Russian figure skater Alina Sagitova won the world championship in the Japanese Saitama. It showed the best results in a short and arbitrary programs, gaining a total of 237,50 points. Silver went to another student of Eteri Tutberidze, Elizabeth Tursynbaeva representing Kazakhstan. She was the first adult athlete, who performed a quadruple jump. Russian woman Evgenia Medvedeva took the bronze medal, being able to rise from fourth place after the first day of the competition.

  • Reuters
  • © Issei Kato

Short program of women at the world figure skating Championships scattered contenders for medals beyond the first six. Japanese women Kihara Rika and Satoko Miyahara, the Russian Sofya Samodurova, American Brady Tennell, canadian Gabriel Dalman — they in theory could be on the podium. In Saitama they went for any program with a lag of five or six points from the intermediate of the three leaders, to wager which every one of them.

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Records Sagitova, confidence Medvedeva and “butterfly” Kihira: as a skater skated the short program at the world Cup in Japan

Russian figure skater Alina Sagitova won the short program at the world Championships in Saitama. She updated personal record for total…

While Kihira not lost chances to catch up with Alina Sagitova. The two main favorites shared on the first day almost 11 points, but the Japanese skater performed two clean triple axels could play, and then the girls began to struggle.

American Tennell in the image of the heroine of Sergei Prokofiev’s ballet “Romeo and Juliet” was impressed with their firmness and durability and has put pressure on the leaders of the short program. Until the last rotation she pulled each item that, for example, failed a few minutes earlier Dalman. Tennell close before the top ten, scored a total of 213,47 points — that almost would be enough to win the championship this year.

And in an internal duel with Sophia Samodurova the American even managed to get the upper hand. 16-year-old Russian again for the season brilliantly performed music from the movie “Burlesque”, but one small mistake made — the loop at the last cascade was single instead of double. Although this world Cup for Samodurovka was the debut and getting into the top ten could possibly dream of every skater is not able to hold back the tears after the music.

The second strength workout closed Japanese figure skater. They walked Tennell and pleased their fans. Last year’s bronze medalist Satoko Miyahara scored 215,95 points, and Rick Kihira — 223,49 points. She performed a clean triple Axel in a cascade with a triple toe loop but then fell on her second attempt to perform his signature jump. However, to call it a triple Axel in her case it would not be entirely true — Kihira pure takes all the jump elements, while demonstrating a surprising lightness.

Total rate of Chichiri was so great that the Japanese returned to the fight for silver and bronze, but after it was supposed to be six girls. The main group was opened by Eugene Medvedev the leadership needed 12 points to exceed the best result of the season in any program.

Double world champion made called her a miracle — all the jumps were executed perfectly, in addition to a slightly oiled last double Axel. Even without the ratings it was obvious that Medvedev gave the best hire of the season and at least become the second — after Kichirou.

But the judges were impressed even more than the audience, and the components pulled the Russian into the lead. Medvedev broke two personal bests and scored points 223,80 — now a contender for the medal was she (assuming that someone from the closing of the competition the skaters make a mistake).

American Mariah bell and lim Eun-soo, who became the figurantok a small scandal at the world Cup, in the showdown for the medals did not intervene. Both showed their best skating and lost even Samodurova, thus European champion in eighth place. The epidemic of instability has affected and Kaoru Sakamoto — figure skater, coming second after the short program, not performed a flip and then lost a large number of points. Thus, it paved the way Medvedeva on the podium. And all the talk that two-time silver medalist of the Olympic games was not supposed to go to the world Cup, it was possible to stop.

Now it only remained to determine the best of the best — it was supposed to be Alina Sagitova or Elizabeth Tursynbayeva from Kazakhstan. Even given the fact that the Olympic champion won the short program and was ready to show itself in arbitrary and hang the gold medal around her neck before. Tursynbayeva as Kihira, had a secret weapon — the quadruple Salchow.

To maintain leadership, Sagitova could not relax. Again, as at the Olympics, she was breathing in the back a friend in the training group. Start by “Carmen” was a nervous 16-year-old skater performed cleanly all the jumps, but brand accents to the music she had lost.

The Rubicon for Sagitova was to become cascade Lutz — loop, which she stopped purely to perform in the second half of the program. The athlete took the second jump, but the incredible effort she stood on his feet and a purely left — all the hard stuff was now behind us. Further Sagitova were only waiting for a championship rating — 237,50 points.

Tursynbayeva could move the Russian player from the first place only if an absolutely clean execution of their demanding programs. Kazahstanka did the impossible and started with a quadruple hire a Salchow right there — never before has an athlete released from a Junior team, had not performed such a difficult jump in international competitions. Tursynbayeva some time still continued to keep the brand, but to fulfill the cascade Axel — toe loop still failed. She is now left to fight for silver Medvedeva, and student Tutberidze have won this battle, beating the Russian by 0.94 points.

Alina Sagitova won the world championship and won the last title, which was lacking in her collection. Elizabeth Tursynbayeva has become the first Kazakh athlete who won a medal in women’s figure skating. And Evgenia Medvedeva have saved your post-Olympic season, many thought hopeless. Perhaps this bronze from the Saitama will get more Olympic medals.