Close Race in Pairs After the Short Program
by Troy Schwindt

A serious hip injury ended Nam’s singles career and sidelined her until she put her skates back on in 2005 for a pairs tryout with Themi Leftheris.

Just two years later, Nam is once again realizing her dreams at the 2007 State Farm U.S. Championships in Spokane, Wash. On Wednesday night, she and Leftheris turned in a personal-best short program that earned them second place by less than a half a point behind teammates and defending champions Rena Inoue and John Baldwin.

Nam and Leftheris, skating to the music “Jealousy,” generated 62.29 points, while Inoue and Baldwin racked up 62.73. Brooke Castile and Benjamin Okolski finished third at 59.77.

Nam displayed heartfelt emotion when asked about her career plight.

“Yes, it was a long time ago,” said Nam, 21. “In between that time and now I’m a completely different person, and I enjoy and appreciate the sport a lot more. I think it’s very rare for people to understand that. To be able to come back…I just appreciate it so much more.”

Nam said she doesn’t regret anything in her career and is happier now sharing the experience with Leftheris, 25.

Their performance to the tango offered seamless transitions and was virtually error free. They started well by executing their side-by-side triple toes and throw triple Salchow.

After their performance, their scores were announced and subsequently booed by the Spokane crowd of 7,632.

“This is actually the third time our marks have gotten boos,” Leftheris said. “It was great that we earned our personal best score. We are happy with how we skate no matter how the marks end up, but to have that kind of affirmation is good for us.”

Nam said the U.S. Championship is their favorite competition. Last year, they placed fifth at the U.S. Championships in St. Louis. This year, a berth on the World Team is in the cross hairs for the team that trains in Artesia, Calif.

“You come out and want to skate your best and I think we really enjoyed ourselves out there,” Nam said. “Gosh, it would mean the world to us to make the World team. We’ve worked really, really hard. We’ve done everything so I think we would deserve a World Team spot.”

Training alongside Inoue and Baldwin, Leftheris said, provides a boost to their training.

“They are awesome and a huge inspiration for us,” said Leftheris, who with Nam won their first international medal earlier this season at Skate America. “I think we are just as happy for them as we are for ourselves.”

Inoue, 30, and Baldwin, 33, turned in a personal-best performance as well but had a couple of hiccups along the way. The landing on their signature throw triple Axel wasn’t smooth, and Baldwin struggled with a lift.

Still, the two-time U.S. champions were satisfied.

“We left a couple of points on the table,” Baldwin said. “I had a little bit of a struggle with a lift so that’s uncharacteristic for me, but our goal is to come off the ice being happy and we did.”

When asked if their performance to “Soul of Spain” was better than their short program at the Olympic Winter Games, Baldwin said no.

“It wasn’t better because we had a little bit of a step-out on the triple Axel and the lift was a little bit shaky, but I think we were rewarded more on our second marks here just because it’s a year later and we are that much further along in our careers.”

Inoue said the throw triple Axel remains a strong emphasis for them. Last year in St. Louis at the U.S. Championships, they became the first team to ever successfully land the difficult element in competition during the free skate.

“Going through the Grand Prix season, we didn’t see any other teams trying it,” Inoue said. “It’s risky but it’s worth the try for us. I feel like it’s getting a lot better and we have more confidence with that element.”

Inoue and Baldwin have earned four U.S. pairs medals as a team: one bronze in 2003, one silver in 2005 and two golds in 2004 and 2006.

Peter Oppegard, who coaches Inoue and Baldwin as well as Nam and Leftheris, said his two teams turned in workmanlike performances, and he expects both to shine during the free skate on Friday night.

 “I felt both teams tonight went out and did real comparable jobs,” Oppegard said. “A national short program is always a pressure-cooker and they didn’t hurt themselves at all. I think both teams have about 20 percent more to give in their performances and that’s what I’m looking forward to Friday, stepping up their attack a bit.”

Nam and Leftheris, Oppegard said, have elevated their game this season and gained a lot of confidence.

 “They are really starting to become pretty exciting and more toward of what I’m used to seeing from them,” he said. “John and Rena skated a little bit conservatively from the midpoint of their program on, but they are aware of that and with the training that they’ve done in the last two weeks – I think it’s been absolutely exceptional – I think the training will prove itself on Friday. They should gain a lot of confidence with the work they’ve done.”

Michigan’s Castile, 20, and Okolski, 22, said a change in coaches and rinks has elevated their performances over last year.

They turned in a solid program to “Shine on You Crazy Diamond” by Pink Floyd, including their incredible triple twist. Their only negative grade of execution came on their double Axels.

“It’s a lot more comfortable where we are now (Arctic FSC),” Okolski said. “We have a lot of skaters who skate at a very high level, and it helps us to train harder and more consistently than we have had in the past.”

Castile said she and Okolski have worked hard and are expecting success.

Derek Trent and Tiffany Vise are also in the hunt for a medal, standing in fourth place with 58.44 points. Their triple toes were downgraded, but they landed a great throw triple loop.

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