Finally, Shoma is numero Uno

MONTPELLIER (France) • Japan's Shoma Uno was finally crowned men's world figure skating champion at the sixth attempt in Montpellier on Saturday, as French ice dancers Gabriella Papadakis and Guillaume Cizeron won their fifth world crown.

Uno, 24, totalled 312.48 points, a new personal best, to take the title in the absence of injured stars, compatriot Yuzuru Hanyu and American Nathan Chen.

Chen, a three-time world champion who claimed Olympic gold last month in Beijing, could not take part after revealing he was suffering from a "persistent" but unspecified injury.

An ankle problem also prevented Hanyu, a two-time Olympic champion and world champion, from participating.

"I am finally first," said Uno, who took Olympic silver in 2018 and bronze last month and has twice been a runner-up in the world championships.

"I'm very happy, I worked hard for this. And for once I finish first. I'm very satisfied and I want to thank my coach for this."

He led after the short programme and landed five quadruple jumps on Saturday as he skated to Ravel's Bolero, beating 18-year-old compatriot Yuma Kagiyama, second in Beijing, who scored 297.60 points. American Vincent Zhou was third on 277.38.

Olympic champions Papadakis and Cizeron claimed their fifth world ice dancing title to add to the gold they won in 2015, 2016, 2018 and 2019.

Papadakis, 26, and Cizeron, 27, sealed gold after a memorable two days on home ice with a world-record total of 229.82 points.

Madison Hubbell and Zachary Donohue took silver with 222.39, ahead of fellow Americans Madison Chock and Evan Bates (216.83). The top three couples all train together in Montreal, Canada.

"It's one of the best competitions of our career, we felt incredible support, especially after the Olympics," said Cizeron, after winning gold in Beijing behind closed doors.

"That's one of the reasons we love what we do so much. The goosebumps, the emotions that come with the noise, it's indescribable."

Performing their free skate to Elegie by Gabriel Faure, the pair scored 137.09 in the free skate to better their previous world mark achieved three years ago.

They also achieved world record scores in Friday's rhythm dance section and the overall score.

The five-time European champions overtake French legends Andree and Pierre Brunet, who won four world and two Olympic golds between 1926 and 1932.

They also edged closer to the record of six world titles achieved by Lyudmila Pakhomova and Alexandr Gorshkov, competing for the Soviet Union between 1970 and 1976.

Russia were barred from competing following the invasion of Ukraine, with Olympic silver medallists Victoria Sinitsina and Nikita Katsalapov unable to defend their world title as a result.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE