Latest news with #USFigureSkating
The Star
19-05-2025
- Sport
- The Star
Seize the moment
TWO months ago, after easily winning his third consecutive US Figure Skating national title, Ilia Malinin showed up at his rink to train for the world championships, yet he could not bring himself to skate for even a second. Malinin, the overwhelming favourite to win the gold medal in next year's Winter Olympics in Italy, had laced up his skates, looked around and felt an emptiness that stopped him. That week, 28 people involved in skating had died when an Army helicopter collided with a passenger jet over the Potomac River, killing all 67 passengers. Among them were young skaters, including three from the Washington Figure Skating Club, which is Malinin's club, and others who at times would use the rink in Reston, Virginia, where he trains. A coach, a skater and his father, and a whole family – two young sisters and their parents – from that club died, and Malinin, who is 20, was so brokenhearted in the weeks afterward that he could not even bear to say their names, he said. 'Skating usually helps me handle hard things going on in my life, but it was just too emotional to be there,' Malinin said in an interview with The New York Times the first week of March. 'I tried to have a productive day of skating. But I just couldn't take my mind to another place. I just couldn't.' When he returned to the rink several days later, he said, he redoubled his efforts to be the best men's singles skater in the world, one bound for stardom at the Winter Games nearly 10 months from now. He said he focused on fine-tuning his programmes and immersed himself in them, determined to dedicate his performances in Boston at the World Figure Skating Championships to the people who died. The result was a pair of spectacular programmes that brought Malinin his second consecutive world championship, which he won by about 31 points, a colossal edge in a sport in which margins of victory are often measured in single digits, or even tenths. Ilia Malinin competes in his short programme at the world championships in Boston on March 27. — NYT The capacity crowd at TD Garden for the free skate was on its feet long before his performance was done, and for good reasons: Malinin, from Vienna, Virginia, is a dynamic skater who is single-handedly lifting the sport into another stratosphere with his technical skills and his ability to connect with a new, younger audience. He landed a breathtaking six quadruple jumps, including a quad axel, which requires a mind-boggling 4½ rotations in the air. No one else in the world has done it in international competition. No one else has landed six quads in one programme, either. For years, the top skaters in the world could only dream of landing the quad axel, a jump made harder by its forward-facing entry. But Malinin, now a student at George Mason University, first landed it when he was 17. He said performing those quads at worlds meant a lot to him because he did it in front of a crowd in his home country, although he couldn't hide his disappointment that he hadn't executed the seven that he had planned. As a teenager, Malinin – a hoodie-and-jeans kind of guy – started calling himself 'Quad God' for his ability to execute quad jumps. But now his unique performances are just as memorable. With his flowing movements and unique body shapes, his routines could double as modern dances. For the long programme, he marched into the rink, taking each step with determination, as if heading for a street fight. His song was 'I'm Not a Vampire (Revamped)' by the rock band Falling in Reverse, and his outfit matched the theme of the music. It was a blinged out version of what looked like Dracula's tuxedo, and under the lights the array of sequins and rhinestones on it made him look sprinkled with glitter. He moved masterfully, in synchronicity with the song's every note, and he even shouted along with a few of the more aggressive vocals. Malinin logged 110.41 points in the short programme, one of the highest short programme scores ever at an international competition, beating Japan's Yuma Kagiyama by 3.32 points. After that programme, Kagiyama, the Olympic silver medallist at the 2022 Beijing Games, said he was in awe of Malinin's transformation from a skater largely known for the strength, speed and timing required to land impeccable quads to one with artistry nearly as untouchable. 