33. Vincent Zhou USA
2017 Junior Worlds free skate
For half the season, Vincent Zhou looked like he was not at all competition-ready. 2016 was not a year to remember for him, with injuries that really kept him from looking like the skater that he had the potential to be.
But it all changed in late January, when Zhou grabbed silver at the U.S. Championships as a complete underdog. It was a performance that salvaged his season and brought him back to Junior Worlds. And incredibly enough, he one-upped that Nationals performance at Junior Worlds, becoming the 14th American man to win that title after a junior record free skate with technical content that has never been seen on the junior level.
And to think, Zhou couldn't even win a Junior Grand Prix title in the fall. What a way for him to make his way into the Olympic season.