Sadovsky leads after short program at Canadian figure skating championships

Roman Sadovsky won't dance around it. He knows the Canadian men's figure skating title is there for the taking.

"These things come and go in your mind," he said. "The reality is it's like you tell someone, `Don't think about elephants,' and then what are you thinking about? You're thinking about elephants.

"It's definitely a challenge to stay focused and I'm trying to just let those thoughts come in and come out."

Sadovsky managed it well and took the lead in the men's event by winning Friday's short program.

The 2022 Olympian fell on his triple axel but landed a quad jump to score 81.44 points before a sold-out crowd at Place Bell in Laval, Que.

"That was probably the worst axel I did all weekend," Sadovsky said before breaking out in laughter. "But that does happen sometimes, can't beat myself up too much."

The 25-year-old from Vaughan, Ont., is seeking his second Canadian championship after capturing gold in 2020.

WATCH l Sadovsky earns top score of 81.44 in short program:

Roman Sadovsky sits in 1st after men's short program at nationals

Local favourite Anthony Paradis of Boisbriand, Que., who won bronze last year in Calgary, finished second (77.27) and Toronto's John Kim was third (71.32).

In pairs, world champions Deanna Stellato-Dudek and Maxime Deschamps led the short program with 76.31 points. The U.S.-born Stellato-Dudek, 41, competed for the first time since gaining Canadian citizenship in December.

It was also the duo's first event since November because Deschamps's illness forced them to withdraw from the Grand Prix Final in December.

"I really feel like we're starting the season over," Stellato-Dudek said. "I feel like we've metaphorically pressed control-alt-delete, and now we're restarting.

"This felt