Miyahara dominant in free skate to claim Four Continents
TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) Satoko Miyahara of Japan dominated the women's free skate to win the Four Continents championship.
Miyahara, who was first after the short program, hit all her jumps to finish Saturday with a personal-best score of 214.91 and claim her first international title. Mirai Nagasu of the United States was second with 193.86 points followed by Rika Hongo of Japan with 181.78.
The 17-year-old Miyahara opened her routine with a triple lutz, triple toeloop, double loop combination, and added seven more jumps to secure the title.
''I was nervous at the start but just tried to believe in myself and all the hard work I've done in practice,'' Miyahara said. ''With elements I feel comfortable with, I was able to skate aggressively.''
Gracie Gold of the United States improved on her ninth-place finish in the short program to come in fifth with 178.39 points.
''I'm not sure what happens in the short,'' Gold said. ''But there is something in the free program that is much more calming for me.''
Wenjing Sui and Cong Han of China won the pairs championships with 221.91 points ahead of Alexa Scimeca and Chris Knierim of the United States, who took the silver with 207.96. Xiaoyu Yu and Yang Jin of China were third with 187.33.
The Four Continents championships are sanctioned by the International Skating Union and feature skaters from the Americas, Asia, Africa and Oceania.
The competition concludes on Sunday with the men's free skate.