Figure skating-Russian teen Petrosian dazzles in Olympic figure skating debut

MILAN, Feb 17 : Russian teenager Adeliia Petrosian moonwalked her way into the global spotlight on Tuesday, gliding out for her Olympic debut in a red‑and‑black Thriller-inspired costume and delivering a short programme that could potentially put her in medal contention.

The 18-year-old arrived in Milan shrouded in secrecy and untested on the global stage due to Russian athletes being banned from competing in international events by the sport's governing body following Moscow's invasion of Ukraine in 2022.   

Competing as an Individual Neutral Athlete (AIN), Petrosian scored 72.89 points, landing three triples in a programme that was notably missing both a triple Axel and a quadruple jump.

"The emotions are great," she said. "I'm very happy with my performance and the scores, and everything went very smoothly today."

She skated second, and while she secured qualification for the free programme, she had to wait three more hours to see what position she would finish in after the remainder of the field had competed.

Skating to a Michael Jackson medley, the teenager nodded to the late pop icon with hip thrusts, a moonwalk and a "Smooth Criminal" tilt. The crowd roared throughout, embracing the Russian newcomer.

"The audience received the programme well," she said. "And every time I think it would be a little less loud, the audience always shouts, they give me a warmer welcome, and that's great."

While the Olympics mark her first major international competition, she insisted she felt no significant pressure.

"Not today," she said. "It's my first Olympic Games, and so far I don't feel any strong pressure. We'll see what happens in the free programme."

Asked whether she will perform a quad and/or a triple Axel in Thursday's free