At the junior Grand Prix final in figure skating, the Ukrainian ice dance pair Iryna Pidhaina and Artem Koval won bronze medals. The competition took place in Nagoya, Japan, with each discipline featuring only the six strongest participants in their category.
Iryna Pidhaina and Artem Koval were the only representatives of Ukraine at this junior tournament. In their rhythmic dance, they scored 63.43 points, and in the free dance, their performance was rated at 92.79 points. Overall, their total score amounted to 156.22 points, securing Iryna and Artem the third step on the podium.
This bronze is the first Ukrainian medal at the junior Grand Prix final in 26 years and only the second in Ukraine's history in ice dancing. Overall, this is the fifth award for Ukraine in junior Grand Prix finals.
Before the tournament in Nagoya, the Ukrainian duo topped the ISU world ranking among juniors in ice dance. The ranking is based on the results of the last three seasons at key international competitions, and just before the final, the Ukrainians were in first place.
Congratulations to the athletes and their coaching staff on their successful performance at the Grand Prix final!
The Ukrainian ice dance pair won bronze medals at the junior Grand Prix final in figure skating in Japan. Their successful performance marks the second medal in Ukraine's history in ice dancing. This is a tremendous achievement for the athletes and for Ukrainian sports in general, confirming their high level in the junior category.