Uno clinches gold medal in figure skating at Asian Winter Games
SAPPORO, Japan: Shoma Uno of Japan overcame several early mistakes Sunday to win the gold medal in men’s figure skating on the final day of the Asian Winter Games.
Uno, who was second after the short program, fell on his opening quad loop of his free skate and stepped out of a triple lutz, but scored 281.27points.
Two Chinese skaters finished second and third — Boyang Jin with 280.08 points and Yan Han with 271.86.
Despite the early mistakes, Uno earned points with three combination jumps including his last one: a triple salchowsingle loop-triple flip.
“It wasn’t my greatest performance but I’m pleased with the result,” said Uno, who received 188.84 points in the free skate. “I think the combination jumps helped me to recover.”
Jin led after the free skate but his mistake on a quad toeloop and a triple flip late on, coupled with a lower element score, cost him valuable points.
Japan’s Takahito Mura was fourth with 263.31 points.
Sochi Olympic champion Yuzuru Hanyu of Japan did not take part in the competition.
Elsewhere at the games seen as a tuneup for athletes ahead of the Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea next February, Yuki Kobayashi of Japan won the women’s 15-kilometer free mass start to capture her fourth gold in crosscountry skiing.
Kobayashi finished in a time of 43 minutes, 28.6 seconds in the race that features all skiers starting together.
Kazakhstan beat host Japan 7-0 to win the gold medal in men’s ice hockey. South Korea took the silver with Japan settling for the bronze.
Shin Sang-hoon’s hat trick led the South Korean team to a 10-0 thrashing of China.
Japan finished top of the medals table with a total of 74, including the most golds with 27. South Korea was second with a total of 50 medals while China was third with 35.