Lindsay Thorngren Finds Personal Bests at Junior Worlds

Tears glistened in Lindsay Thorngren's eyes as she bowed and skated off the ice after her senior ladies' free skate program at the 2022 Toyota U.S. Figure Skating Championships in January.
 
Despite finishing in fifth place, the 16-year-old competitor knew she had not performed to the best of her abilities and was crushed not to have made the Olympic Team. Nonetheless, Thorngren was chosen to represent the U.S. at the ISU World Junior Figure Skating Championships 2022, where she ultimately earned bronze.

"I messed up a lot of elements," Thorngren admitted as she reflected on her performance at U.S. Championships.

Prior to U.S. Championships, Thorngren had a strong season on the Junior Grand Prix circuit, earning two medals, had qualified for the Junior Grand Prix Final and proved herself as an up-and-coming athlete for Team USA.
 
To prepare for Tallinn, Estonia, Thorngren reworked the elements of her senior programs to align with the junior international requirements. Even with steady practices in Tallinn, Thorngren found herself disappointed, again, after a fourth-place finish in the short program.

"I knew I could have done better," said Thorngren, who skated to a cover of "Writing's on the Wall" by Sofia Karlberg for her short. "My Lutz-toe was called under, so I could have gone a little faster on that. [Afterwards], I knew I needed to really focus on the free skate."

Entering the free skate, Thorngren was less than one point from podium position and wanted to put all her energy and emotion into her program set to music from The Queen's Gambit. One element missing from her program at U.S. Championships was a triple Axel attempt, which she fell on in Nashville.

"I wanted to skate cleanly and do my best there [in Tallin]," Thorngren explained. "[The jump] wasn't quite ready. I want to be confident and consistent when it goes back in."

In place of the triple Axel, Thorngren opened her free skate with a powerful double Axel and finished her program with ease and grace. Channeling the character of chess prodigy Beth Harmon, Thorngren's performance paralleled Harmon's quest to overcome personal challenges and mental obstacles.

"Her [Harmon] character really resonates with me because I have to land all my jumps. And, all those jumps are my obstacles."

After receiving a positive grade of execution on every element and earning all Level 4s on her spins and choreographic sequences, the 2020 U.S. junior champion found herself with new IJS personal bests of 133.28 for the free skate and 199.42 for a final score.

"I was so happy with myself when I got off the ice after my free skate," Thorngren said. "And then I was even happier when I saw I had received personal bests. I wish I would have gotten 200 because that was my goal for the season … Maybe next season."

Thorngren's bronze medal was one of four medals for Team USA in Tallinn, the most for the United States at Junior Worlds since 2013. Thorngren's teammates Ilia Malinin, Isabeau Levito and Oona Brown and Gage Brown won gold in their respective disciplines (men's, women's and ice dancing), and she felt proud to be a part of such a hard-working and victorious team.

"The team was really good at supporting each other, and we had a really strong team," Thorngren said.

While it still has not quite registered with Thorngren, she and her teammates are being considered the future of the sport and the next Olympic hopefuls for the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 in Italy.
 
With the help of the 2021 Mabel Fairbanks Skatingly Yours Up and Coming award, Thorngren was able to succeed this season and will continue pursuing her goal of becoming an Olympian. According to the New Jersey teenager, whose mother is from the Dominican Republic, the award gave her motivation to work harder.

"I'm proud to be Dominican," Thorngren shared. "The award has allowed me to progress in my skating journey, as well as represent my community."

As Thorngren looks toward next season, she is hoping to showcase a new set of skills and elements. Although she is still uncertain of what music she will choose, she is planning on a set of new programs, is already back on the ice and is planning for extra training time once summer break starts.