Ashley Wagner took to the ice Wednesday with a dazzling performanceat the Olympics Ladies Singles short program. It was Wagner's final chance at claiming a spot on the Olympic podium in the Singles event, and her performance did not disappoint as she scored 65.2 -landing 6th just after Yulia Lipnitskaya of Russia.
As Wager comes more into the spotlight this week, fans have been honing in on her relationship with Adam Rippon, with some suggesting there may be something more between the long-time friends - some even suggesting Rippon is her boyfriend.
Wagner has responded light-heartedly to those rumors by describing Adam Rippon as her "best friend," and akin to "her boyfriend without being my boyfriend," during an interview with The Washington Post.
Wagner and 24-year-old Rippon both trained together in California, and have been close for a long-time, and it is that closeness that has drawn the rumors that there may be something more to their relationship. However, according to Wagner - for the moment anyway - their current status remains simply long term best friends.
For now, Wagner has other "distractions," and has been busy helping Team USA to a bronze medal in the Ice Skating Team event last week, and this week she has been preparing for the Ladies Singles competition, where she will come up against favorite Yuna Kim of South Korea, and Russian teen sensation Julia Lipnitskaia.
Twenty-three-year-old Wagner skated confidently at the team short program last week, proving why she was chosen for the Olympic team this year despite finishing outside the qualifying places just weeks ago. With no major mistakes, Wagner gave a solid performance and received a standing ovation from her teammates. However, it appeared as though she believed she had done better than her score suggested, and when her score of 63.10 was announced, the disappointment was clearly written all over her face as her expression of joy quickly turned to disgust.
Wagner's disgusted expression quickly became an internet meme, much like McKayla Maroney's not impressed meme at the London Summer Olympics in 2012.
Ashley Wagner is a two-time national champion and placed fifth at the world championships last year. She is the daughter of a retired Army lieutenant colonel and was born in Germany. Throughout her childhood, she moved seven times and currently attends Saddleback College where she is studying Sports Journalism.
