Copyright 2018 NPR. To see more, visit ROBERT SIEGEL, HOST: Figure skating is always a fan favorite at the Olympic Games, a combination of athleticism, sequined costumes and often melodrama. U.S. figure skaters are gathered in San Jose, Calif., this week for the national championships and a chance to qualify for the Olympics, which begin next month. NPR's Tom Goldman reports there has been drama, more real-world than soap opera. TOM GOLDMAN, BYLINE: The U.S. Figure Skating Championships in an Olympic year are a stressful event. Performances in the short program and longer free skate don't solely determine whether a skater makes the Olympic team, but they count a lot. So the stumbles during routines are more frequent, the on-ice smiles sometimes appear strained. 2016 U.S. champion Adam Rippon was feeling it before his short program last night. ADAM RIPPON: When I made a little mistake in the six-minute warm-up, I said, girl, you tight. So... (LAUGHTER) GOLDMAN: But the 28-year-old
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