Japan's Kagiyama, Sumiyoshi take gold medals of figure skating at Winter Universiade

Source: Xinhua

Editor: huaxia

2025-01-19 10:46:45

Gold medalist Kagiyama Yuma (C) of Japan, silver medalist Daniel Grassl (L) of Italy and bronze medalist Cha Junhwan of South Korea pose for photos during the awarding ceremony after the men's singles Free Skating of figure skating event at the Torino 2025 FISU World University Winter Games in Turin, Italy, Jan. 18, 2025. (Xinhua/Li Jing)

TURIN, Italy, Jan. 18 (Xinhua) -- Japanese figure skaters Yuma Kagiyama and Rion Sumiyoshi won gold medals in the men's and women's singles events at the Torino 2025 FISU World University Winter Games on Saturday.

Kagiyama, silver medalist at the Beijing Winter Olympics, tallied an impressive score of 289.04 points.

Despite some flaws in the free skate, Kagiyama's high score in the short program secured him the championship. "This competition is different - it's so big and it feels almost like a festival. The support here was amazing," he said.

In the home crowd's enthusiastic applause, Italy's Daniel Grassl took second place, with his 186.74 points in the free skate earning a standing ovation.

Grassl said that he is happy to achieve the goal of standing on the podium, and the Winter Universiade shows how students can do their best in both sports and study.

South Korea's Cha Jun-hwan rounded out the podium.

Sumiyoshi claimed the women's singles title with 204.29 points, edging out her teammate Mone Chiba by less than a point. Sofia Samodelkina from Kazakhstan won the bronze medal. ■

Cheung Chiu Hei of China's Hong Kong competes during the men's singles Free Skating of figure skating event at the Torino 2025 FISU World University Winter Games in Turin, Italy, Jan. 18, 2025. (Xinhua/Li Jing)

Makar Suntsev of Finland reacts after the men's singles Free Skating of figure skating event at the Torino 2025 FISU World University Winter Games in Turin, Italy, Jan. 18, 2025. (Xinhua/Li Jing)

Kagiyama Yuma of Japan competes during the men's singles Free Skating of figure skating event at the Torino 2025 FISU World University Winter Games in Turin, Italy, Jan. 18, 2025. (Xinhua/Li Jing)

Daniel Grassl of Italy competes during the men's singles Free Skating of figure skating event at the Torino 2025 FISU World University Winter Games in Turin, Italy, Jan. 18, 2025. (Xinhua/Li Jing)

Makar Suntsev of Finland competes during the men's singles Free Skating of figure skating event at the Torino 2025 FISU World University Winter Games in Turin, Italy, Jan. 18, 2025. (Xinhua/Li Jing)

Mikhail Shaidorov of Kazakhstan competes during the men's singles Free Skating of figure skating event at the Torino 2025 FISU World University Winter Games in Turin, Italy, Jan. 18, 2025. (Xinhua/Li Jing)

Francesco Raffaele Zich of Italy competes during the men's singles Free Skating of figure skating event at the Torino 2025 FISU World University Winter Games in Turin, Italy, Jan. 18, 2025. (Xinhua/Li Jing)

Corey Circelli of Italy competes during the men's singles Free Skating of figure skating event at the Torino 2025 FISU World University Winter Games in Turin, Italy, Jan. 18, 2025. (Xinhua/Li Jing)

Kagiyama Yuma of Japan competes during the men's singles Free Skating of figure skating event at the Torino 2025 FISU World University Winter Games in Turin, Italy, Jan. 18, 2025. (Xinhua/Li Jing)

Makar Suntsev of Finland competes during the men's singles Free Skating of figure skating event at the Torino 2025 FISU World University Winter Games in Turin, Italy, Jan. 18, 2025. (Xinhua/Li Jing)

Gold medalist Sumiyoshi Rion (C) of Japan, silver medalist Chiba Mone (L) of Japan and bronze medalist Sofia Samodelkina of Kazakhstan pose for photos during the awarding ceremony after the women's singles Free Skating of figure skating event at the Torino 2025 FISU World University Winter Games in Turin, Italy, Jan. 18, 2025. (Xinhua/Li Jing)

Lavinia Ginevra Negrello of Italy competes during the women's singles Free Skating of figure skating event at the Torino 2025 FISU World University Winter Games in Turin, Italy, Jan. 18, 2025. (Xinhua/Li Jing)

Sumiyoshi Rion of Japan competes during the women's singles Free Skating of figure skating event at the Torino 2025 FISU World University Winter Games in Turin, Italy, Jan. 18, 2025. (Xinhua/Li Jing)

Naki Lara Gutmann of Italy competes during the women's singles Free Skating of figure skating event at the Torino 2025 FISU World University Winter Games in Turin, Italy, Jan. 18, 2025. (Xinhua/Li Jing)

Sofia Samodelkina of Kazakhstan competes during the women's singles Free Skating of figure skating event at the Torino 2025 FISU World University Winter Games in Turin, Italy, Jan. 18, 2025. (Xinhua/Li Jing)

Yoshida Hana of Japan competes during the women's singles Free Skating of figure skating event at the Torino 2025 FISU World University Winter Games in Turin, Italy, Jan. 18, 2025. (Xinhua/Li Jing)

Chiba Mone of Japan competes during the women's singles Free Skating of figure skating event at the Torino 2025 FISU World University Winter Games in Turin, Italy, Jan. 18, 2025. (Xinhua/Li Jing)

Gold medalist Sumiyoshi Rion of Japan poses for photos during the awarding ceremony after the women's singles Free Skating of figure skating event at the Torino 2025 FISU World University Winter Games in Turin, Italy, Jan. 18, 2025. (Xinhua/Li Jing)