MOSCOW, March 2 (R-Sport) – Sochi Olympic team event champion Julia Lipnitskaia told R-Sport on Sunday she is to take part in the world figure skating championships in Saitama, Japan, later this month.
Lipnitskaia, 15, became one of the youngest Olympic gold medal winners in history when she helped Russia to victory in the inaugural team event at the Olympics last month, winning the short program and the free skate. She went on to disappoint in the individual event, however, falling in both programs to finish fifth overall in a competition won by her compatriot Adelina Sotnikova.
“I will prepare for the world championships in the same way as for other events and I haven’t thought about turning down the chance to participate,” Lipnitskaia told R-Sport.
Asked about any changes she might make to her routines for the March 24-30 event, Lipnitskaia said: “We've introduced minor changes to my free program. I had a little break and I’ve been training since Saturday."
Sotnikova will take Russia's other women's singles entry at the world championships.
In the men's section Russia will be represented by Maxim Kovtun, who was controversially snubbed for the Olympics as Russian selectors chose 31-year-old Evgeny Plushenko instead. Plushenko helped Russia win the team event but pulled out of the individual.
