. The Russian favorites for Beijing are teenagers Kamila Valieva (15), Anna Shcherbakova (17) and Alexandra Trusova (17).Įven Friday night, Bell was on the podium alongside Isabeau Levito, a 14-year-old who served notice for the future by finishing third.

That’s often how it goes in figure skating. At age 13, Liu was winning her first national title and appearing on “The Tonight Show” with Jimmy Fallon. champion and probably the Americans' best hope for a medal in women's singles. Winning didn’t technically guarantee a spot for Bell, but it would be surprising if the team doesn’t consist of her, Chen – a 2018 Olympian – and Alysa Liu, the pre-event favorite who had to withdraw after skating in Thursday’s short program because she tested positive for COVID-19. Three female singles skaters will be named Saturday to Team USA for next month’s Games in Beijing. Mariah Bell celebrates her first place finish in the Ladies Competition of the U.S.

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