'I'm starting to think he's invincible,' Kagiyama said. Malinin said his practices before worlds were easy. The jumps. The spins. The movements to the music. It all felt so right, he said. Yet at the rink, there were times when he thought about the skaters who died, he admitted, forcing him to pause. His parents – Tatyana Malinina and Roman Skornyakov, who skated for Uzbekistan at past Olympics – coach him and helped him regroup, he said. Those skaters he knew were not there anymore, gliding by or standing back, wide-eyed, to watch him and learn from him, or to train next to him, and that 'really upsets me,' Malinin said. — NYT
CNN
28-03-2025
- Sport
- CNN
Alysa Liu takes surprise lead at figure skating world championships, capping her sensational return to the sport
Almost three years after stepping away from the sport, American figure skater Alysa Liu is on the verge of winning a world championship title in stunning and unlikely fashion. The 19-year-old Liu, who had retired from figure skating after claiming a bronze medal at the 2022 world championships, placed first in the short program at this year's event in Boston with a score of 74.58 points. Should she take the title, Liu would became the first American women's figure skating world champion since Kimmie Meissner in 2006. Isabeau Levito, last year's runner-up, is also in contention to end that drought having placed third in the short program on Wednesday, while reigning US champion Amber Glenn is back in ninth. Liu made history in 2019 as the youngest person to win an individual title at the US figure skating championships, aged just 13. She won again the following year, seemingly destined to become one of the biggest stars in her sport. But having competed at the 2022 Beijing Olympics and medaled at the world championships a few weeks later, Liu announced that she was retiring from figure skating at the age of 16. At the time, she explained that she was 'satisfied' with her career, 'done' with her goals and ready to be 'moving on with my life.' Now, Liu says that she feels reinvigorated after her self-imposed break from the sport. 'I think that I have good intuition, and I have learned to trust it,' she said on Thursday, per US Figure Skating. 'I don't think that I would be where I am right now if I had not listened to myself. Others told me that I was making a mistake, but I knew that I was doing what was right for me.' Liu announced that she was resuming her training in March last year before returning to competitions several months later. Her performance on Wednesday was the California native's highest-ever short score in an international competition and included a triple flip-triple toe loop combination and a triple Lutz. Japan's Mone Chiba was second with 73.44 points, narrowly ahead of Levito, who is returning from a foot injury, on 73.33. Three-time defending world champion Kaori Sakamoto of Japan was fifth with 71.03 points, while Glenn, who fell on her triple Axel, scored 67.65. The women's singles competition will conclude with the free skate on Friday, which begins at 6 p.m. ET. The opening of this year's world championships was also a poignant occasion as the figure staking community paid tribute to those who died in a plane crash in Washington, DC, earlier this year. The midair collision between American Airlines flight 5342 and a US Army Black Hawk helicopter on January 29 claimed the lives of 67 people. That included 11 young figure skaters, four coaches and 13 family members who had attended the US Figure Skating Championships in Wichita, Kansas. 'For those who have experience deep loss, we know that time does not simply erase pain,' Kim Jae-youl, president of the International Skating Union (ISU), said during the world championships at Boston's TD Garden. 'For many of us, it feels like we are frozen in time.' A video montage of the athletes who lost their lives was played on big screens at the venue, while a choir dressed in black performed a tribute to the victims. Doug Lane, whose son Spencer and wife Christine were among those killed in the crash, also addressed those in attendance. 'Take extra care to lift up the young skaters that are still here,' he said, per the Associated Press. 'They're hurting. I hope we can support them in their skating journeys, but I also hope we can help them find happiness off the ice as well.'
