Lucas Broussard claims Junior Grand Prix title in Gdansk ahead of China's Yudong Chen
Lucas Broussard and China's Yudong Chen both produced personal bests in the men's freestyle program to finish first and second respectively on Saturday (1 October).
Figure Skating
America's Lucas Broussard improved on his personal best to clinch the men's title at figure skating's ISU Junior Grand Prix in Gdansk, Poland, on Saturday (1 October).
Skating to The Leftovers by Max Richter, Broussard scored a combined 209.39 to reach the top of the podium. China's Yudong Chen also produced a personal best in the freestyle event with a score of 148.08 to go from 16th place after the short program to second place overall (201.84). Raffaele Francesco Zich of Italy rounded out the podium with 200.73.
The 16-year-old U.S. figure skater needed to set a personal best to reach the top of the podium and delivered a well-executed routine to win the competition by nearly eight points.
Broussard was ranked fifth after the short program before launching himself into first place after his freestyle routine. He scored 140.27 – the second best of the free program – taking the lead by adding to his 69.12 from the short program
Going into Saturday's freestyle program, the competition was France's Francois Pitot's to lose courtesy of a commanding lead with a score of 72.22. Mistakes in his routine cost him dearly, and he had to settle for sixth place with 194.28.