|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
|
|
|
Delaware’s Meissner third in nationals 9:18 a.m., Jan. 16, 2005--Kimmie Meissner of the University of Delaware Figure Skating Club hit a rare triple Axel and won the bronze medal at the 2005 State Farm U.S. National Figure Skating Championships on Saturday night in Portland, Ore. The 15-year-old Meissner finished behind champion Michelle Kwan and runner-up Sasha Cohen, and ahead of Jennifer Kirk. In hitting the triple Axel, she became the first U.S. woman to do so since Tonya Harding in the 1991 national championships. Meissner said she decided to add the triple Axel after completing one in warm-ups. “It was so cool,” Meissner said in a story on the U.S. Figure Skating web site. “When I did it in warm-up I said, ‘That's it, I'm doing it.” The technical scores for Meissner's free skate ranged from 5.7 to 5.9. Her scores for presentation ranged from 5.4 to 5.7. Meissner had been fourth, behind Kirk, after the short program. Although Meissner won the bronze medal, she will be unable to compete in the 2005 World Championships to be held in March in Moscow because she is too young. To compete at Worlds, a skater must have turned 15 by July 1 of the previous year and Meissner turned 15 in October. Kirk will take her place on the team. Former UD skater Johnny Weir won the men’s competition, and Shaun Rogers of the UD Figure Skating Club finished sixth. To learn how to subscribe to UDaily, click here. |
|
|
