Latest news with #InternationalSkatingUnion
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Alysa Liu plans to bring back triple Axel for Olympic season
World figure skating champion Alysa Liu plans to reincorporate the triple Axel into her programs for the upcoming Olympic season. In an interview with retired NFL quarterback Boomer Esiason, Liu was asked, "What's the next technical statement that you're going to make?" Advertisement "Yeah, I'm pretty risky on the ice," she said. "This (past) season, not as much, just because I was focusing on my stamina. But now that it's back, I'm going to be trying my triple Axels a lot more and incorporating those into my programs next season." This past season, the 2022 Olympian Liu returned from a two-year retirement. She worked her way up, entered the World Championships ranked eighth in the field by best total score on the season and then became the first U.S. women's singles skater to win a world title in 19 years. 'Personally, I can be so much better,' Liu said at worlds, reflecting on the season. 'That's why I call this a starter season because this season is me picking up the pieces." Advertisement Liu is the youngest woman to land a triple Axel — at age 12 in 2018. She also landed a quadruple jump at age 14 — the first American woman to do so. She attempted neither a triple Axel nor a quad in the 2024-25 season. She last attempted a triple Axel in competition at the 2022 World Championships and last landed a positively graded (clean) triple Axel at the 2020 World Junior Championships, according to But Liu did train the triple Axel in practices in the Bay Area last season. The triple Axel carries 4.7 more base points than the double Axel, which can be a significant difference. Liu won the world title by 4.99 points over three-time world champion Kaori Sakamoto of Japan. Advertisement U.S. champion Amber Glenn was the lone woman to attempt a triple Axel at the 2025 World Championships, though a few others performed the jump at other senior competitions in 2024-25. Such as Adeliya Petrosian, an 18-year-old from Russia who is shaping up to be a 2026 Olympic medal contender. She was the only senior women's singles skater in the world to land both a clean quadruple jump and a clean triple Axel in competition this past season, according to Petrosian competed strictly in domestic events in Russia since all Russian skaters have been banned from international competition since shortly after the invasion of Ukraine. Petrosian has been cleared by the International Skating Union to compete as an individual neutral athlete at an Olympic qualifier in September in China, where she could earn a spot for herself at the Milan Cortina Games. Advertisement A skater from Russia won the last three Olympic women's singles titles. The U.S. last earned an Olympic women's singles medal in 2006 — Sasha Cohen's silver. Figure skating Grand Prix assignments: Alysa Liu, Chock/Bates headline Skate America The ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating starts in October.
NBC Sports
10-06-2025
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Alysa Liu plans to bring back triple Axel for Olympic season
World figure skating champion Alysa Liu plans to reincorporate the triple Axel into her programs for the upcoming Olympic season. In an interview with retired NFL quarterback Boomer Esiason, Liu was asked, 'What's the next technical statement that you're going to make?' 'Yeah, I'm pretty risky on the ice,' she said. 'This (past) season, not as much, just because I was focusing on my stamina. But now that it's back, I'm going to be trying my triple Axels a lot more and incorporating those into my programs next season.' This past season, the 2022 Olympian Liu returned from a two-year retirement. She worked her way up, entered the World Championships ranked eighth in the field by best total score on the season and then became the first U.S. women's singles skater to win a world title in 19 years. 'Personally, I can be so much better,' Liu said at worlds, reflecting on the season. 'That's why I call this a starter season because this season is me picking up the pieces.' Liu is the youngest woman to land a triple Axel — at age 12 in 2018. She also landed a quadruple jump at age 14 — the first American woman to do so. She attempted neither a triple Axel nor a quad in the 2024-25 season. She last attempted a triple Axel in competition at the 2022 World Championships and last landed a positively graded (clean) triple Axel at the 2020 World Junior Championships, according to But Liu did train the triple Axel in practices in the Bay Area last season. The triple Axel carries 4.7 more base points than the double Axel, which can be a significant difference. Liu won the world title by 4.99 points over three-time world champion Kaori Sakamoto of Japan. U.S. champion Amber Glenn was the lone woman to attempt a triple Axel at the 2025 World Championships, though a few others performed the jump at other senior competitions in 2024-25. Such as Adeliya Petrosian, an 18-year-old from Russia who is shaping up to be a 2026 Olympic medal contender. She was the only senior women's singles skater in the world to land both a clean quadruple jump and a clean triple Axel in competition this past season, according to Petrosian competed strictly in domestic events in Russia since all Russian skaters have been banned from international competition since shortly after the invasion of Ukraine. Petrosian has been cleared by the International Skating Union to compete as an individual neutral athlete at an Olympic qualifier in September in China, where she could earn a spot for herself at the Milan Cortina Games. A skater from Russia won the last three Olympic women's singles titles. The U.S. last earned an Olympic women's singles medal in 2006 — Sasha Cohen's silver. Nick Zaccardi,
NBC Sports
06-06-2025
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Sui Wenjing, Han Cong to return to pairs' figure skating for first time since 2022 Olympic gold
