Career Highlights:

It’s hard to imagine a more fitting last name for an Olympian, and Gold showed exactly how perfect it is with a dominant performance to win the 2014 U.S. championships and book her spot in Sochi. Gold recorded the highest-ever ladies’ short program score at the event under the ISU judging system, an even more remarkable feat considering she’s barely had time to learn it. Gold moved from Illinois to Southern California in September to work with coach Frank Carroll, who had an opening when reigning Olympic gold medalist Evan Lysacek announced he would miss the Sochi Olympics due to an injury. Carroll suggested she ditch her short program and go with new choreography and a different song, Grieg’s A Minor Piano Concerto. Carroll’s presence has seemed to make a major difference in a larger sense as well. Gold had won silver at the 2013 U.S. championships but finished sixth last year at both the worlds and Four Continents championships - solid results, to be sure, but ones that also coincided with her parting ways with coach Alex Ourashiev. Now, armed with a short program that has her beaming with confidence, Gold will head into Sochi with her eyes on earning a medal - and perhaps once again living up to her name.

Previous Olympics:

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