𝐑𝐀𝐂𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐒: 𝐑𝐄𝐕𝐈𝐕𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐄 𝐎𝐍 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐅𝐀𝐒𝐓 𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐂𝐊 | 𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐨 𝐧𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐬

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'In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life: it goes on.'
- Robert Frost

MONEGASQUE FIGURE SKATER LUISE LECLERC AFTER SUCCESSFUL EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS WITH A SHATTERED DREAM OF A MEDAL AT THE BEIJING OLYMPICS
February 18, 2022

Peking - Luise Leclerc covered her eyes with her black gloves. The twenty-year-old European figure skating runner-up from Monaco fought back tears after her botched free skate.

When the figure skater, who is the only one in the field considered a rival for the technically outstanding Russians, slid off the ice on Thursday, it was clear that her big dream of a medal at the Winter Olympics had come to nothing. There were words of encouragement from her coach Florence Manuel and trainer Nicholas Brown despite the disappointment.

"I'm proud of you. You gave your maximum, okay? Your spins were outstanding." her coach said as she hugged her student, "Nous sommes tous fiers de toi."

Leclerc already didn't seem to be at the level she had hoped for on Wednesday. She crashed on both quadruple jumps and also failed to execute the triple Axel cleanly. Still, she kept her nerve and stepped off the ice with confidence.

"I know you're not happy, but nothing is done yet. Tomorrow you show what you can do," said Manuel, who ran a large figure skating school in Monaco. The only thing that came from her coach Brown on Wednesday was a gentle tap on the shoulder, under which Leclerc gave a sharp jerk. Is there more to it than that?

Already last year there were accusations that Nicholas Brown would assault his students, but this Leclerc clearly denied, "No, my coach Nicholas Brown never touched me indecently," she said in a private interview with the ISU, which was looking to investigate the case. "We can't just throw the accusation under the table. We are as responsible for the young athletes as the coaches and their families."

In recent days, the charges, which have already been dropped due to a lack of evidence, seemed to mingle with fans again. Many are rattled after Leclerc's performance and her handling with Brown. 'I think something did happen.' 'May someone get her out of the hands of Nicholas Brown, he's a pervert.' ' I still think it's cruel that his charges were dropped.' 'Luise seems almost frightened in his presence, I can't bear to look at her. Please, someone get her out of there.' 'First her biological father and now her coach, cruel.'

Leclerc herself did not comment on these accusations and, despite the many rumors, stepped onto the ice at noon on Thursday. Nevertheless, she could not perform better than on Wednesday. She again fluffed her jumps and looked insecure. It felt like her free skate was slipping out of her hands.

Thus she could not defend her second place from the European Championships. The high technical score still helped her to a ninth place in the overall ranking. Gold was won by Anna Shcherbakova from Russia with 255.95 points. Silver went to her teammate Alexandra Trusova, bronze to Kaori Sakamoto from Japan. The prodigy from Russia Kamila Valieva broke under the accusations of doping and could only secure fourth place.

Luise Leclerc will now make her way home to Monaco in the next few days to prepare for the World Championships in France in the city of Montpellier. Hoping that Leclerc can distance herself and recover from the things said in the background and around her person. After these disappointing incidents, it is to be wished that she can grab a medal at the World Championships.

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Figure skater, Luise Leclerc during her free skate on Thursday at the Beijing Winter Olympics.

Luise Leclerc fights tears after her botched free skate | DAILY MAIL

No medal for Monaco figure skater Luise Leclerc, after two falls in her short program and an unsafe free skate Thursday. | SPORT NEWS

Luise Leclerc fails to secure medal despite doping incident by Russian rival. | OLYMPICS

Abuse allegations by Nicholas Brown resurface after Olympics. | NEWS

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