Cyber Monday Deal: Up to 60% off InvestingProCLAIM SALE

Classy Medvedeva bags world title on debut

Published 03/04/2016, 08:44
Updated 03/04/2016, 08:52
Classy Medvedeva bags world title on debut

(Reuters) - Russian teenager Evgenia Medvedeva put on a flawless display with a record-setting free skate to cap a stunning debut senior season with the women's title at the world figure skating championships in Boston on Saturday.

The 16-year-old combined seven triples with exquisite spins as she tallied 150.10 in her four-minute program that ended with her thrusting both fists in the air in triumph as she broke the record set by South Korea's Kim Yuna at the 2010 Olympics.

Medvedeva finished with 223.86 points overall to add the world crown to her Grand Prix Final and European titles, finishing 8.47 points ahead of Ashley Wagner, who claimed a first podium place in 10 years for an American in the event.

"I won't realize quickly I won today because one year ago, I was still skating juniors," she told reporters through a translator.

"Actually I don't really have any emotions right now... I left everything on the ice."

Fellow Russian Anna Pogorilaya finished third and American champion Gracie Gold, who led after the short program, fell early in a nervous performance to drop down to fourth.

Medvedeva also became the first women to win world junior and senior women's titles in successive years.

Earlier, Canadians Meagan Duhamel and Eric Radford came from behind to successfully defend the pairs title they won in Shanghai 12 months ago.

The Canadian duo had struggled for most of the season since that triumph in China but Duhamel and Radford found their form with a personal-best free skate score of 153.81 points for a 231.99 total.

They skated to Adele's "Hometown Glory" and were the only pair to land a quad throw Salchow. "It was an out-of-body experience," Duhamel said. "How did we just do that? It's like a dream."

China's Sui Wenjing and Han Cong, who led after the short program, struggled with a poor free skate to settle for a silver medal for the second straight year.

The Chinese pair led by 2.67 after the short program but could only manage a score of 143.62 for 224.47 total points. Five-time champion Aliona Savchenko of Germany and new partner Bruno Massot, skating together at a world championships for the first time, took bronze with a 216.17 total.

Latest comments

Risk Disclosure: Trading in financial instruments and/or cryptocurrencies involves high risks including the risk of losing some, or all, of your investment amount, and may not be suitable for all investors. Prices of cryptocurrencies are extremely volatile and may be affected by external factors such as financial, regulatory or political events. Trading on margin increases the financial risks.
Before deciding to trade in financial instrument or cryptocurrencies you should be fully informed of the risks and costs associated with trading the financial markets, carefully consider your investment objectives, level of experience, and risk appetite, and seek professional advice where needed.
Fusion Media would like to remind you that the data contained in this website is not necessarily real-time nor accurate. The data and prices on the website are not necessarily provided by any market or exchange, but may be provided by market makers, and so prices may not be accurate and may differ from the actual price at any given market, meaning prices are indicative and not appropriate for trading purposes. Fusion Media and any provider of the data contained in this website will not accept liability for any loss or damage as a result of your trading, or your reliance on the information contained within this website.
It is prohibited to use, store, reproduce, display, modify, transmit or distribute the data contained in this website without the explicit prior written permission of Fusion Media and/or the data provider. All intellectual property rights are reserved by the providers and/or the exchange providing the data contained in this website.
Fusion Media may be compensated by the advertisers that appear on the website, based on your interaction with the advertisements or advertisers.
© 2007-2024 - Fusion Media Limited. All Rights Reserved.