My Favorite Olympic Figure Skaters: Women

Women’s singles is one of the most exciting disciplines to watch because it has such a deep field; even the smallest mistake can send you plummeting down the rankings.

My favorite skaters are the ones who balance technical difficulty with performance quality. I enjoy these skaters in particular for their powerful, emotional performances.

The skaters below stand out to me because of their consistency under pressure, signature elements, and distinctive skating styles that make their programs memorable. It's also worth noting that the three-skater maximum per country for any given international event means that there are always so many more qualified skaters than there are spots. The pressure during an Olympic year, in particular, is absolutely insane. Regardless of their Olympic placment, I have so much respect for all of the skaters for being able to withstand that pressure.

Women’s Singles Highlights

Anna Shcherbakova

Anna Shcherbakova skating in competition
  • Olympic champion
  • Difficult technical layouts with strong artistry
  • Delivered two clean performances under huge pressure and won the competition as the underdog

Mao Asada

Mao Asada performing during a program
  • Olympic silver medallist
  • Famous for her triple axel
  • Beautiful technique and skating skills

Kaori Sakamoto

Kaori Sakamoto performing
  • 2x (soon to be 3x) Olympian
  • Brings both strength and softness to her skating
  • Known for her flowing skating and big double axel