Kailani Craine has finished her first Olympic campaign with another strong skate and a new season’s best in the Free program.

The 19-year-old waved at family members as she stepped on the ice, looking relaxed and at home on the world’s biggest stage.

“My legs were shaking a bit as I waited to get on, but once I was out there it all felt really natural – I was just so excited to be out there again,” Craine said.

“I wanted to really enjoy this whole experience and I did that.”

Craine opened with a triple lutz – double toe loop combination, before successfully executing all twelve of her elements.

“This whole experience has been everything I hoped for and more,” she saidsaid. “I just wanted two clean skates and I did that.

“This whole event has been a dream come true and I couldn’t ask for anything more. I’m just so happy and proud.”

Skating to a mix from the Moulin Rouge soundtrack, Craine sparkled in a new outfit.

“I got my dressmaker to make me a new outfit for this routine and I couldn’t have felt better out there, I felt so good.
“And to have my family here and my teammates, it has honestly been such a wonderful experience.”

Craine ended her Olympic debut ranked 17th overall. Alina Zagitova - who is only 15 years-old - and Evagenia Medvedeva, two Olympic Athletes from Russia, won gold and silver, and Canada's Kaetlyn Osmond won bronze.

Craine’s score of 111.84 was a new season's best, taking her total combined score from the two programs to 168.61, and will give the young skater confidence as she looks ahead to the future.

“I hope to be back in four years time and I’m going to work so hard to be even better next time,” she said.

“I’ve learnt so much from watching the top girls here and made so many friends.

“I'm so inspired I just can’t wait to see what the future brings.”

Katherine Firkin
olympics.com.au

Olympic debutant Kailani Craine has sailed through to the free skate of the Ladies Figure Skating, after a stunning short program which included a strong double axel and triple-double jump combination.

The 19-year-old impressed with her trademark artistic skills, performing to ‘dream a little dream of me.’

“That was great, that really was a dream,” Craine said immediately after her performance.

“My main goal was just to have a clean skate and get through to the free skate and I’ve done that so I can’t ask for much more.

“I’ve been feeling good the last few days and it’s felt like everything just went right for me, so I’m glad I was able to go out and do that.”

The Newcastle native was supported in the crowd by her parents, and skating teammates.

“The fans were amazing and I loved looking up and seeing the Aussie colours in the stands,” she said.

“Having mum and dad here was amazing. I really felt like they were out there skating with me.

“They’ve been on this journey with me from the very start and this is very much their Olympics as much as mine.”

Carine’s score of 56.77 saw her qualify straight through to Friday’s Free Skate.

Katherine Firkin
olympics.com.au

There's no doubt Australian figure skater Brendan Kerry has earned his place at the height of his sport, taking on the men's free skating event with a jam-packed program, that included two triple axels.

Overcoming a slight hesitation on his opening jump Kerry cemented his place in the top tier of international figure skaters, finishing 20th with a total score of 233.81.

"I wanted to make the most of this skate," Kerry said. "I wanted to go for everything."

"I was over-thinking as I went into my first jump, but I got it together.

"I wanted to go for my quads though because I know I can do them."

Skating to a mix of 'Shine on you crazy diamond' and 'Money,' the 23-year-old pushed through some early nerves to prove he can now mix it with the best in the competition.

"My whole feeling at these Olympics has been pretty relaxed, pretty chilled," he said.

"It feels like I've at least made up for that bad skate at Sochi. So that feels pretty sweet."

Kerry, who finished his short program in 16th place, with a technical score that had him at 13th, said he now plans on working on his performance and musicality.

"It feels amazing knowing that my technical score has improved so much," he said.

"If I can get my program component score up a bit more I think my overall score will keep improving."

The Sydney-born skater earned a score of 150.75 for his free skate, equalling his season best.

Kerry will now focus on the World Championships next month, before planning out his next four-year campaign, with his sights firmly set on making his 3rd Olympic Games in 2022.

Katherine Firkin
olympics.com.au

He was here to prove a point, and Australian figure skater Brendan Kerry has well and truly done that.

A strong short program which included a powerful opening quad toe loop jump has seen the 23-year-old skater move straight through to the free skate event tomorrow, finishing in 16th place with the eighth highest Technical Score.

“It feels great, it feels freaking awesome, I’m not going to lie,” a beaming Kerry said. “I needed that skate.”

Skating to Everyone Wants to Rule the World, Kerry showed he was no longer the anxious Olympic debutant of four years ago, and instead, has well and truly etched his name into the top tier of international men’s skating.

“I was nervous, of course, but I knew I just needed to stay relaxed and do what I’d been doing in my practices.”

