COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KOAA) — A pair of Colorado Springs figure skaters can now call themselves Olympic gold medalists. Ellie Kam and Danny O'Shea earned gold in the figure skating team event during this year's Winter Olympics.
"You try to imagine what it's going to be like, but you can't," Kam said. "It's only something you can experience in that moment."
O'Shea says there is added pressure when competing for the good of the team, but also a responsibility to excel.
"We could do this for our teammates, we could help in a way that's meaningful," O'Shea said. "To be able to put down what ended up being our personal best performance ever in a moment when it really mattered is just something that leaves you with so much pride."
The pair's personal best score of 135.36 added crucial points to Team USA's overall score, ultimately defeating Japan by one point in the figure skating team event. Kam and O'Shea later placed 9th in the figure skating pairs event, a non-team competition.
"That's such a gift to be able to compete four times on Olympic ice," Kam said. "Being able to have such a fulfilling moment at a time where we could've crumbled, but we didn't, that was very special."
Even with Olympic gold, Kam and O'Shea's season is far from over. The pair will compete at the ISU Figure Skating World Championships in Prague at the end of the month, then take part in the Stars On Ice tour alongside other U.S. Figure Skating team members.
- Watch Our Previous Coverage with Danny and Ellie ahead of the Winter Games
Email Senior Reporter Meghan Glova at meghan.glova@koaa.com.
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