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Japan's Rika Kihira defends her title at Four Continents

08 February 2020, MVT 18:05
Rika Kihira of Japan performs during the ladies free skating at the ISU Four Continents Figure Skating Championships in Seoul on February 8, 2020. (Photo by Jung Yeon-je / AFP)
08 February 2020, MVT 18:05

Japan's Rika Kihira defended her title in the Four Continents figure skating competition after coming on top of the women's free programme Saturday.

The seventeen-year-old champion, who also claimed her first national title in December, earned the overall score of 232.34 in Seoul, clinching the gold medal.

Kihira missed her opening triple axel jump in her free skate, making her victory not a sure thing, but overcame the setback in solid play by landing a triple axel-double toe loop combination.

She notched up the top free skate score of 151.16 points.

South Korea's You Young pleased her home fans by clinching the silver medal with the overall score of 223.23, after coming second in the short programme with 149.68 points, both her best personal scores.

You's medal was South Korea's first medal in the annual event in 11 years.

You performed without a blemish and ended her performance looking satisfied, receiving cheers from her South Korean fans holding national flags.

Bradie Tennell of the United States scored 147.04 in her free skate and settled for the bronze with the overall score of 222.97.

Kihira -- who had a golden run last season before finishing fourth at the Worlds -- finished second in Skate Canada and the NHK Trophy prior to her win at the Four Continents in Seoul.

The pairs gold medal went to China's two-time world champions Sui Wenjing and Han Cong, who received an overall score of 217.51 after leading the pairs free programme with 144.34 points.

Another Chinese pair -- Peng Cheng and Jin Yang -- followed closely behind to take the silver medal with an overall total of 213.29 points, after coming second in the free programme with 137.33 points.

Canada's Kirsten Moore-Towers and Michael Marinaro won bronze, slipping from first place in the pairs short programme and scoring 201.80 points overall.

The Canadian pair ranked fourth in the free skate with 125.44 points.

Four Continents features top skaters from Africa, Asia, Oceania and the Americas.

The men's single free skating will be held on Sunday and followed by a gala exhibition.

Seoul, South Korea | AFP

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