Yahoo
27-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Alysa Liu takes surprise lead at figure skating world championships, capping her sensational return to the sport
Alysa Liu competes in the women's short program at the figure skating world championships. - Joosep Martinson/InternationalAlmost three years after stepping away from the sport, American figure skater Alysa Liu is on the verge of winning a world championship title in stunning and unlikely fashion. The 19-year-old Liu, who had retired from figure skating after claiming a bronze medal at the 2022 world championships, placed first in the short program at this year's event in Boston with a score of 74.58 points. Should she take the title, Liu would became the first American women's figure skating world champion since Kimmie Meissner in 2006. Advertisement Isabeau Levito, last year's runner-up, is also in contention to end that drought having placed third in the short program on Wednesday, while reigning US champion Amber Glenn is back in ninth. Liu made history in 2019 as the youngest person to win an individual title at the US figure skating championships, aged just 13. She won again the following year, seemingly destined to become one of the biggest stars in her sport. But having competed at the 2022 Beijing Olympics and medaled at the world championships a few weeks later, Liu announced that she was retiring from figure skating at the age of 16. At the time, she explained that she was 'satisfied' with her career, 'done' with her goals and ready to be 'moving on with my life.' Liu leads the women's singles competition after the short program. - Charles Krupa/AP Now, Liu says that she feels reinvigorated after her self-imposed break from the sport. Advertisement 'I think that I have good intuition, and I have learned to trust it,' she said on Thursday, per US Figure Skating. 'I don't think that I would be where I am right now if I had not listened to myself. Others told me that I was making a mistake, but I knew that I was doing what was right for me.' Liu announced that she was resuming her training in March last year before returning to competitions several months later. Her performance on Wednesday was the California native's highest-ever short score in an international competition and included a triple flip-triple toe loop combination and a triple Lutz. Japan's Mone Chiba was second with 73.44 points, narrowly ahead of Levito, who is returning from a foot injury, on 73.33. Three-time defending world champion Kaori Sakamoto of Japan was fifth with 71.03 points, while Glenn, who fell on her triple Axel, scored 67.65. Advertisement The women's singles competition will conclude with the free skate on Friday, which begins at 6 p.m. ET. The opening of this year's world championships was also a poignant occasion as the figure staking community paid tribute to those who died in a plane crash in Washington, DC, earlier this year. This year's world championships included emotional tribute to those killed in the plane crash. - Brian Snyder/Reuters The midair collision between American Airlines flight 5342 and a US Army Black Hawk helicopter on January 29 claimed the lives of 67 people. That included 11 young figure skaters, four coaches and 13 family members who had attended the US Figure Skating Championships in Wichita, Kansas. 'For those who have experience deep loss, we know that time does not simply erase pain,' Kim Jae-youl, president of the International Skating Union (ISU), said during the world championships at Boston's TD Garden. 'For many of us, it feels like we are frozen in time.' Advertisement A video montage of the athletes who lost their lives was played on big screens at the venue, while a choir dressed in black performed a tribute to the victims. Doug Lane, whose son Spencer and wife Christine were among those killed in the crash, also addressed those in attendance. 'Take extra care to lift up the young skaters that are still here,' he said, per the Associated Press. 'They're hurting. I hope we can support them in their skating journeys, but I also hope we can help them find happiness off the ice as well.' For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at
CNN
27-03-2025
- Sport
- CNN
Alysa Liu takes surprise lead at figure skating world championships, capping her sensational return to the sport
Almost three years after stepping away from the sport, American figure skater Alysa Liu is on the verge of winning a world championship title in stunning and unlikely fashion. The 19-year-old Liu, who had retired from figure skating after claiming a bronze medal at the 2022 world championships, placed first in the short program at this year's event in Boston with a score of 74.58 points. Should she take the title, Liu would became the first American women's figure skating world champion since Kimmie Meissner in 2006. Isabeau Levito, last year's runner-up, is also in contention to end that drought having placed third in the short program on Wednesday, while reigning US champion Amber Glenn is back in ninth. Liu made history in 2019 as the youngest person to win an individual title at the US figure skating championships, aged just 13. She won again the following year, seemingly destined to become one of the biggest stars in her sport. But having competed at the 2022 Beijing Olympics and medaled at the world championships a few weeks later, Liu announced that she was retiring from figure skating at the age of 16. At the time, she explained that she was 'satisfied' with her career, 'done' with her goals and ready to be 'moving on with my life.' Now, Liu says that she feels reinvigorated after her self-imposed break from the sport. 'I think that I have good intuition, and I have learned to trust it,' she said on Thursday, per US Figure Skating. 'I don't think that I would be where I am right now if I had not listened to myself. Others told me that I was making a mistake, but I knew that I was doing what was right for me.' Liu announced that she was resuming her training in March last year before returning to competitions several months later. Her performance on Wednesday was the California native's highest-ever short score in an international competition and included a triple flip-triple toe loop combination and a triple Lutz. Japan's Mone Chiba was second with 73.44 points, narrowly ahead of Levito, who is returning from a foot injury, on 73.33. Three-time defending world champion Kaori Sakamoto of Japan was fifth with 71.03 points, while Glenn, who fell on her triple Axel, scored 67.65. The women's singles competition will conclude with the free skate on Friday, which begins at 6 p.m. ET. The opening of this year's world championships was also a poignant occasion as the figure staking community paid tribute to those who died in a plane crash in Washington, DC, earlier this year. The midair collision between American Airlines flight 5342 and a US Army Black Hawk helicopter on January 29 claimed the lives of 67 people. That included 11 young figure skaters, four coaches and 13 family members who had attended the US Figure Skating Championships in Wichita, Kansas. 'For those who have experience deep loss, we know that time does not simply erase pain,' Kim Jae-youl, president of the International Skating Union (ISU), said during the world championships at Boston's TD Garden. 'For many of us, it feels like we are frozen in time.' A video montage of the athletes who lost their lives was played on big screens at the venue, while a choir dressed in black performed a tribute to the victims. Doug Lane, whose son Spencer and wife Christine were among those killed in the crash, also addressed those in attendance. 'Take extra care to lift up the young skaters that are still here,' he said, per the Associated Press. 'They're hurting. I hope we can support them in their skating journeys, but I also hope we can help them find happiness off the ice as well.'
