In an electrifying display of skill and grace, South Korea's Kim Chae-yeon emerged victorious in the women's short program at the ISU Four Continents Figure Skating Championships held in Seoul on Friday. Kim captivated the enthusiastic home crowd with her flawless performance, earning an impressive score of 74.02 points.
The competition featured 21 talented skaters, including a strong contingent from the Chinese mainland. An Xiangyi, Zhu Yi, and Chen Hongyi showcased their abilities, finishing between 12th and 16th place despite facing various challenges. Zhu Yi, who previously achieved her best result at the Harbin Asian Winter Games, executed multiple triple jumps with precision, securing the 15th spot with 48.38 points.
Chen Hongyi demonstrated remarkable resilience by competing through an injury, delivering impressive spins and intricate footwork to finish 16th with 47.57 points. An Xiangyi also performed admirably, closing the day in 12th place with a score of 57.63 points.
While Kim Chae-yeon led the women's short program, the pairs event saw Japan's Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara claim gold with a total of 217.32 points, bolstered by a stellar free skate score of 142.59 points. Canada's Deanna Stellato-Dudek and Maxime Deschamps bounced back from a challenging short program to secure the silver medal, while their compatriots Lia Pereira and Trennt Michaud took home bronze.
The championships showcased a blend of emerging talents and seasoned athletes, highlighting the dynamic nature of figure skating on the international stage.
Reference(s):
Kim leads women's short program at ISU Four Continents Championships
cgtn.com
