Winter Olympics 2026: Germany's Hase/Volodin stun favorites with a breathtaking personal best performance in the pairs short program.
The German duo delivered an impressive 80.01 in their Olympic debut Sunday night at the Milano Ice Skating Arena. Consequently, they now hold a commanding five-point lead heading into Monday's free skate.
Olympic Debutants Shock the Figure Skating World
Hase/Volodin
stunned the favorites with their flawless execution. Skating to "El Abrazo,"
the pair hit every technical element with precision. They outperformed heavily
favored Japanese champions by nearly seven points. Their score of 80.01
shattered their previous record by three full points.
"We're just
happy that we did a good job today," Hase said afterward. "The first
time we did 80, that was a little dream of mine."
Favorites Falter Under Olympic Pressure
The 2026 Winter Olympics pairs competition yielded shocking results. World
champions Miura Riku and Kihara Ryuichi made a critical error on their Axel
lasso lift. They scored 73.11, landing in fifth place.
"We'll be
back. I guarantee that," Kihara said after the disappointing skate.
European champions
Anastasiia Metelkina and Luka Berulava sit second with 75.46 points. Canada's
Lia Pereira and Trennt Michaud surged into third with 74.60 points.
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Current Standings After Short Program
|
Position |
Pair |
Country |
Score |
|
1st |
Hase/Volodin |
Germany |
80.01 |
|
2nd |
Metelkina/Berulava |
Georgia |
75.46 |
|
3rd |
Pereira/Michaud |
Canada |
74.60 |
|
4th |
Miura/Kihara |
Japan |
73.11 |
|
5th |
Sui/Han |
China |
72.66 |
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What to Watch in Monday's Free Skate
The Winter
Olympics 2026 pairs free skate begins Monday at 2 PM ET. Hase/Volodin
must defend their lead against hungry competitors. Miura/Kihara will skate to
"Gladiator" music, hoping to mount a remarkable comeback.
Heartbreak and Triumph on Olympic Ice
Home favorites Sara
Conti and Niccolò Macii earned 71.70 points to roars from the Italian crowd.
Forty-two-year-old Deanna Stellato-Dudek finally achieved her Olympic dream,
though a fall dropped the Canadians to 14th.
The top 16 pairs
advanced to Monday's free skate. Three teams saw their Olympic dreams end
Sunday night.
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How to Watch
Monday's Winter
Olympics 2026 pairs free skate airs live on USA Network at 2 PM ET.
All events stream live on Peacock and NBCOlympics.com.
Source Information:
This report is based on official results from the Olympic Information Service and NBC Olympics coverage.Follow live updates: NBC Olympics Figure Skating Central
Official Olympic results: Olympics.com Milano Cortina 2026
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