SOCHI, Russia (AP) - The new team event has added a heaping dose of national pride to figure skating.
In this sport, though, athletes and coaches are always crossing borders. Japan’s entries in the ice dance Saturday are New Jersey’s own Cathy and Chris Reed. The siblings have dual citizenship in the United States and Japan but represent the nation where their mother was born because it gave them the best chance to compete at the highest level.
Plenty of coaches are guiding skaters who are trying to beat their home countries. Some examples: Marina Zoueva, from host Russia, works with the top two ice dance teams, Meryl Davis and Charlie White of the U.S. and Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir of Canada. Canada’s Brian Orser mentors Japan’s Yuzuru Hanyu. Japan’s Yuka Sato coaches American Jeremy Abbott.
- Rachel Cohen - Twitter https://twitter.com/RachelCohenAP
___
Associated Press reporters will be filing dispatches about happenings in and around Sochi during the 2014 Winter Games. Follow AP journalists covering the Olympics on Twitter: https://apne.ws/1c3WMiu
Please read our comment policy before commenting.