Skating broadcasters Tara Lipinski, Johnny Weir emotional discussing 'unimaginable' loss from plane crash
Members of the figure skating community are presumed to have been killed in the plane crash near Reagan International Airport late Wednesday night.
The crash came hours ahead of the European Figure Skating Championships, which honored the victims in a moment of silence before skaters took the ice.
The legendary broadcast duo of Tara Lipinski and Johnny Weir were on the call, and before the skating occurred, they both offered emotional tributes.
"As we come on the air for the European Figure Skating Championships, we are all hurting today. We were absolutely heartbroken at the news that several members of our skating community were among those lost in the tragic plane crash in Washington, D.C., last night," Weir began.
Weir then read off portions of sentimental statements from U.S. Figure Skating and the International Skating Union.
After a moment of silence, presumably to hold back tears, Lipinski offered her condolences.
"It is unimaginable loss. My heart is completely broken for our skating community, their families and loved ones. My heart is with all of the families affected, and that's the part I have no words for. It will not do it justice. It is so widespread throughout our skating community. We are such a close-knit family, and I know our skating community will never be the same. But we will always remember them," Lipinski said.
Weir added, "Our job is to make sure that everyone's spirit lives on. It's a tremendous loss that our community feels, and the sorrow that we feel for our tightknit community and the pain that we feel for our friends and colleagues is unimaginable today. My whole heart is with everybody affected by this terrible tragedy – we are so devastated for your loss."
First responders switched to recovery efforts in the Potomac River after it was believed that there were no survivors. There were 60 passengers and four crew members aboard the American Airlines flight and three soldiers aboard the UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter.
Two former Olympians, Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov, were also believed to be among the victims of the plane crash, the Kremlin confirmed.
Follow Fox News Digital's sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New York Post
2 days ago
- New York Post
Riley Gaines issues vile response to Olympian Simone Biles' critique of Minn. trans athlete
She pulled no punches. Conservative anti-trans activist Riley Gaines couldn't resist going for the low blow in her ongoing online spat with gold medal-winning gymnast Simone Biles. In her latest reply in the back-and-forth between the pair, Gaines referenced convicted sexual predator Larry Nassar — the former Team USA doctor who abused the Olympic legend and other females gymnasts. Advertisement 'All the horrific sexual abuse @Simone_Biles witnessed and spoke out against caused by one man, yet [she] believes women should be forced to strip naked in front of men to validate the man's feelings,' the former collegiate swimmer posted to X. 'You know how many gold medals you'd have if your 'inclusive' dream came true? Zero.' 3 Simone Biles is an Olympic legend with a ton of gold medals. Getty Images Advertisement Nassar is serving 40 to 175 years in prison for sexually abusing hundreds of gymnasts, including Olympians Biles, Aly Raisman, and Gabby Douglas. Biles blasted Gaines on X for criticizing a Minnesota softball team that included transgender player Marissa Rothenberger. 3 Riley Gaines has been a staunch anti-trans activist for years. Getty Images The pitcher threw a shutout and helped bring a state championship home to Champlin Park High School. Advertisement 'To be expected when your star player is a boy,' Gaines wrote in response to a photo of the team celebrating the winning season. Biles, a seven-time Olympic gold medalist, told Gaines she was 'truly sick.' 'All of this campaigning because you lost a race. Straight up sore loser,' Biles wrote to Gaines, who competed against trans swimmer Lia Thomas in 2022. 'You should be uplifting the trans community and perhaps finding a way to make sports inclusive OR creating a new avenue where trans feel safe in sports. Maybe a transgender category IN ALL sports!! But instead… You bully them… One things for sure is no one in sports is safe with you around!!!!!' Advertisement In another post, Biles added, 'bully someone your own size, which would ironically be a male.' 3 Larry Nassar will spend the rest of his natural life in prison. AP Gaines called the dig 'disappointing,' and added, 'It's not my job or the job of any woman to figure out how to include men in our spaces. You can uplift men stealing championships in women's sports with YOUR platform. Men don't belong in women's sports and I say that with my full chest.' Gaines added in a separate post, 'My take is the least controversial take on the planet,' and accused Biles of 'being a male-apologist at the expense of young girls' dreams.' With Post wires
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Yahoo
Ab-Soul Keeps Hip-Hop's Spirit Alive At Red Bull BC One
