A Recap of the 2024 ISU Junior Grand Prix Final

Jacob Sanchez © Instagram / jacob.skatess

The 2024 ISU Junior Grand Prix Final took place in Grenoble, France, from December 5th to 7th, culminating the season of competition for the top junior skaters worldwide.

Men’s Singles:

Jacob Sanchez of the USA emerged as the champion, becoming the first American man to win the title since 2017. He delivered a strong free skate, overcoming a slight stumble to secure the gold. Korea’s Minkyu Seo, who impressed with a strong free skate, claimed silver, while reigning champion Rio Nakata of Japan finished third.

Women’s Singles:

Mao Shimada of Japan continued her dominant reign, winning her third consecutive Junior Grand Prix Final title. Despite some minor errors in her free skate, Shimada’s overall performance solidified her position at the top of the junior women’s field. Kaoruko Wada and Ami Nakai, also from Japan, completed a historic sweep of the podium.

Pairs:

Jiaxuan Zhang and Yihang Huang of China claimed gold, marking China’s return to the top of the Junior Grand Prix podium in pairs after an 11-year absence. Olivia Flores and Luke Wang of the USA earned silver, while Jazmine Desrochers and Kieran Thrasher of Canada secured the bronze medal.

Ice Dance:

Italy’s Noemi Maria Tali and Noah Lafonara made history by becoming the first Italian pair to win the Junior Grand Prix Final in ice dance in 27 years. Katarina Wolfkostin and Dimitry Tsarevski of the USA earned silver, while Darya Grimm and Mikhail Savitskiy of Germany repeated as bronze medalists.

The 2024 Junior Grand Prix Final showcased the exceptional talent and dedication of the next generation of figure skaters. These young athletes demonstrated impressive skills and artistry, setting the stage for exciting competitions in the years to come.

 By Vitalina Andrushchenko, Staff Writer