Sui Wenjing and Han Cong Set to Return to Figure Skating Competitions
Sui Wenjing and Han Cong are poised to make their return to pairs figure skating competition next season, marking their first appearance since clinching the Olympic title on their home turf in Beijing in 2022. Sui, aged 29, and Han, 32, are scheduled to compete in Grand Prix Series events, with one taking place in China in October and another in Japan in November.
Their comeback could also play a crucial role in securing an Olympic spot for China in the pairs category for the 2026 Milan Cortina Games. Notably, China did not have any pairs teams competing at the World Championships in March, leaving them without any qualified spots for the upcoming Olympics. The nation has the opportunity to secure a maximum of one pairs spot during the final qualifying event scheduled for September in Beijing, where a total of three pairs spots will be available. As of now, the entries for this event have yet to be announced.
Han Cong’s Retirement and Future Prospects
Han Cong had previously announced his retirement in August 2023 and has been serving on the International Skating Union’s technical committee for singles and pairs skating fachai free 150 casino online casino games in philippines. Meanwhile, Sui Wenjing has taken on a role as a choreographer for Chinese pairs since the 2022 Beijing Games. Their impressive track record includes winning Olympic silver in 2018, along with World Championship titles in 2017 and 2019, contributing to a total of five World Championship medals.
The last pairs team to defend their Olympic title was Irina Rodnina and Alexander Zaitsev from the Soviet Union, who achieved this feat in 1976 and 1980. Interestingly, none of the other top seven pairs from the 2022 Olympics are currently competing together on the international stage. This includes the Russian pairs that finished second, third, and fourth behind Sui and Han in Beijing. lodibet online casino games Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Russian skaters have faced bans from international competitions. Although individual neutral athletes from Russia have been cleared to compete at the upcoming Olympic qualifier in September, no pairs teams from Russia have received clearance.
Recent World Championship Highlights
During last season’s World Championships, the pairs medalists were Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara from Japan, followed by Minerva Hase and Nikita Volodin of Germany, and Sara Conti and Niccolò Macii from Italy phil168 online casino. As of last season, Volodin was in the process of securing German citizenship, aiming to become eligible for the Olympics.
Will the U.S. Team Continue to Dominate?
The U.S. team emerged victorious at the World Team Trophy, decisively defeating Japan in a format akin to the Olympic team event. As speculation rises about the upcoming 2026 Olympic team event, fans are left wondering whether the competition will be tighter than before.
How do you think Sui and Han’s return will impact the competitive landscape in pairs figure skating?