World Sport News

European figure skating champion Alina Sagitova has won the first gold medal for Olympic athletes from Russia at the Pyeongchang Winter Games.

After a fantastic short program with an unofficial world record of 82.92 points and a freestyle of 156.65 points with a total of 239.57 points, the 15-year-old prevailed just ahead of world champion and team mate Evgenija Medwedjewa (238.26) and the Canadian runner-up Kaetlyn Osmond (231.02).

The German champion Nicole Schott (Essen) finished 18th with 168.46 points (59.20+109.26),”I had hoped for a bit more. But I hope they weren’t my last Olympic Games. I think I will have other ambitions in four years’ time,”said the 21-year-old.

Sagitowa, still unbeaten this season, is at the age of 15 years and 281 days the second youngest Olympic Olympic gold medal winner in the history behind Tara Lipinski (USA), who won gold in 1998 in Nagano at the age of 15 years and 255 days.