The 15-year-old Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva broke into tears after she dazzled in the women's short program at the ongoing Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics on Tuesday.
Emotions were at full display for the Russian as this was her first appearance since the controversial doping ruling allowed her to continue competing at Olympic Games.
She skated to a masterful score of 82.16 in the women's short program at the Capital Indoor Stadium, taking a decisive lead into Thursday's free skate. As soon as she finished, the Russian teenager broke into tears on the ice as the emotions of the past few days appeared to catch up with her.
The results of Valieva, who, according to a CAS decision, will continue to participate in the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022, are provisional since there are pending proceedings with regard to the results of an anti-doping test of the athlete.
Valieva currently leads the way at the Capital Indoor Stadium ahead of reigning world champion and compatriot Anna Shcherbakova (80.20) and two-time Olympian Sakamoto Kaori of Japan in third (79.84).
Reigning world bronze medallist Alexandra Trusova of the ROC follows in fourth (74.60), while another Japanese skater, Higuchi Wakaba, sits in fifth (73.51).
Earlier in the evening, Higuchi became just the fifth female skater in Olympic history to successfully land a triple Axel. Youth Olympic Games Lausanne 2020 champion You Young of South Korea rounds out the top six with a 70.34.
( With inputs from ANI )
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