Figure Skating-Crowd lift helps Israel's Seniuk qualify for free skate

MILAN, Feb 17 - Contrary to warnings that representing Israel in the women's singles may spark protests, 20-year-old Russian-born Mariia Seniuk nailed her short programme at the Milano-Cortina Games to advance to the free skate.

Seniuk, who was born in Moscow and began her career in Russia before starting to compete for Israel in 2019, told Reuters that she had "received some notifications" and was prepared to the fact that she may not draw uniform cheer.

"I'm skating for Israel and some of the people don't support [it] but I really enjoyed the atmosphere today ... it's very, very special ... you can just feel it," she said.

"I felt the support ... I'm very, very grateful to everyone, and especially to the people who were holding the flag," she added.

A few Israeli flags, including a very large one, dotted the crowd at Milan's Forum di Assago indoor arena, which traditionally hosts basketball games and big concerts.

Among them was U.S. couple Phyllis and Steven Sheinman, who said they had travelled from Cortina, where they used the flag to support Jared Firestone, an American‑born skeleton racer known as the 'Jewish Jet'.

The Sheinmans said their small group of friends, which included Firestone's girlfriend, had been at the centre of the exchange with a pro‑Palestinian shop assistant in Cortina which has been circulating on social media.

The Games organisers on Sunday said they had taken measures to preserve "a neutral, respectful and welcoming environment" at the Olympics by removing a staff who had addressed a group of visitors with calls of 'Free Palestine'.

"They removed the person and gave us a bodyguard. Everyone else was just so nice to us, so nice," Phyllis Sheinman said.

Her feelings were echoed by 22-year-old Mia Drazin, who carried a giant Israeli flag in the stands, along with her father and brother.

Drazin, who moved to Israel from Canada during the war in Gaza to work as a first medical responder, said she was worried about the reception she would get by walking into the arena with the flag.

"I was like, is someone going to beat me up? If people give me a bad look, I'm fine with that. Listen, I'm Isreali now, I'm tough," she said.

"But so far four people have asked me to take a picture, which is insane. I'm getting a lot of "Am Yisrael Chai," which means the people of Israel will live on. No bad looks, people have been really nice so far." REUTERS