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Alexandria's Wagner Is Unfazed by Success
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Only world silver medalist Mao Asada and Kimmie Meissner topped her.
Weeks before, she had finished fifth at Skate Canada.
"I have a lot of respect," Hughes said, "for Ashley's ability to adjust."
Since she and her family settled in Alexandria late in 2001, Wagner has trained daily with Hughes. After a year of home schooling from her mother, an elementary school teacher, Wagner decided to rejoin the mainstream and now attends West Potomac High, where she is in the 11th grade.
The school is close enough to her home rink that she can walk. She trains for three or four hours a day, supplementing ice time with ballet, jazz and Pilates. Hughes said she doesn't want to wear out Wagner, who has long been a strong jumper and enjoys honing other elements of her repertoire. The competition buzzing around her, Hughes said, gives Wagner plenty of motivation.
After all, Wagner's third place at last year's world junior championships qualified as a great honor, but it came with this caveat: U.S. teammates, world junior champion Caroline Zhang, 14, and Nagasu, finished first and second, respectively. Some would say those youngsters have outshone Wagner over the last year. Zhang qualified for the end-of-season Grand Prix final in December and managed a fourth place. Nagasu won the junior Grand Prix final.
"We have not had that kind of presence in a while," Hughes said. "I think the depth is quite incredible. . . . Ashley appreciates all the talent around her. It challenges her."
So far, it hasn't tripped her. Others weren't so fortunate Thursday. Defending U.S. champion and former world champ Meissner, 18, fell once, positioning her for a disappointing fourth. Zhang received downgraded marks on two jumps, keeping her from moving up from seventh. Last year's U.S. bronze medal winner Alissa Czisny fell three times and eventually sat in ninth place.
"It was really exciting," Wagner said. "But no matter what, I still have one more to go. . . . It's an exciting competition that everyone should be glad to watch."
