Mariah Bell.Photo: Jamie Squire/Getty
Mariah Bell is leading the women’s pack at the 2022U.S. Figure Skating Championships, in Nashville, Tennessee, this week, and she’s had a little help from a familiar face.
Speaking to PEOPLE last year, Bell noted what Rippon, 32, brings to the team versus Arutyunyan, 64, who also works with Nathan Chen and coached former Olympian Michelle Kwan.
“[Arutyunyan] is so smart, but he is pretty old school in his ways of thinking, which is fine,” said Bell, 25. “I mean, Adam kind of brings the fun. Rafael … is very strict and very demanding of his students. And so it was kind of fun to have Adam come in and be kind of the lighter, like more bubbly version of him sometimes.”
During Thursday’s short program, Bell landed a triple flip-triple toe loop and won with a score of 75.55, theAssociated Pressreported. Her score put her one point ahead of competitorKaren Chenand more than four ahead ofAlysa Liu.
Mariah Bell.Ken Murray/Icon Sportswire via Getty
While chatting with PEOPLE, Bell also talked about the pressure for figure skaters to add challenging tricks to their programs, with the seasoned skater admitting “I think sometimes people get caught up in wanting to do more.”
“It kind of muddies the water where you already do really well,” she explained, “And so I’m more of the kind of like, yes, try those things. You can start working for them but know what your strengths are.”
To learn more about all the Olympic hopefuls, visitTeamUSA.org. Watch the Winter Olympics, beginning February 3 on NBC.
Lindsay Kimble
source: people.com
