Weir falters, Plushenko rules figure skating

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“I was off, it was an off night,” said the 21-year-old Weir. “But I will be back in four years, hopefully for a medal.”

Weir two-footed a triple axel, had a shaky landing on a triple lutz, did a sloppy triple flip and spun as if he didn’t really want to turn. With only one combination jump, his medal chances flew away and he ended up sixth in the free skate.

That allowed American Evan Lysacek to soar past him, from 10th to fourth.

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It took 13 skaters for the first clean program, and it was Lysacek’s magnificent moment. The runner-up to Weir at nationals when Lysacek won the free skate, he packed his “Carmen” routine with emotion and motion — hitting all eight of his triple jumps, three in combinations, and spinning precisely and quickly.

Amazing considering he has a stomach flu and was bedridden Wednesday.

The 20-year-old Lysacek covered his face with his hand at the finish, then fell to one knee with the crowd on its feet. His personal best of 152.58 was third in the free skate and a terrific way to make up for a poor short program (10th).

NBC VIDEO
Lysacek skates his personal best
Feb. 17: "Today" show host Katie Couric speaks with U.S. figure skater Evan Lysacek about his Olympic performance.
Today Show Olympics
“It’s hard because I dreamed about the Olympics for upwards of a decade,” he said, “and that dream didn’t include getting sick with a stomach flu, getting stuck with IVs, having my veins collapse and falling in the short program. It became about something different ... courage.”

Teammate Matt Savoie was seventh. Skating directly after Lysacek, Savoie simplified one combination and one jump, but his spins were superb and his choreography and edge quality were as good as any.

“There’s still worlds, and I don’t know what will happen after law school,” Savoie said after a personal-best 137.52 in the long program. “If it were to end today, it’d be great.”

Buttle moved up from sixth by finishing second in the free skate.

“Waiting before you skate is hard,” he said, “but waiting afterward is hardest. I never would have thought that I would come back after the short program.”

The other contenders in the final group skated poorly. France’s Brian Joubert dropped from fourth to sixth overall, and Japan’s Daisuke Takahashi slipped from fifth to ninth.

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