Sofia / Bulgaria

Elena Radionova (RUS) skates to Junior Ladies gold

Elena Radionova skated to the Junior Ladies gold and led the second consecutive podium sweep for the Russian Ladies at the ISU World Junior Figure Skating Championships. Serafima Sakhanovich took the silver medal and the bronze went to Evgenia Medvedeva. Radionova is the first Lady to defend a World Junior title. Sakhanovich and Medvedeva debuted at the Junior World Championship.

Performing to Latin themed music, Radionova reeled off a triple Lutz-triple toe, a triple flip, triple loop-single loop-triple Salchow as well as two more triples, two double Axels and three level-four spins. The 15-year-old scored 127.39 points and totaled 194.29 points. “I am very pleased with my performance today. It was one of the best in my career so far, full of emotions and I skated like it was for the last time. This victory did not come easy to me mentally and physically. I did not know for a long time if I can come here. I haven’t fully realized yet what happened, but I am getting more and more excited now”, Radionova commented.

Sakhanovich’s program to the soundtrack “Closed School” was highlighted by a triple flip-triple toe, a triple flip-single loop-triple Salchow combination, three more triples and difficult spins and footwork. The 14-year-old earned 117. 38 points and accumulated 182.13 points overall. “My performance today was not ideal. I can do better than that. This competition was hard for me, because I got injured here. I had even trouble walking, but I did not feel it during my performance”, the Russian Junior Champion revealed.

Medvedva landed a triple flip-triple toe and a triple Salchow-triple toe in her routine to “Lady Caliph” and “Never Going to Miss You”, but fell on a triple flip. The ISU Junior Grand Prix Final bronze medalist picked up 114.71 points which added up to 178.43 points. “I am not so pleased with my performance, I made many mistakes, bigger and smaller ones and not only on the jumps, but even on the spins. After I skated I did not think I would be on the podium. When they told me that I am in third place, I didn’t believe it at first”, the Muscovite said.

Satoko Miyahara (JPN) remained in fourth place with 177.69 points. Alaine Chartrand (CAN) pulled up from seventh to fifth (164.35 points) and Da Bin Choi (KOR) moved up from ninth to sixth (162.35 points).