(Xinhua)14:02, March 23, 2019
Russian figure skaterAlina Zagitova in the competition (Photo/Xinhua)
SAITAMA, Japan, March 22 (Xinhua) — Pyeongchang Olympic champion Alina Zagitova of Russia proved she is still the best female figure skater in the world at the 2019 World Championships in Saitama, Japan, here on Friday.
Dancing to the music of Carmen Suite by Rodion Shchedrin, Zagitova delivered a flawless free skate. All her jumps were clean, and her spins and sequences beautiful. She scored 155.42 in free skate, and totaled 237.50 to take the gold medal.
My first thought at the very end of the performance was yes, I did it. She said. I realized that I needed a clean skate and I went into each jump determined landing it. I was very nervous, but I think the experience from the Olympic Games helped me somehow. I felt like at the Olympics, even worse (more nervous) probably. I was very nervous, because this season didnt go so smoothly.
Kazakhstans Elizabeth Tursynbaeva made history that she opened her program with a stunning quad salchow, becoming the first woman to finish a quad jump in senior international competition. The high difficulty jump brought her a silver with a total score of 224.76, 148.80 in free skate.
Of course Im really happy with my silver medal. It was unexpected for me, the first (womens) medal for Kazakhstan, I tried not to think about anything when I was competing, and just focus on my program,said the runner-up.
The late Denis Ten won two mens world medals.
Pyeongchang runner-up Evgenia Medvedeva of Russia came third with 223.80, scoring 149.57 in free skate.
I just wanted to say that its a really incredible feeling that Im here now, said the bronze medallist. It was really so frustrating for me and it was so hard to qualify here, but I made it and Im really proud of our team.
Im proud of myself, but Ill only be happy for a few days then Ill calm down and be ready to work more.
Home favorite Rika Kihira moved up from seventh to fourth. The Grand Prix Final and Four Continents winner fell on a triple Axel, but still got a second highest free skate point, 152.59, only less than Zagitova. She combined 223.49.
The other two Japanese skaters Kaori Sakamoto and Stoke Miyahara took fifth and sixth respectively.
Bradie Tennell of the United States took the seventh, while Russian Sofia Samodurova, European champion this season, was eighth.
Chinas Chen Hongyi took the 19th with 157.59. She fell in her second jump.
I didnt expect it (the fall), said the 16-year-old high school girl. I was frustrated after the fall.