“I’m a much stronger skater than I was at Sochi and this time it felt like I actually deserved to be here, so I came in with a very different mindset.”

It’s been a long road to redemption for the former Sydney skater, who now trains in New Jersey with Russian coach Nikolai Morozov.

“After my first Olympics I knew I had to make some big changes,” he continued.

“I looked at what the elite skaters were doing and I decided I wanted to really go for it.”

Kerry needed a place in the top 24 to move through to tomorrow’s event, and his score of 83.06 – a new season best saw him guaranteed a place in that top group.

Katherine Firkin
olympics.com.au

Australian pairs skaters Harley Windsor and Ekaterina Alexandrovskaya have made history, after performing their short program at the Gangneung Ice Arena on February 14.

With a strong skate that included a huge opening triple twist, Windsor has become the first Indigenous Australian to compete at the Winter Olympics.

“I was starting to feel a bit nervous last night,” a beaming Windsor said. “But I’m really happy with that. Yeah, that was amazing.”

The team skated second, posting a score of 61.55 – just below their seasons best.

“We feel good, happy,” Alexandrovskaya said.

They needed to finish in the top sixteen in their field to move through to tomorrow’s free skate, and while they completed a clean program, they finished in 18th place, just out of free skate contention.

“I don’t know how I’m meant to feel at the moment,” Windsor said. “I’m so happy to have skated at my first Olympics but I wanted to make it to the free skate.”

The 21-year-old was supported by his mother Josie in the stands, while his father and skating friends watched from back home.

“It felt good to have the support,” Windsor said. “It’s pretty special knowing so many people were cheering me on.”

And it wasn’t just the Aussies who were backing the historic skater – with Windsor getting swamped with international media requests as soon as he left the ice.

“The attention has been amazing and I just hope I’ll be a bit of a role model now,” he said. “Hopefully more Indigenous kids get into winter sports.”

The duo will enjoy supporting the rest of the Australian Team at the Games, before heading to Moscow to prepare for the World Championships.

Katherine Firkin
olympics.com.au

Watching Brendan Kerry take to the ice at PyeongChang, it’s obvious that the Sochi Olympian has changed.

“I feel in control this time around,” the 23-year-old said after an impressive training session.
“I’m just more comfortable.”

Kerry’s Olympic debut ended in heartache, with the then 19-year-old admitting he was overawed by the scale of the event, the media attention, and the crowds.

“I just wasn’t ready for it all,” Kerry said. “It was like I just couldn’t process it properly.”

But it’s a very different Kerry who’s skated in to Korea and he’s ready for his chance at redemption.

“There’s not that initial spark of excitement like the first Olympics, but I prefer it this way. I know what I can enjoy and what I need to wait for until after the event,” he said.

“Last time I spent my first few days running around, checking out all the venues, trying to meet everyone and get to all the events. This time I realise there’s no rush – I can do all that after my competition.”

The new and improved figure skater has also proved he isn’t scared of big decisions, changing coaches to Russian Nikolai Morozov just four months ago.

“I’ve made some big changes, but I had to,” Kerry said.

“I feel good about everything I’ve done. I’m in a good head space.

“My training has completely changed and I’ve learnt how much dedication it takes in all areas of life to be an elite athlete. When I went to the first Olympics I was like, ‘I go to the rink, I warm up, I skate, maybe I cool down and then I leave’. Now I know how important off-ice fitness is, I watch my diet, and I don’t go out all the time. I’m much more committed this time.”

He’s also committed to some of his favourite mottos, such as “pain is only temporary”, with the 23-year-old sporting numerous fresh tattoos.

“Since Sochi I’ve got, I think, maybe twelve tattoos,” Kerry laughed.

“I just used them as a way to remind myself of what’s important to me, and to keep me motivated to keep going.
“My favourite is the one on my forearm, it’s got four lines and the initials of all my sisters. My family is important, I always remember where I come from.”

And there’ll be plenty of family support in the stands – his mother, Monica MacDonald, who was her son’s former coach and a Winter Olympian is already here and his father will fly over in a few days.

“It’s great knowing they’re here and I have that piece of home with me,” Kerry said.

“Mum is the reason I started skating and dad has always been a big part of my life, so it means a lot that they’ll be here.”

While Kerry pushed hard to include three quad jumps in recent competitions, he plans on scaling it back for these Games, focusing instead on having two clean skates.

“I know I’m more than capable of doing the three quads but I know the best thing for myself will be to take that bit of stress off and just skate a really strong free program,” he said.

“I know what I’m focused on – I’m here to do a job.”

Kerry will skate his short program on Day 7 (February 16), and his free program on Day 8 (February 17).

Katherine Firkin
olympics.com.au