FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2006
SPORTS
FIGURE SKATING
Fric Gav/THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Japan wins first Olympic gold
ame
ther
ran-
Gold medalist Shizuka Arakawa of Japan, left, hugs silver medalist Sasha Cohen of the United States during medal ceremonies at the Women's Figure Skating final at the Turin Winter Olympic Games in Turin, Italy, Thursday.
BY BARRY WILNER
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
What a way to end a shut-out!
TURIN, Italy — Shizuka Arakawa skated off with Japan's first medal of the Olympics — a gold in the showcase event.
Arakawa did it with an elegance and technical brilliance that even had two-time Olympic winner Katarina Witt standing and applauding before the Japanese skater was done. Cohen fell twice and finished with a silver; Slutskaya fell once and took bronze.
The 2004 world champion stunned favorites Sasha Cohen of the United States and Irina Slutskaya of Russia to claim figure skating's biggest prize Thursday night.
The Japanese team has struggled in the mountains and on the ice in Turin. But Arakawa, third after the short program and a mere .71 points behind Cohen, was magnificent. Her spectacular spirals thrilled the crowd and, more importantly, impressed the judges.
She was emotionless for most of her breathtaking, four-minute routine, then broke into a smile that only got bigger when scores were flashed. When her personal best of 125.32 points for the free skate were displayed, she flashed a "V" for victory sign then pumped her fist when she moved into first place with 191.34 points.
Cohen had already flubbed her first two jumps — and her shot at gold. That left Slutskaaya, a two-time world champion and 2002 Olympic silver medalist. She lacked sparkle in her free skate and the fall ended any chance she had.
That ended Russia's hopes for an unprecedented sweep of
the gold after taking the men's,
pairs and ice dancing titles.
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN S.
UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI
Arakawa, 24, became the first Japanese Olympic gold medalist in figure skating and just the second with any medal; Midori Ito, one of Arakawa's idols, won silver behind Kristi Yamaguchi in 1992. Ito led the cheers of the flag-waving Japanese in the crowd.
events bit her again.
Cohen's history of flopping in the biggest international
Emily Hughes, Sarah's 17-year-old sister, fell on a triple loop and shortened another jump, but her seventh-place finish was remarkable for a newcomer.
program and Sarah Hughes soared from fourth to the top.
Even her first U.S. title last month came with some questions because nine-time champion Michelle Kwan was sidelined. Cohen also collapsed in the 2003 and 2004 national championships that went to Kwan, and the 2004 worlds won by Arakawa.
Not to mention the Salt Lake City Olympics, where she faded from third after the short
The other American, 16- year-old Kimmie Meissner, wound up sixth, one spot down from her standing after the short program.
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
COLUMBIA, Mo. — The independent inquiry into former Missouri basketball coach Quin Snyder's disputed resignation was immediately preceded by a prominent booster's request that his family's name be removed from the team's practice gym unless the university launched a further investigation.
Doug Albrecht, president and chief executive officer of the St. Louis-based Centric Group, told the Columbia Daily Tribune for a story Thursday that he asked the university's Board of Curators last week to either seek more answers on its own or rename the Albrecht Family Practice Facility at Mizzou Arena.
Snyder, who left the team with six games remaining in a tumultuous season, has said he was confronted by an aide to athletics director Mike Alden on Feb. 9 — the same day Snyder told reporters he would finish the season — and was told his job could not be salvaged.
According to Snyder, who spoke to reporters five days later after signing a $574,000 settlement agreement, Tiger broadcaster Gary Link delivered that message on behalf of Alden, University of Missouri system President Elson Floyd, University of Missouri-Columbia Chancellor Brady Deaton and an influential curator, whom Snuder declined to identify.
Floyd, Deaton and curator Don Walsworth quickly distanced themselves from Snyder's version of events. On Feb. 16, Deaton concluded a brief investigation with a five-paragraph statement chalking
up the different accounts to "individual perceptions."
That conclusion did little to satisfy curators, who pressed Floyd for more answers. On Monday, the system president appointed a Kansas City attorney and a southern Missouri newspaper publisher to conduct an independent review.
Albrecht said he is reserving judgment until former federal prosecutor Jean Paul Bradshaw and Lebanon Daily Record Publisher Dalton Wright deliver their findings.
"The fact they're doing an independent investigation, I got what I asked for, so I got back to the Board of Curators and said, 'Thank you. I'll see what the outcome is.'" Albrecht told the Tribune.
Albrecht, who paid $500,000 for the gym's naming rights, said he would be satisfied if the investigation reveals that Link was following Alden's orders when he gave Snyder his termination options.
Albrecht is a close friend of both Link and Snyder and accompanied the coach to his farewell news conference. Albrecht said that Link — like Albrecht, a former Tiger athlete — unfairly took the fall for Alden.
Link has declined to discuss his role in Snyder's departure.
Floyd spokesman Scott Charton said Thursday that the president would have no comment on the matter until after Wright and Bradshaw complete their report.
Charton also declined to discuss any potential connection between the call for an independent inquiry and Albrecht's ultimatum.
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