By Sophia Sandoval, Team FSO contributing writer
Photo by Annice Lyn – International Skating Union via Getty Images
Yihan Wang made history at the ISU Junior Grand Prix in Bangkok this past weekend by becoming the first Chinese woman to win a Junior Grand Prix.
Wang was dominant in both the short and free program, achieving a total combined score of 194.71 points, a personal best. The reigning national champion opened up her short program with a technically pristine triple lutz-triple toe. Wang also went completely clean in the free skate, displaying mature skating skills and smooth transitions.
Wang was the only athlete in the women’s singles event to receive a positive grade of execution on every single element competed across the weekend.
Wang pulled off a surprise victory over Jia Shin, who came into the event as the clear favorite.
Shin, who has won back-to-back-to-back silver medals at the Junior World Championships, made an uncharacteristic mistake in the short program, popping a planned triple lutz-triple toe, which cost her around ten to eleven points.
Even though Shin took two falls in the free program and received some edge calls, Shin placed third in the segment, but that wasn’t enough to put her on the podium, as she placed fourth.
Shin’s free skate “Adios Nonino” is an obvious homage to her hero, Yuna Kim. The two get compared to one another frequently, not just because they are both known for their artistic and technical prowess, but because Shin is labeled as Kim’s true successor.
Consistency and cleanliness were missing from Shin’s skates, two characteristics she is usually known for. The reigning national champion is adjusting to training in a new environment. In August, it was announced that Shin had moved to Toronto, Canada to train under Brian Orser and Tracy Wilson. Orser is known for being the former coach of Kim when she became Olympic Champion. However, if Shin can’t improve by her next assignment, where she’ll most likely have to win to qualify for the final, fans will be quick to question the coaching change.
Japan’s Yo Takagi came away with the silver medal. Takagi skated a clean free skate, with the only mistake being that her triple lutz-triple toe was called a quarter under-rotated.
Her free skate was a masterclass in technique and skating skills. Takagi had some of the most stable and explosive jumps in the competition, and the deep edges in her step sequence and choreographic elements stood out. Despite her triple flip edge being marked unclear and under-rotated, Takagi placed second in the segment with a total combined score of 188.54 points.
Mei Okada placed third in her junior international debut, scoring 175.96 points. Okada handled the big stage with confidence, flashing her potential.
Although Okada popped her opening triple lutz-triple toe combination in the short program, she still placed third in the segment. She skated to “Unusual Way” and “Be Italian,” showing off her ability to perform a high-energy and artistically mature piece of choreography.
In the free skate, Okada took a fall on her triple loop and received a rotation call on her triple salchow, but her short program score was enough to keep her in the bronze medal position.
Men
On the men’s side, Yanhao “Dwyane” Li came home with a dominant win.
Li was able to build off of the major successes of last season, which included winning New Zealand’s first-ever figure skating medal at the Youth Olympic Games.
Li was rock solid in the short program, with all of his elements receiving level four status and positive grades of executions, including a huge triple axel. In addition to the short, Li also placed first in the free program. He jumped two triple axels and a solid triple lutz-triple toe. His total combined score was 230.09 points.
If Li can maintain consistency in his ultra-c elements and make improvements in the artistry aspect, he stands a good chance of qualifying for the final.
Just like the women’s side, the favorite coming in on the men’s favorite could not pull off the win.
Japan’s Rio Nakata came in as the reigning Junior Grand Prix Final Champion and the Junior World silver medalist, but made costly mistakes in both performances.
Nakata’s short program started strong with a technically solid triple axel and triple flip, but he doubled his triple toe combo, which cost him around five to six points.
In the free, he opened up his “Pirates of the Caribbean,” free skate with a shaky quad salchow, and then preceded to pop his triple axel and fall on his triple loop. Despite these mistakes, Nakata held an advantage over most of his competitors in his experience and the level of difficulty in his program content.
He was able to place second in both segments with an overall score of 218.71 points.
Rounding out the podium is China’s Tonghe Tian, who scored a personal best of 210.39 points.
Despite skating clean in the short Tian placed fourth in the segment, as he lacked a triple axel and a level four status on his step sequence.
The free program, however, is where he earne his bronze medal. Tian went completely clean, earning either a level four or a positive grade of execution on all of his elements.
Where Tian lacks in program difficulty, he makes up for in having explosive and technically pristine jumps that flow in and out of transitions.
