ISU World Figure Skating Championships 2022: Men's Short Program, Pairs Results

For the first time since 1979, the United States is a world champion in pairs figure skating.

Alexa Knierim and Brandon Frazier turned in a dominant performance in Thursday's free skate to win the gold at the 2022 ISU World Figure Skating Championships. The American pair posted a total score of 221.09, which gave them a 21.54-point advantage over Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara of Japan.

Canada's Vanessa James and Eric Radford earned bronze to round out the medalists.

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Pairs Skating Results

Gold: Alexa Knierim and Brandon Frazier (USA): 221.09
Silver: Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara (JPN): 199.55
Bronze: Vanessa James and Eric Radford (CAN): 197.32

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“I couldn't ask for a better way to end the season,” Frazier said. “For Alexa and I, this was such a personal journey. To finish the season on this kind of program—I've dreamed of this moment so many times, but this is even better.”

The duo previously earned a silver medal as part of the team skating portion of the 2022 Olympic Games.

The men's short program, by contrast, was dominated by Japan. 

Three Japanese skaters led the pack after their first run on the ice, led by Shoma Uno. He's followed by Yuma Kagiyama and Kazuki Tomono.

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Men's Short Program Results

1. Shoma Uno (JPN): 109.632
2. Yuma Kagiyama (JPN) — 105.693
3. Kazuki Tomono (JPN) — 101.124
4. Ilia Malinin (USA) — 100.165
5. Daniel Grassl (ITA) — 97.62

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Uno, a 2018 silver medalist and 2022 bronze medalist, is looking for his first gold on any world stage. Kagiyama, the 18-year-old who took silver behind Nathan Chen in Beijing, remained in stellar form and is well within striking distance of winning his first worlds gold.

Ilia Malinin put together the best short program of his young career to be the top-ranking American heading into the free skate. The 17-year-old is competing in his first World Championships and is coming off a gold at the International Challenge Cup.