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Finally, a lucky break
Gazette, The (Colorado Springs), Mar 20, 2007 by BRIAN GOMEZ THE GAZETTE
Two years ago, Ryan Bradley only dreamed of competing at the World Figure Skating Championships.
The Broadmoor Skating Club member broke his arm in a 2004 dodgeball tournament in Denver and missed the 2005 U.S. Championships. For a month, he spent most of his days and all of his nights in a recliner with his arm in a hanging cast.
Last year, Bradley was inconsistent, placing first at the U.S. Collegiate Championships and eighth at nationals. His breakthrough came this year with a second-place finish at nationals and a fourthplace finish at the Four Continents Championships at World Arena.
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Now healthy and full of confidence, Bradley, 23, a junior at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, carries newfound momentum into the World Figure Skating Championships, which continue today in Tokyo.
Bradley will be joined by Olympians Evan Lysacek and Johnny Weir. Lysacek, a twotime world bronze medalist, finished first at nationals and Four Continents. Weir is coming off a third-place finish at the national meet.
In the women's competition, Olympian Kimmie Meissner looks to become the first skater to win consecutive world titles since Michelle Kwan in 2000 and 2001. Her U.S. teammates are Olympian Emily Hughes and Alissa Czisny.
Before he finished second at the national championships, Bradley hadn't had a podium finish in a U.S. championship since 1999, when he won the national junior title. He placed fifth or worse in three appearances at the World Junior Championships.
"I didn't expect this to happen," Bradley said of making his first U.S. world team. "I'm definitely nervous. I feel like if you're not nervous before an event, you shouldn't go because it doesn't mean anything."
At the national championships, Bradley quelled his nervousness with a near-perfect free skate program. After Bradley received his scores, he saluted the crowd with a back flip at center ice.
"I felt so confident with my performance, with my jumping, with my skating," Bradley said. "Everything kind of came together. The crowd reaction was so awesome. It was by far the best I've ever skated.
"I feel like going out to nationals under that much pressure gave me a lot of confidence. I see it in my skating now. I step on the ice, and I know that when I get to a stressful moment that all my hard work will pay off."
Asked about his expectations for the world championships, Bradley said: "You just want to be able to look back and say, 'I gave it my best. I left everything I had out there.' If you can say that every time you step off the ice, you're going to be happy."
CONTACT THE WRITER: 636-0256 or brian.gomez@gazette.com
Copyright 2007
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