Above: Jacob Sanchez celebrates his first medal in the kiss and cry at Junior Grand Prix Turkey. Photo credit: Getty Images.
By: Kristen Henneman
Team USA had its most successful outing so far this season on the ISU Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating Series this past weekend, bringing home three medals from Ankara, Turkey.
Jacob Sanchez won the gold medal, his first podium finish at a Junior Grand Prix and the first gold in the series this season for Team USA. In the pairs event, Olivia Flores and Luke Wang clinched their second Junior Grand Prix medal of the season with silver, becoming the first U.S. skaters to lock their spot at the ISU Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final in December. Ice dancers Hana Maria Aboian and Daniil Veselukhin also finished on the podium, earning the bronze and medaling for the second straight weekend.
After coming so close to a medal last season, Sanchez broke through in Ankara, winning both the short program and free skate to stand on the top step of the podium.
Setting a new personal best in the short program by more than three points, Sanchez was awarded positive grades of execution on every element. His jumps, in particular, stood out as he earned more than 10 points for his opening triple Axel and 12.39 points for his triple Lutz-triple toe loop combination in the second half of the program. His program to a John Miles medley tallied a score of 81.14, leading the field by nearly six points.
Photo credit: Getty Images
Sanchez didn’t let up in the free skate, scoring 139.11 for his program to "Io Ci Saro" by Andrea Bocelli. His program featured two strong jump combinations, opening with triple Axel-triple toe loop and then cleanly executing a triple Lutz-double Axel-double Axel sequence in the second half. The two elements were the two highest scoring in the competition and collected more than 14 points each.
Overall, the 2024 World Team member put up 220.25 points, a new personal best. Finishing nearly 15 points ahead of the second-place skater, Sanchez has now medaled at both his international events this season after taking silver at Cranberry Cup International.
Flores and Wang will return to the Junior Grand Prix Final for the second straight year, claiming 147.80 points overall in Turkey for silver, which marks their fourth JGP medal.
The reigning World Junior silver medalists received 54.93 points for their short program to "Golden Slumbers/Carry That Weight” by Jennifer Hudson. They came out strong, earning nearly six points for their triple twist lift. The 2024 U.S. junior champions also earned Level 4s for their lift, spin and step sequence.
Skating to music from the Lion King by Hans Zimmer in the free skate, Flores and Wang began with their strongest element, their triple twist lift. Another highlight was their throw triple Salchow. Flores and Wang ended the segment with 92.87 points.
Another two U.S. pairs teams, Elizabeth Hansen and William Church and Addyson McDanold and Aaron Felberbaum, both made their international debut.
Hansen and Church finished fifth overall. In their short program to “Sing, Sing, Sing" by Fosse Orchestra, they earned positive grades of execution on six of their seven elements for a mark of 47.26. They went on to score 78.20 points in their free skate and 125.46 points overall.
Photo Credit: Getty Images
Despite finishing 10th in the short program, McDanold and Felberbaum roared back in the free skate, placing fourth in the segment with 82.36 points. Skating to "(Where Do I Begin) Love Story" by Andy Williams, McDanold and Felberbaum performed three Level 4 elements, including two lifts, to finish seventh overall with 121.82 points.
With bronze in the ice dance competition, Aboian and Veselukhin have medaled at every international event they’ve competed at, adding to their silver at JGP Thailand and gold in the junior event at the Lake Placid Ice Dance International.
Performing their rhythm dance to “Heart of Glass” by Blondie and “Knock on Wood” by Amii Stewart, Aboian and Veselukhin cleanly executed two Level 4 elements – a rotational lift and sequential twizzles. Their highest-scoring element was their Level 3 midline step sequence. They finished the segment in second with a score of 61.80.
In the free skate to music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Aboian and Veselukhin’ s strongest element came second, earning 12.48 points for their lift combination, which received a grade of execution score of 2.33. They followed it up with two more Level 4 elements and went on to score 94.16 points in the free skate and 155.96 points overall.
The second U.S. ice dance team skating in Turkey, Olivia Ilin and Dylan Cain placed seventh.
The 2024 Winter Youth Olympic Games silver medalists claimed 54.03 points for their rhythm dance to "Carry You" by Ruelle featuring Fleurie and 83.12 points for their free skate, with their serpentine step sequence garnering more than eight points. They tallied a final score of 137.15.
Emilia Nemirovsky also competed for Team USA in the women’s event, finishing 10th in her Junior Grand Prix debut with a total score of 147.05.
For full results from JGP Turkey, visit the 2024 Junior Grand Prix Competition Central.
