Japanese teenager Ami Nakai unexpectedly took the lead after the women's short program at the Milan Olympic Games. The 17-year-old outpaced her decorated compatriot Kaori Sakamoto and American skater Alysa Liu. The competition also saw the debut of Russian skater Adeliia Petrosian, competing under a neutral flag, who currently holds fifth place. Polish representative Jekaterina Kurakova secured advancement to the free skate with her best score of the current season.
The women's competition at the Asiago ice rink brought significant reshuffling in the world figure skating hierarchy. Ami Nakai, in her debut senior season, captivated the technical judges by flawlessly executing a triple axel. This element earned her a personal best of 78.71 points, allowing her to surpass three-time world champion Kaori Sakamoto. Japanese dominance is evident, as three skaters from the Land of the Rising Sun placed within the top four. Figure skating has undergone significant rule reforms in recent years, raising the minimum age for senior competitors to 17. This decision followed controversies surrounding training methods and physical burdens placed on very young skaters, primarily from the Russian skating school.Media attention was also on Adeliia Petrosian, a protégé of controversial coach Eteri Tutberidze. The Russian skater, competing as a <przypis title=