Sui Wenjing and Han Cong are set to return to pairs' figure skating competition next season for the first time since winning the 2022 Olympic title on home ice in Beijing. Sui, 29, and Han, 32, are entered in Grand Prix Series events in China in October and Japan in November. Their return could also help China earn an Olympic spot spot in pairs' for the 2026 Milan Cortina Games. China had no pairs' teams at this past March's World Championships, so the nation so far has not qualified any 2026 Olympic pairs' spots. China can qualify a maximum of one pairs' spot at the last qualifier in September in Beijing, where three total pairs' spots are available. Entries have not been announced. Han announced his retirement in August 2023 and has been a member of the International Skating Union's singles and pairs' skating technical committee. Sui has worked as a choreographer for Chinese pairs since the 2022 Beijing Games. Sui and Han also won Olympic silver in 2018 and world titles in 2017 and 2019 among five total world championships medals. The last pairs' team to repeat as Olympic champion was Irina Rodnina and Alexander Zaitsev for the Soviet Union in 1976 and 1980. None of the other top seven pairs from the 2022 Olympics are currently competing together internationally. That includes the Russian pairs who finished second, third and fourth behind Sui and Han in Beijing. Russian skaters have been banned from international competition since shortly after the Russian invasion of Ukraine two and a half years ago. While singles skaters from Russia have been cleared to compete as individual neutral athletes at the last Olympic qualifier in September, no pairs' teams from Russia were cleared. At last season's World Championships, the pairs' medalists were Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara of Japan, followed by Minerva Hase and Nikita Volodin of Germany and Sara Conti and Niccolò Macii of Italy. As of last season, Volodin was in the process of obtaining German citizenship to become eligible for the Olympics. Nick Zaccardi,
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
ISU names figure skaters from Russia eligible for Olympic qualifying as neutral athletes
A list of figure skaters from Russia and Belarus who could qualify for the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics as individual neutral athletes has been published by the International Skating Union, four months before the competition to determine if any earn spots at the Games. For Russia, the ISU announced two women's singles skaters (Adelia Petrosian and Alina Gorbacheva) and two men's singles skaters (Petr Gumennik and Vladislav Dikidzhi) have been approved to be eligible for the last Olympic qualification event in China in September. Advertisement Up to one entry per discipline is allowed at the Olympic qualification event — either Petrosian or Gorbacheva and either Gumennik or Dikidzhi — to compete for a spot at the Milan Cortina Games. The Russian figure skating federation indicated that it is prioritizing Petrosian and Gummenik, who are both potential Olympic medal contenders. The skaters from Russian who qualify Olympic spots in September cannot be substituted for another skater to compete at the Milan Cortina Games. No neutral pairs' team or ice dance couple from Russia was approved. Asked if that definitively means that no neutral pair or ice dance couple from Russia will be at the Olympics, the ISU referred to a document that stated that the Russian federation submitted at least one pair team and dance couple for review and that some athletes "did not pass the special screening process." The Russian skating federation said in a press release that it "tried long and hard" to find out why its pairs and dance skaters were not approved, "but the reasons are unclear" and that the ISU was not obliged to provide an explanation. Advertisement The ISU said that skaters nominated by Russian and Belarusian officials would only be approved if they "have neither publicly supported nor are publicly supporting the invasion of Ukraine and are not linked to Russian/Belarusian military or security agencies." They also would not be approved if they have been "associated with anyone serving a period of ineligibility due to an anti-doping rule violation." Skaters from Russia and Belarus have been barred from international competition due to the war in Ukraine since March 2022. Many top skaters from Russia have continued to compete domestically. This past December, the ISU announced that a limited number of skaters from Russia and Belarus will be allowed to return to international competition as individual neutral athletes for the last Olympic qualifying event. Advertisement There are five Olympic quota spots at stake in women's singles and men's singles, four in ice dance and three for pairs at the September Olympic qualification event. Many of the world's top skaters do not compete at the last Olympic qualifier since they already earned quota spots for their nations at March's World Championships. If the ISU's current list of skaters does not change, that means that none of the figure skaters from Russia who competed at the 2022 Beijing Games will return for 2026, including gold medalist Anna Shcherbakova. Petrosian, 17, is expected to contend for gold at the Milan Cortina Games if she qualifies. Women from Russia won the last three Olympic titles and went one-two at the last two Games. This past season, Petrosian was the only senior women's singles skater in the world to land both a clean quadruple jump and a clean triple Axel in competition, according to She did so in domestic Russian competitions only given the ban. Advertisement Petrosian joins the early list of Olympic medal contenders that also includes Americans Alysa Liu and Amber Glenn, who won the two biggest international events last season (worlds for Liu, Grand Prix Final for Glenn). Gumennik, 23, won a Russian men's singles event in February with six clean quads between two programs. American Ilia Malinin was the only man to land more than six quads at March's World Championships (eight, two negatively graded) en route to a repeat title. Silver medalist Mikhail Shaidorov of Kazakhstan also landed six quads at worlds. A Russian men's singles skater last won a medal in 2010, but Gumennik is one of several early Olympic medal contenders along with the favorite Malinin, Shaidorov and 2022 Olympic silver medalist Yuma Kagiyama of Japan. Advertisement A pairs' team from Russia or the Soviet Union has won at least one medal at 14 of the last 16 Olympics, including 13 golds. As of now, there will be no pairs' team from Russia at the Milan Cortina Games. The same goes for ice dance, where a couple from Russia or the Soviet Union won at least one medal at 12 of the 13 Olympics the event has been held. The ISU previously said that skaters from Russia were not eligible for the Olympic team event. U.S. rolls to World Team Trophy figure skating title, but will 2026 Olympic team event be closer? The U.S. cruised past rival Japan in a competition that's similar to the Olympic team event.
