▲ Figure skater Hwang Jung-yul in the women's singles
Promising figure skating women's singles skater Hwang Jung-yul (Surigo High School) successfully finished in the top 10 at the International Skating Union (ISU) Figure Skating Junior Grand Prix 1st event for the 2026–2027 season.
On the 21st (Korean time) at the Qujiang Sports Complex in Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, China, Hwang received a technical element score (TES) of 51.22 points, program component score (PCS) of 52.74 points, and a 1-point deduction, for a total of 102.96 points in the women's singles free skating.
Having scored 62.49 points in the short program the previous day, Hwang combined this with her free skating score to record a total score of 165.45 points, wrapping up the competition in 9th place among 31 participating skaters.
The women's singles title at this event went to Sofia Shepka, an Individual Neutral Athlete (AIN) from Russia, who scored a total of 213.28 points.
In the men's singles short program held on the same day, Hwang Gyu-jin (Gyeongseong Middle School) and Kim Ye-sung (Sejong High School) placed 13th and 16th, respectively.
Hwang Gyu-jin received 63.43 points, combining a TES of 34.32 and a PCS of 29.11, while Kim Ye-sung, who fell during his first jump element, earned 54.65 points with a TES of 27.56, PCS of 28.09, and a 1-point deduction.
First place went to Lev Lazarev, an AIN from Russia, who scored 86.76 points.
The free skating, which determines the medals, will be held on the 22nd.
Competing in the ice dance free dance, Leah Yu and Henrik Chan (Gyeonggi Provincial Sports Council) received 36.11 points in TES and 31.56 points in PCS for a total of 67.67 points.
Having scored 41.97 points in the rhythm dance the previous day, Leah Yu and Henrik Chan finished the competition in 15th place out of 18 competing teams with a total score of 109.64 points.
The championship was won by the Russian AIN duo of Maria Pepelova and Artem Valov, who scored a total of 162.16 points.
Meanwhile, as the suspensions on athletes from Russia and Belarus—who had been unable to compete in international events since March 2022—were partially lifted, they have returned under the AIN designation.
Athletes from figure skating powerhouse Russia won the women's singles and ice dance titles right from their return stage, and also placed first in the men's singles short and pairs short programs (the duo of Polina Shescheleva and Egor Karnaukhov with 65.54 points).
(Photo provided by the Korea Skating Union, Yonhap News)
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