Unexpected Triumphs and Tribulations on Ice: A Night at the Milan Cortina Games

Minerva Fabienne Hase and Nikita Volodin emerged as the unexpected leaders in the Olympic figure skating pairs after a remarkable short program in Milan Cortina. The German duo excelled while their rivals faced setbacks on Sunday night.

Performing to 'El Abrazo' by Maxime Rodriguez, Hase and Volodin secured an impressive 80.01 points, thanks to flawless triple twists and loops. Meanwhile, Anastasiia Metelkina and Luka Berulava trailed in second, scoring 75.46 points, with Lia Pereira and Trennt Michaud close behind at 74.60 points.

Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara, favorites from Japan, faced a lift mishap, dropping to fifth with 73.11 points. Former world champions Sui Wenjing and Han Cong, impacted by ranking and early performance, scored 72.66 points. The top American pair, Ellie Kam and Danny O'Shea, placed seventh, reigniting hopes for a U.S. medal in pairs skating.