Japan’s teen Shoma Uno topped the men’s short programme at the figure skating World Team Trophy on Thursday, making up for a mediocre performance by his teammate and Olympic champion Yuzuru Hanyu.
Japan took the lead in the overall standings, followed by Russia, who topped the women’s short routines, with the United States in third.
The 19-year-old Japanese produced superb jumps, including a clean quadruple toe-loop, grabbing a stunning 103.53 points, ahead of Nathan Chen of the United States with 99.28 points.
Uno, who snatched a silver at the world figure skating championship earlier this month, confessed that he failed to stay focused while skating.
“I’m glad to produce a good performance although I did not have a good concentration,” Uno said.
“I want to display at least similar levels of performance in the free programme” on Friday, he said.
Hanyu sank to seventh with 83.51 points as he failed to nail his opening quadruple loop and lost his balance in a quadruple Salchow.
“I feel so frustrated,” the Sochi gold medallist said. “I will try hard tomorrow, by turning pressure and expectations into power.”
Both Japan and Russia have 44 points after the first day of the three-day competition, but Japan was assumed first due to technical regulations. The US team followed them on 43 points.
Evgenia Medvedeva, who successfully defended her women’s world championship, finished with 80.85 points in a Russian one-two with Elena Radionova on 72.21 points in the ladies’ short programme.
Japan’s Mai Mihara was third on 72.10 points, succeeding a triple lutz and triple toe-loop.
“I’m so glad to earn 72 points as I was aiming at 70,” Mihara said. “I want to produce this year’s best performance in the free programme.”
Madison Chock and Evan Bates of the United States scored highest in the ice dance with 79.05 points, with Kaitlyn Weaver and Andrew Poje of Canada behind them on 76.73 points and Ekaterina Bobrova and Dmitri Soloviev of Russia third on 68.94 points.
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