BEIJING — Maybe the pressure was too much for a teenager — even a precociously talented teen such as Kamila Valieva.
The 15-year-old Russian figure skater, embroiled in doping accusations all week at these Beijing Olympics, faltered in the women’s free skate final on Thursday night, tumbling from the lead and finishing in fourth place.
Fellow Russian Anna Shcherbakova took advantage of Valieva’s stumbles, rising from second place to capture gold at Capital Indoor Stadium on Thursday night.
Alexandra Trusova, also of the Russian Olympic Committee, won silver and Kaori Skamoto of Japan took bronze.
The fact that Valieva didn’t medal means the IOC can go ahead with a medal ceremony. It had originally said there would be no ceremony if Valieva had finished in the top three while her case in being investigated.
Valieva had arrived in China as a clear favorite and, during team competition, became the first woman to land a quadruple jump at the Olympics.
Then came belated news that she had tested positive for a banned substance in December. Over several days, she was provisionally suspended, won an appeal and had her place in the women’s field secured by a quick ruling from the Court of Arbitration for sport.
Despite an impressive short program, the strain appeared to affect her during an ambitious free skate to Maurice Ravel’s “Bolero” that attempted a planned three quads and a slew of triples.
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