In an interview with NBC's "Today" on Wednesday, Ashley Wagner doubled down on harsh criticism of judges after she finished fourth at last week's U.S. Figure Skating Championships. Wagner's finish left her as the first alternate on the U.S. team, and she said on Friday after the event that she was "absolutely furious" with her score.
"I have a lot of experience in this sport, and I know what I consistently skate like and where I usually fall," the Sochi bronze medalist told the hosts. "So I'm allowed to question things but question things only in relation to myself."
After the initial scoring on Friday, Wagner took to Twitter to voice her displeasure and show her support for those that made the team.
As an athlete, I'm allowed to be mad. As a senior competitor with over 10 years of experience, I'm allowed to question things. At the end of the day, I laid out my best and I'm going home proud! Congrats to the lovely ladies of the team, you've got me in your cheering squad now!
— Ashley Wagner (@AshWagner2010) January 6, 2018
She also criticized the judges in interviews. "I'm absolutely furious," she said on Friday. "I absolutely left one jump on the table, but for me to put out two programs that I did at this competition as solid as I skated and to get those scores, I am furious, and I think deservedly so."
Wagner was named as the first alternate to the team, with champions Bradie Tennell, silver medalist Mirai Nagasu and bronze medalist Karen Chen all getting spots. Nagasu controversially was left off of the 2014 team in Sochi for Wagner, when Wagner finished fourth at nationals and Nagasu finished with bronze. Wagner's issue wasn't with anyone that made it over her, but the judging. Specifically, the consistency of the judging.
"The only thing that I question is my scores compared to my scores in the past," she told "Today" on Wednesday. "I scored lower on the second mark in my short program than I did in a competition I was injured at. Those are the things that I'm confused about but the technical side I think was totally fair. I ended up where I ended up."
Wagner also reaffirmed her support of the current roster.
"What you see is what you get with me and I pride myself on being honest and open," she said. "I think that at the end of the day, based on the selection criteria, they absolutely made the right call with this team. Those ladies are getting ready to go to the Olympics and I support them entirely.
"I've been in a position where people have tried to take away my legitimacy for being on a team and I would never want to do that for another athlete."
Wagner also said that she would be "ready to go" if she got the call for Pyeongchang. The games will begin Feb. 9.
