SOCHI, Russia — At the Iceberg Skating Palace on Wednesday night, Carly Gold performed a short program to Grieg's Piano Concerto. While sitting. In between her parents. In section C, row 5, way high in the rafters.

Two levels below, her twin, Gracie, skated as well. On Olympic ice.

Before the competition, Gracie texted her sister. "I'm afraid," she wrote.

"Everyone is afraid, it's the Olympics. Stick to your training," Carly said. "You've never been more prepared in your entire life, so go out there and show them what you love."

"Thanks. I'll do it," Gracie wrote.

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Still, Carly was nervous because Gracie was nervous. Lots of twins know what each other is thinking and feeling without words. As a senior level skater herself, Carly knows what it's like to land a triple and miss a lutz. Given their telepathy is two-fold, watching your twin compete in the Olympics is like competing as well.

Carly nods along to the opening. Smooth so far. Triple lutz, triple toe next. Deep breath.

"She's a little bit forward on the lutz. I wasn't sure if she would able to get the toe in but she's a fighter," Carly says.

Here come the spins. Carly counts the rotations. Triple loop. "I thought that was a little tight for her," Carly says. "I know she can do it better."

Double axel. "Not her best," Carly says. Footwork, final spin and final position.

Carly jumps to her feet and hugs her mom, Denise. "I'm so proud of her," Carly says.

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If Frank Carroll is Gracie's coaching guru, Carly is her compass. She keeps her grounded and lifts her up. In the hours before the competition, the twins texted back and forth, as if it was just any other day.

Gracie was watching the reality TV cooking show, The Taste, (Think The Voice, but with food) on her laptop and the two were texting about the latest episode.

"I think it's good for her to have someone she can talk to about normal things because you know with coaches it's 'focus.' With parents, it's 'how you feeling?' I try to be the person to whom she can say, 'Do you believe he just got eliminated!'"

As Gracie's scores are posted, the Golds cheer wildly. At the moment, Gracie is in second place behind Yuna Kim of South Korea. By the end of the night, Gracie slips to fourth. A medal is in reach.

"Tomorrow we do it again," Carly says.


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