Kamila Valieva, Russia’s figure skating prima ballerina, uncharacteristically faltered in the women’s individual event on Thursday, closing her Olympics by stumbling several times on the ice after days of controversy over a doping scandal.
Considered by many to be one of the greatest figure skaters in recent history, Valieva, 15, slipped or fell at least four times as she skated to “Bolero.” She wept as she left the ice and finished fourth, avoiding the question of whether the outcome of the doping investigation would deny her a medal earned as a top three finisher.
Her teammate, Anna Shcherbakova, won with a score of 255.