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One figure skating event remains in Pyeongchang, as the ladies will take the ice looking to cement themselves into Olympic lore.
In the United States, the women’s short program starts Tuesday, February 20, at 8 p.m. ET and will be broadcast on NBC and NBC Sports Network. The free skate starts Thursday, February 22, at 8 p.m. ET and will be broadcast on NBC and NBC Sports Network. If you don’t have cable or a cable log-in, you can watch a simulcast of both of these channels live online by signing up for a free trial of one of the following cable-free, live-TV streaming services:
FuboTV: NBC (live in the most markets) and NBC Sports Network are both included in the “Fubo Premier” channel package. You can sign up for a free 7-day trial, and you can then watch any of those channels live on your computer via the FuboTV website, or on your phone, tablet or streaming device via the FuboTV app.
Hulu With Live TV: In addition to an extensive Netflix-like on-demand streaming library, Hulu now also offers a bundle of live TV channels, including NBC (live in select markets) and NBCSN. You can sign up for a free 7-day trial, and you can then watch both channels live on your computer via the Hulu website, or on your phone, tablet or streaming device via the Hulu app.
DirecTV Now: NBC (live in select markets) and NBC Sports Network are both included in each of the four channel packages. You can sign up for a free 7-day trial no matter what package you choose, plus you can get a free Amazon Fire TV if you prepay two months. Once signed up, you can watch any of the channels on your computer via the DirecTV Now website, or on your phone, tablet or streaming device via the DirecTV Now app.
Sling TV: NBC (live in select markets) and NBC Sports Network are both included in the “Sling Blue” channel package. You can sign up for a free 7-day trial, and you can then watch those channels on your computer via the Sling TV website, or on your phone, tablet or streaming device via the Sling TV app.
In addition to being able to watch NBC and NBSCN simulcasts via the above streaming services, you can also watch any and all figure skating competition (these streams will show every single performance from every single competitor live as they happen, including “enhanced coverage”) live on your computer via NBCOlympics.com, or on your phone, tablet or streaming device via the NBC Sports app. To watch any of these streams, you’ll have a 30-minute free preview before needing to sign in to your TV provider, but you can use your FuboTV, Hulu, DirecTV Now, or Sling TV credentials to do that.
Preview
One of the most fascinating rivalries at the 2018 Winter Olympics is the one between Evgenia Medvedeva and Alina Zagitova. Part of the rivalry is friendly, because they’re both from Russia, but part of it is also intense, as both are on another level as everyone else and will likely be disappointed with anything other than gold.
The favorite the last couple of years has always been 18-year-old Medvedeva. She’s the back-to-back defending World Champion, she holds the world records in the ladies’ short program, free skate and combined total, and for a two-year span between November 2015 and 2017, she was never defeated–and it often wasn’t close.
However, after suffering a foot injury in November that forced her to miss the 2017-18 Grand Prix Final and the Russian National Championships, the 15-year-old Zagitova stepped in to take gold at both events. Medvedeva then returned for the European Championships in January, but it was still Zagitova who claimed gold, putting an end to Medvedeva’s unbeaten streak.
During the Olympic team event last week, we got a preview of what’s to come. Medvedeva set a new world record in the short program with a score of 81.06, then Zagitova dropped a 158.08 in the free skate, which was 20 points higher than any other competitor and second all-time behind only–you guessed it–Medvedeva (160.46 at the 2017 World Team Trophy last April).
A healthy Medvedeva is the slight favorite for gold, but these two are so close, and so far ahead of everyone else, so it will be fascinating to watch.
The likely race for bronze should also be a tight one. Maria Sotskova, who finished second behind Zagitova at the Grand Prix Final, has a chance to make it an Olympic Athletes from Russia podium sweep, while Canada’s Kaetlyn Osmond and 2014 Olympic bronze medalist Carolina Kostner should also be in the mix.
For the United States’ chances at a medal, Bradie Tennell put up a 219.51 in her US Championships triumph, a score that very easily could get her on the podium in Pyeongchang. Then there’s Mirai Nagasu, who finished fourth at the 2010 Olympics and had the second-best short program during the team event, and Karen Chen, who took fourth at last year’s World Championships.
