Figure Skating – NHK Trophy 2025: Olympic Pairs Champions Sui/Han on Top After Short Program
In an exhilarating show of talent and determination, Olympic champion pairs skaters Sui Wenjing and Han Cong of the People’s Republic of China have taken the lead in the NHK Trophy short program held in Osaka on November 7. The duo aims for their first title in almost four years, thrilling fans with a score of 74.63, which marks an improvement of two points from their recent performance at the Cup of China.
Setting the stage for an intense free skating finale, Sui and Han managed to edge out Italy’s Sara Conti and Niccolo Macii, who scored 73.69. Hungary’s Maria Pavlova and Alexei Sviatchenko stand close behind with a score of 73.04. All three pairs are vying for qualification spots to the prestigious Grand Prix Final scheduled for December in Nagoya.
Reflecting on their performance, Sui expressed, “I’m very happy we could finish our short program – not too good, not too bad.” She emphasized their aspirations to reclaim their previous championship levels of performance, adding, “We still have elements we need to improve and I hope tomorrow we can show our best performance for all the audience here.”
Han shared a similar sentiment, revealing, “For me, I think this is like the beginning actually. We still feel new and fresh and we’re just getting back into competition. We still have a lot of work we need to do to improve.” This jargon of commitment to refining their skills reveals the hard work that lies ahead for the Chinese pair.
The competition wasn’t without its challenges, as the French duo Camille and Pavel Kovalev withdrew following Camille’s injury to her right shoulder midway through their program, putting a damper on Fujiko’s drive within the competitive landscape.
As the weekend progresses, all eyes will be on the realm of enhanced choreography and artistic expression as the top pairs strive for glory in free skating, marking a significant chapter in their professional figure skating narratives.
