Siao Him Fa leads on sombre day at figure skating Europeans

Former Russian world pairs champions Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov and at least two other elite skating coaches, and as many as 14 American skaters were lost when a plane collided midair with a US Army helicopter on Wednesday night.

American Eagle Flight 5342 from Wichita, Kansas, crashed into Washington’s Potomac River, with no survivors.

A minute’s silence was held at the European championships in Tallinn for the 67 people killed in the disaster.

“I really wanted to skate this programme with all my heart, for the victims, for their loved ones and for all their families,” said Siao Him Fa after posting 93.12 in his short programme to boost his hopes of winning a third straight European title.

“The competition itself is no longer important compared to the message that I wanted to convey with the programme.”

Georgian Nika Egadze is 1.18 points behind in second place, with Russian-born Pole Vladimir Samoilov in third after scoring 85.98.

Later on Thursday, Germany’s Minerva Fabienne Hase and Nikita Volodin took the pairs title with a strong free skate.

Hase and Volodin were gold-medal favourites in the absence of reigning champions Lucrezia Beccari and Matteo Guarise of Italy due to an injury for Guarise.

The German duo, world bronze medallists last year, posted a combined total of 212.48 points, beating Italians Sara Conti and Niccolo Macii by 5.59 points.

“After the news from the United States, it was just about having fun today and being aware of how lucky we are to be here,” said Hase.

Georgia’s Anastasiia Metelkina and Luka Berulava completed the podium.

“Today, a terrible tragedy has struck the skating world and I’m sure everyone here will join me in expressing our sympathy for the victims of this catastrophic event,” said Berulava.