01/22/26 11:23:00
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01/22 11:21 CST Olympic ice dancers Zingas and Kolesnik lead American sweep in
rhythm dance at Four Continents
Olympic ice dancers Zingas and Kolesnik lead American sweep in rhythm dance at
Four Continents
By DAVE SKRETTA
AP Sports Writer
Olympic ice dancers Emilea Zingas and Vadym Kolesnik led an American sweep of
the rhythm portion of the ice dance competition on the opening day of the Four
Continents Figure Skating Championships on Thursday in Beijing.
The recently-crowned U.S. silver medalists, Zingas and Kolesnik scored 79.97
points for their rhythm dance to edge Caroline Parsons and Michael Brown, who
scored 78.66 points. Oona Brown and Gage Brown were third with 74.24 points.
Typically, very few figure skaters heading to the Winter Games will compete at
Four Continents in an Olympic year. But Zingas and Kolesnik are trying to take
advantage of one last opportunity on an international stage to sort out the
details of their two programs before the Milan Cortina Games begin in just
under two weeks.
Green and Parsons are first alternates and the Brown siblings the third
alternates for the U.S. Figure Skating team for Italy.
Two-time reigning U.S. pairs champions Alisa Efimova and Misha Mitrofanov were
third after the short program at the National Indoor Stadium, the site of ice
hockey games at the Beijing Olympics four years ago. Efimova and Mitrofanov
were hoping that she would gain American citizenship in time to compete in
Milan, but the Finnish skater's passport did not come through in time.
Olympic rules state that athletes must be citizens of the nations they
represent in order to compete.
The Chinese team of Sui Wenjing and Han Cong, who are favored to defend their
Olympic pairs gold medal in Milan, led after their short program at Four
Continents with 76.02 points. Yuna Nagaoka and Sumitada Moriguchi of Japan were
second with 71.95 points, and Efimova and Mitrofanov were right behind with
71.85.
Ami Nakai, Yuna Aoki and Mone Chiba, all of whom will be representing Japan at
the Milan Cortina Games, swept the top three spots after the women's short
program. Nakai scored 73.83 points, Aoki had 71.41 and Chiba had 68.07.
The powerful Japanese contingent is expected to be the toughest competition ---
along with Russia's Adeliia Petrosian --- for the strong American team of Amber
Glenn, Alysa Liu and Isabeau Levito. None of those three skaters are competing
at Four Continents.
Sarah Everhardt was the top American in fifth place Thursday. Bradie Tennell
was seventh and Starr Andrews eighth.
Four Continents continues Friday with the free dance and the women's free
skate. The men's short program and pairs free skate are Saturday before the
competition concludes Sunday with the men's free skate.
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AP Winter Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics
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