As Kamila Valieva glided across the ice, a shower of camera shutters echoed through the Olympic figure skating arena. She was the skater to watch on the second day of the team event, and she delivered what many people came to see.
Wearing a purple, flowing dress that made her look like a Disney princess, Valieva, 15, landed each of her jumps softly, as if trying not to wake a sleeping baby, and floated through her program without showing even a pinch of effort.
Valieva is the gold medal favorite in the women’s individual competition next week.