NBC Sports
13-05-2025
- Politics
- NBC Sports
ISU names figure skaters from Russia eligible for Olympic qualifying as neutral athletes
A list of figure skaters from Russia and Belarus who could qualify for the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics as individual neutral athletes has been published by the International Skating Union, four months before the competition to determine if any earn spots at the Games. For Russia, the ISU announced two women's singles skaters (Adelia Petrosian and Alina Gorbacheva) and two men's singles skaters (Petr Gumennik and Vladislav Dikidzhi) have been approved to be eligible for the last Olympic qualification event in China in September. Up to one entry per discipline is allowed at the Olympic qualification event — either Petrosian or Gorbacheva and either Gumennik or Dikidzhi — to compete for a spot at the Milan Cortina Games. The Russian figure skating federation indicated that it is prioritizing Petrosian and Gummenik, who are both potential Olympic medal contenders. The skaters from Russian who qualify Olympic spots in September cannot be substituted for another skater to compete at the Milan Cortina Games. No neutral pairs' team or ice dance couple from Russia was approved. Asked if that definitively means that no neutral pair or ice dance couple from Russia will be at the Olympics, the ISU referred to a document that stated that the Russian federation submitted at least one pair team and dance couple for review and that some athletes 'did not pass the special screening process.' The Russian skating federation said in a press release that it 'tried long and hard' to find out why its pairs and dance skaters were not approved, 'but the reasons are unclear' and that the ISU was not obliged to provide an explanation. The ISU said that skaters nominated by Russian and Belarusian officials would only be approved if they 'have neither publicly supported nor are publicly supporting the invasion of Ukraine and are not linked to Russian/Belarusian military or security agencies.' They also would not be approved if they have been 'associated with anyone serving a period of ineligibility due to an anti-doping rule violation.' Skaters from Russia and Belarus have been barred from international competition due to the war in Ukraine since March 2022. Many top skaters from Russia have continued to compete domestically. This past December, the ISU announced that a limited number of skaters from Russia and Belarus will be allowed to return to international competition as individual neutral athletes for the last Olympic qualifying event. There are five Olympic quota spots at stake in women's singles and men's singles, four in ice dance and three for pairs at the September Olympic qualification event. Many of the world's top skaters do not compete at the last Olympic qualifier since they already earned quota spots for their nations at March's World Championships. If the ISU's current list of skaters does not change, that means that none of the figure skaters from Russia who competed at the 2022 Beijing Games will return for 2026, including gold medalist Anna Shcherbakova. Petrosian, 17, is expected to contend for gold at the Milan Cortina Games if she qualifies. Women from Russia won the last three Olympic titles and went one-two at the last two Games. This past season, Petrosian was the only senior women's singles skater in the world to land both a clean quadruple jump and a clean triple Axel in competition, according to She did so in domestic Russian competitions only given the ban. Petrosian joins the early list of Olympic medal contenders that also includes Americans Alysa Liu and Amber Glenn, who won the two biggest international events last season (worlds for Liu, Grand Prix Final for Glenn). Gumennik, 23, won a Russian men's singles event in February with six clean quads between two programs. American Ilia Malinin was the only man to land more than six quads at March's World Championships (eight, two negatively graded) en route to a repeat title. Silver medalist Mikhail Shaidorov of Kazakhstan also landed six quads at worlds. A Russian men's singles skater last won a medal in 2010, but Gumennik is one of several early Olympic medal contenders along with the favorite Malinin, Shaidorov and 2022 Olympic silver medalist Yuma Kagiyama of Japan. A pairs' team from Russia or the Soviet Union has won at least one medal at 14 of the last 16 Olympics, including 13 golds. As of now, there will be no pairs' team from Russia at the Milan Cortina Games. The same goes for ice dance, where a couple from Russia or the Soviet Union won at least one medal at 12 of the 13 Olympics the event has been held. The ISU previously said that skaters from Russia were not eligible for the Olympic team event. Nick Zaccardi,
