At the 50th anniversary of “An Evening with Champions,” Olympic silver and bronze medalists Madison Hubbell and Zachary Donohue gave a moving performance sequence. They do their routine to Melody Gardot’s moving song “Once I Was Loved.”
An Evening with Champions is a public, non-benefit noble cause program that raises money for “The Jimmy Fund,” the fundraising arm of the “Dana-Farber Cancer Institute,” in order to fight malignant development.
An Evening with Champions, which started at Harvard in 1970, puts on an annual exhibition of top figure skating. It has included Olympic and well-known athletes including Yuna Kim, Michelle Kwan, Nathan Chen, and Evan Lysacek.
Zachary is dressed in a simple white shirt and dark pants, while the elegant Madison is donning a short floral sundress. Their astounding performance is masterfully orchestrated to capture the mood of the song.
As he skates across the ice, Zachary pulls her above his head and twists her. They are cheered by the audience and are followed by the spotlight as they skate dance flawlessly. The remaining ice is illuminated with a rich purple hue.
Zachary continues skating while Madison eventually crosses his back and departs. Their progressions are seamless and flawlessly suited to the tune. Zachary turns as Madison puts both of her arms over his neck, leaving her hanging loose from his frame.
Zachary then pulls her as high as he can while she is still hanging there. As their last pose, they bow down and embrace. Two incredible skaters put on a flawless display. The amazed crowd applauds the pair loudly for both their ability and their admirable cause.