Boston Globe
27-03-2025
- Sport
- Boston Globe
Ceremony at TD Garden honors members of figure skating community killed in Jan. 29 plane crash
'Some accidents are unavoidable. This one was not,' said Lane, whose comments focused on a theme of hope. 'Even a layperson like me can easily identify the systematic breakdowns that allowed this to happen. But rather than looking for places to place blame, I hope that we can work with our elected officials to make air travel safer for everyone and for all of our families.' Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up Also speaking during the ceremony were Governor Maura Healey , Mayor Michelle Wu , International Skating Union president Jae Youl Kim , and US Figure Skating president Samuel Auxier , and the Coro Allegro Choir performed at the conclusion. Advertisement In addition to Christine and Spencer Lane, four other people associated with the Skating Club of Boston lost their lives in the accident — Jin Han and her daughter, 13-year-old skater Jinna , and Evegenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov , coaches at the club who were competitive skaters themselves and the parents of Maxim Naumov , a 23-year-old skater who was the 2020 US junior champion. 'These athletes, coaches, and parents reflect the very best of what Massachusetts stands for — hard work, high standards, striving for excellence, and always sharing their talents and love,' Healey said. 'While they may not be here in person … their spirit, their passion, their love for the sport, the relationships they built … will never fade.' Spencer Lane was scheduled to be one of the medal presenters at the world championships. Instead, the presenters have had a patch shaped like a heart sewn into the inside of their uniforms. The patches read 'Spencer Lane Forever in our Hearts.' Advertisement Video tributes were shown featuring the skaters and other skating community members who were victims of the crash. Their names were displayed on the boards surrounding the ice surface at the conclusion of the ceremony. Auxier read a portion of a poem he wrote as a tribute. 'It is an honor for Boston to host this event, and we do so with heavy hearts,' Wu said. By the numbers According to the ISU, there are 190 competitors across the four disciplines — 39 men, 33 women, 23 pairs, and 39 ice dance couples … Deanna Stellato-Dudek of Canada, who with partner Maxime Deschamps won the 2024 World Championships pairs title, is the oldest competitor in Boston. Stellato-Dudek, who was born in Illinois and became a Canadian citizen in 2024, will turn 41 in June … The youngest competitor is Meda Variakojyte of Lithuania, a 17-year-old in the women's event … Five husband-and-wife teams are competing — four in ice dance and one in pairs. The dance couples are Diana Davis-Gleb Smolkin (Georgia), Carolane Soucisse - Shane Firus (Ireland), Katarina Delcamp-Berk Akalin (Turkey), and Madison Chock-Evan Bates (United States), while Camille and Pavel Kovalev (France) will compete in pairs … Five skaters or couples entered this year also competed at the 2016 World Championships in Boston — Piper Gilles - Paul Poirier (Canada), Charlene Guignard - Marco Fabbri (Italy), Chock-Bates, Deniss Vasiljevs (Latvia), and Ioulia Chtchetinina , who now partners with Michal Wozniak to represent Poland in pairs but performed with Noah Scherer for Switzerland in 2016. Matt Pepin can be reached at
