UPDATE: Niina Petrokina has surged ahead in her quest to defend her European figure skating title, leading the short program with a personal-best score of 70.61 points at the championships in Sheffield, England, on Wednesday. This impressive performance comes just months after Petrokina underwent Achilles tendon surgery in October, showcasing her remarkable comeback ahead of the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics.
Petrokina, who stunned audiences with her victory last year, executed a flawless routine that included a challenging triple lutz-triple toeloop combination. Her score not only places her in first but also surpasses her prior short-program score from the previous European championships.
Trailing Petrokina is Belgium’s Nina Pinzarrone, who has consistently earned bronze medals in the past two years, currently sitting in second place with 64.97 points. Italy’s Anna Pezzetta closely follows in third, scoring 64.85 points.
The competition has seen its share of struggles as well. Former champion Loena Hendrickx of Belgium, currently fifth, suffered a fall during her performance, reflecting a season plagued by injuries. Additionally, the 2023 champion, Anastasiia Gubanova, fell short in her routine, landing in 11th place.
In the pairs competition, Georgia’s Anastasiia Metelkina and Luka Berulava are poised for a significant breakthrough, leading with a score of 75.96 points. They are ahead of the defending champions, Germany’s Minerva Hase and Nikita Volodin, who managed only 74.81 points. Hungary’s Maria Pavlova and Alexei Sviatchenko round out the top three with 73.32 points. Notably, all top pairs, except Hase, were born in Russia and now represent other nations, as Russian athletes are not competing at these championships, although two have qualified for the Olympics under neutral status.
The stakes are high as the pairs free skate is set for Thursday, followed by the women’s free skate on Friday. The excitement and tension are palpable as Petrokina aims to solidify her status as a leading contender for Olympic glory.
For the latest updates and results, stay tuned to official Olympic channels and leading sports news outlets.
