Rock fans have been excited by the musical selections at this year’s Winter Games in PyeongChang, South Korea, which yesterday included AC/DC’s “Back in Black” and “Thunderstruck.” The songs come from 1980’s Back in Black and 1990’s The Razor’s Edge, respectively.
Donning a studded black leather pants suit with a back patch and fingerless gloves, the audience delighted in a short program by Hungary’s Ivett Toth, cheering her on throughout. Her performance earned her season’s best score, though she fell far short of winning a medal.
In a sport where contenders are judged not only for their athletic abilities but also on their image, Toth’s music was an interesting choice. As many laymen were reminded in the recent movie I, Tonya, which is about former Olympian Tonya Harding, many judges still expect female skaters to embrace idyllic and traditional feminine personas.
Even though Toth might be a prime example of an athlete tossing aside such old-fashioned ethos, she’s not alone. Fans have enthusiastically tuned in for ice-skating routines over the past couple weeks, not only to see who lands their quad jumps but also to hear what music they choose for their performances.
Following a rule change by the International Skating Union, this has been the first Winter Games where skaters are permitted to use music with lyrics. And there’s been a crowded field of artists making their way onto the ice so far.
