At figure skating worlds, women’s medals up for grabs after Russia ban

Russians swept the women’s medals at last year’s world figure skating championships, then placed first, second and fourth at the Olympics. But none of them will be at this week’s world championships in France due to Russia sport sanctions after the nation invaded Ukraine.

The women’s medals (silver and bronze at least) appear up for grabs for skaters from several nations.

“That’s definitely something that obviously everybody is talking about,” said American Karen Chen, the top non-Russian at last year’s worlds in fourth place. “This is going to be a very interesting world experience. Nothing will be ever like this.”

For the first time since the 2018 Worlds, a woman from outside Russia will take gold. The favorite is Japan’s Kaori Sakamoto, the Olympic bronze medalist who had the best score in Beijing among non-Russians by a significant 18.69 points.

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After Sakamoto are six skaters from five nations who finished within 15 points of each other at the Olympics. That list includes Alysa Liu, who was seventh at the Olympics and ranks second in the world championships field by best total score this season.

Liu, who in 2019 became the youngest U.S. champion at age 13, took a week off after the Games.

She said her preparation for worlds has been better than expected. She also hasn’t put much thought into the Russians’ absence, which makes her a threat to win the first U.S. women’s medal since Ashley Wagner‘s silver in 2016.

“I didn’t really have that much of a reaction,” to the ban, Liu said. “I don’t really have like a strong opinion on it, and I also don’t really care too much.”

U.S. champion Mariah Bell is also in that bunched group behind Sakamoto. She was