On Sunday (May 18), over a dozen of the country's most talented breakers arrived in Denver to leave it all on the floor at the Red Bull BC One Cypher to wrap its 2025 U.S. season. In total, 16 B-Boys and 16 B-Girls — including Olympians B-Girl Logistx and B-Girl Kate — united to compete for a chance to advance to the world finals in Tokyo later this year, but first, they had to battle one another. Camaraderie is shared between the dancers as they stretch and get in the zone, but on center stage, the mutual respect is channeled into elite routines. Ahead of the main event, Red Bull hosted the competitors as well as a select group of media and content creators and offered a warm welcome into its world of breaking. This included movement workshops, workout classes, and crew battles. At the Red Bull Camp, a new 2v2 format called Breakfighter was introduced, pairing breakers with gamers in a crossover clash featuring the iconic Japanese game, Street Fighter. At stake, a chance to win a trip to the Tokyo finals. The event also featured Salt Break City, an all-girl battle that paired B-girls with all-style dancers, uniting the power of breaking with the versatility and style of street dancing. Once it was time for the BC One, the camp closed shop and the activity moved to the city's Mission Ballroom to host hundreds of ticketholders excited for the competition. Each round grew more intense as one by one, breakers were knocked out of the competition, with many of the battles close. Judged by Red Bull BC One All-Star B-Boy Taisuke, B-Girl Beta, and OG B-Boy Ken Swift of the Rock Steady Crew, each dancer was ranked on creativity, musicality, and flow. A performance from Ab-Soul kept the Hip-Hop-centered event culturally grounded as he repped California with 'All That' and 'Do Better.' 'Man you know im KRS-2,' joked the Soul Burger performer with VIBE before taking the stage. 'This is what I really came to do. I really came to represent and keep the spirit alive. Keep the roots healthy as it [Hip-Hop] grows older. You know what I'm saying, with break dancing being one of the pillars. So I'm grateful to be a part of it.' In the end, B-Girl Logistix and B-Boy Hijck rose above their competitors and earned their respective spots in the finals. 'What's important is how you put your fingerprint on this dance,' explained Hijck, the now two-time Red Bull BC One Cypher USA champion, in a statement. 'It's not just about signature moves – it's about signature style. I can't wait to represent [the] USA, but most importantly, represent Hawaii.' 'I feel proud of myself for navigating life while training for this battle,' added B-Girl Logistx, also the 2021 Red Bull BC One World Champion. 'I am grateful for this win and the people who supported me on this journey. I'm ready for Tokyo, but this time I am working my way up from the National Final. In order to do this opportunity justice, I have to win in Tokyo.' Take a look inside the Red Bull BC One Cypher below. More from Ab-Soul Speaks On Joey Bada$$ And West Coast Rap Feud: "It's A Sport" Joey Bada$$, Ab-Soul Trade Bars Amid Coastal Rhyme War With Ray Vaughn Ab-Soul Teases Possible Kendrick Lamar Super Bowl Involvement In Cryptic Post Best of 10 Rap Albums Snubbed Of The Grammys' Album Of The Year Award 21 Black Entertainers Who Are Almost EGOT Winners 11 Black-Owned Games To Play At The Next Function Or Kick Back
NBC Sports
3 days ago
- NBC Sports
Sui Wenjing, Han Cong to return to pairs' figure skating for first time since 2022 Olympic gold
Sui Wenjing and Han Cong are set to return to pairs' figure skating competition next season for the first time since winning the 2022 Olympic title on home ice in Beijing. Sui, 29, and Han, 32, are entered in Grand Prix Series events in China in October and Japan in November. Their return could also help China earn an Olympic spot spot in pairs' for the 2026 Milan Cortina Games. China had no pairs' teams at this past March's World Championships, so the nation so far has not qualified any 2026 Olympic pairs' spots. China can qualify a maximum of one pairs' spot at the last qualifier in September in Beijing, where three total pairs' spots are available. Entries have not been announced. Han announced his retirement in August 2023 and has been a member of the International Skating Union's singles and pairs' skating technical committee. Sui has worked as a choreographer for Chinese pairs since the 2022 Beijing Games. Sui and Han also won Olympic silver in 2018 and world titles in 2017 and 2019 among five total world championships medals. The last pairs' team to repeat as Olympic champion was Irina Rodnina and Alexander Zaitsev for the Soviet Union in 1976 and 1980. None of the other top seven pairs from the 2022 Olympics are currently competing together internationally. That includes the Russian pairs who finished second, third and fourth behind Sui and Han in Beijing. Russian skaters have been banned from international competition since shortly after the Russian invasion of Ukraine two and a half years ago. While singles skaters from Russia have been cleared to compete as individual neutral athletes at the last Olympic qualifier in September, no pairs' teams from Russia were cleared. At last season's World Championships, the pairs' medalists were Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara of Japan, followed by Minerva Hase and Nikita Volodin of Germany and Sara Conti and Niccolò Macii of Italy. As of last season, Volodin was in the process of obtaining German citizenship to become eligible for the Olympics. Nick Zaccardi,
