Calgary’s Lia Cho, 13, breaks own Canadian junior women’s record at figure skating nationals
Lia Cho’s score was so high, it didn’t immediately register. The figure skating prodigy set another Canadian junior women’s record en route to gold at the 2026 Canadian figure skating championships Wednesday. Cho, a 13-year-old from Calgary, topped the junior women’s field with 199.60 points, besting her previous mark of 188.79 set at nationals last year in Laval, Que.
“I was just so surprised, that was like such a high score and I was like ‘Wow, that’s like the highest score I’ve ever gotten,'” she said. “And the thing is, I couldn’t understand the French, so I was looking at my coach like, is that a good score? And then they spoke it in English, and I was like, ‘Whoa,’ I was like, ‘that’s such a high score!'”
Cho landed seven triple jumps at the Centre Slush Puppie, completely surpassing her competitors. She easily defeated Victoria Barakhtina, who claimed silver with 171.93 points, while Quinn Startek secured the bronze with a score of 157.93. This impressive performance highlights Cho’s growing dominance in the sport.
Training out of The Glencoe Club under coach Scott Davis, Cho’s rise in the figure skating ranks has been remarkable, especially considering she was an ice patcher at nationals in 2024. With this latest achievement, she becomes eligible for the world junior championships in 2027, setting the stage for what could be a remarkable career.
In the junior men’s event, Calgary’s own Parker Heiderich took gold with a score of 188.16 points. Heiderich finished ahead of silver medallist William Chan and bronze medallist James Cha, both showcasing impressive skills. Meanwhile, in junior ice dance, Layla Veillon and Alexander Brandys won gold, scoring an impressive 170.33 points.
The 2026 Canadian figure skating championships have not only revealed emerging talent but also set the stage for future competitions where both Lia Cho and other young skaters will certainly leave their mark in the figure skating world.
