Russian figure skater Adeliia Petrosian has made her Olympic debut at the Winter Olympics in Milan, competing in the women's singles event at the Assago Arena. The 18-year-old, known as 'Miss Mystery', scored a career-best 72.89 in her short program, performing to a Michael Jackson medley in a sparkling red jacket. Her strong performance places her on the fringe of medal contention ahead of Thursday's free skate.
Petrosian's appearance at the Games is not without controversy. She was invited to compete only after being judged not to have supported Russia's war on Ukraine or to have links with the military or security services. She trains at Sambo 70 in Moscow, the club that produced Kamila Valieva, who was disqualified after a positive drugs test at the 2022 Olympics.
The club is run by Eteri Tutberidze, the coach criticised by former IOC president Thomas Bach for her handling of Valieva. Despite a ban on Russian coaches, Tutberidze has been accredited as a member of the Georgian delegation, coaching Georgian skaters to silver in the pairs competition. She has been seen with Petrosian in practice but was not allowed rink-side during the short program.
Petrosian, a three-time Russian national champion, resisted the quad jumps that are a trademark of Tutberidze's skaters. She said after her performance: 'I am very happy with my skate. This was the most important skate of my life.' She is seeking to extend Russia's hold on the women's singles title, which dates back to Adelina Sotnikova's victory in 2014.
