Harding always gave off that “trailer trash vibe” and always will. Heck, she’s still hanging out in bars. She had the perfect chance to turn her story into a rags to riches but didn’t.
Kerrigan was smarter and played her role (not too convincingly but well enough) as little miss sweet and innocent which got her fame as a skating princess.
Then the drunk-driving chick from Ukraine beat them both.
For me, the whole thing high-lighted the beauty pageant aspect of figure skating.
If someone runs 400m faster than someone else, then they win. Not much debate about it.
If someone lifts more kg than someone else, then they win. Not much debate about it.
Skating? Sure, skill is involved. But the judges give the medals to the people they like. Trailer trash don’t get medals. Sweet and innocent gets the medals.
Figure skating is an athletic endeavor in which prizes are awarded in a highly subjective manner.