Georgian skater Anastasia Gubanova earns silver at the 2024 European Championships
In Kaunas, Lithuania, the Georgian figure skater Anastasia Gubanova added a silver medal to her résumé at the 2024 European Figure Skating Championships. The event showcased a field packed with talent, delivering a memorable competition for fans across the continent.
The reigning continental champions wrapped up the event with a total score of 206.52 points, confirming their status as a dominant force in the team’s pursuit. The new European champion emerged from Belgium, where Luna Hendricks posted a combined score of 213.25 points across the short program and the free skate. Her compatriot Nina Piznarron finished in third place, collecting 202.29 points through the two segments of the competition.
Rounding out the top ten were skaters including Livia Kaiser, Laureen Schild, Sarina Joos, Kimmy Repond, Olga Mikutina, Julia Sauter, and Lara Naki Gutmann. The event highlighted a broad mix of emerging talents and established competitors, each contributing to a fiercely competitive European scene.
Russian athletes did not take part in the tournament for the second consecutive year. The decision followed a late February 2022 appeal from the International Olympic Committee urging international sports federations to exclude Russian and Belarusian competitors from competitions. In line with that guidance, the International Skating Union suspended athletes from the two nations from participation. The absence of Russia and Belarus added a distinct dynamic to the podium and the overall competition, shaping strategies and performances as skaters chased medals and personal bests.
In related news, it had been reported that Elizaveta Tuktamysheva continued training after a prior career break, underscoring the ongoing evolution and resilience of athletes as they balance comeback ambitions with the realities of elite figure skating.