Fernandez, Tuktamysheva take gold

European figure skating champion Javier Fernandez became the first Spanish man to win the world singles title Saturday, as Russian teenager Elizaveta Tuktamysheva clinched the women's gold in Shanghai.
Fernandez, who has twice won the bronze medal at the World Figure Skating Championships, overcame last year's winner Yuzuru Hanyu in dramatic style to claim the biggest title of his career.
The 23-year-old scored 181.16 in the final free skate -- more than six points above the Olympic champion -- allowing him to go top of the overall standings and take the worlds crown.
"I have got no words. Not even in my dreams.....I am really happy," he said, visibly moved by his achievement.
"This is going to give me a lot of energy to practise hard and keep competing and try my best," added Fernandez, who won the last three European crowns and finished fourth at last year's Sochi Winter Games.
Fernandez nailed a quad toeloop before falling on a quad Salchow-triple toeloop combination, but continued his performance in assured fashion.
Hanyu, meanwhile, is mindful that he failed to land a single quad jump in his free skate, making only two rotations on a Salchow, before falling badly on a toeloop.
The Japanese pin-up was returning to competition for the first time since comfortably defending his Grand Prix Final title in Barcelona in mid-December.
The 20-year-old underwent surgery for a bladder problem shortly after that victory, and a sprained ankle then kept him from training until earlier this month.
"As I made a few mistakes, I feel really regretful," he said.
"It is true that during my practice my quads were not going very well, so I did have some anxious feelings.
"I did land one in my warm up but it does not really mean anything unless you do it in competition."
Fernandez claimed victory in Shanghai with 273.90 points overall, while Hanyu scored 175.88 in the free skate, finishing second overall with 271.08.
The winner of the final programme with 181.83 points was Kazakstan's Dennis Tan, who finished third overall with a score of 267.72.
Fernandez finished second at Saturday's skate, while Hanyu -- his training partner under coach Brian Orser -- settled for third.
The Shanghai tournament had earlier witnessed 18-year-old Tuktamysheva take gold in the women's singles after convincingly beating her rivals.
The European Champion scored 132.74 in the final segment to finish with 210.36 overall, some distance in front of second placed Satoko Miyahara (193.60) of Japan and Russia's Elena Radionova (191.47) in third.
The victory marks an incredible turnaround for the teen star, who failed to make the Russian team for last year's Olympics.
"I am full of emotion right now. This is an amazing moment," she said following the win.
- Young star -
Dancing to "Batwannis Beek" and "Sandstorm", the emerging star of women's skating topped the segment, with Americans Gracie Gold (128.23) and Ashley Wagner (127.20) in second and third.
Tuktamysheva was shaky on her opening triple Lutz-double toe loop-double loop combination at the start of her programme, but remained on her feet.
She then nailed a triple Lutz and triple flip before producing another mistake, over-stepping a triple toeloop-triple toeloop combination.
The young star recorded the third highest ladies short programme score in history in the opening round when she became one of only a select few women athletes to perform the risky triple axel jump in competition.
Tuktamysheva's win follows her victory at the Grand Prix Final in Barcelona in December.
In 2013, she achieved bronze in the European championships, won the Russian nationals again and was being tipped for Olympic glory.
But she suffered a miserable season last year, with inconsistent results -- including a tenth place finish at her national championships -- leading to her failing to make the Russian team for the Winter Games.
She then suffered a broken foot and was off the ice for three months.
"After that unfortunate season, it was very tough for me," Tuktamysheva said.
"I am very glad to be able to overcome this difficult time and come back so strong."
Source: AFP