Above photo credit: Getty Images
By Alex Schauffler
Three U.S. skaters are in medal contention after the first day of competition at the ISU World Junior Figure Skating Championships 2025 in Debrecen, Hungary.
Competing at their first Junior World Championships, Katarina Wolfkostin and Dimitry Tsarevski finished second after the rhythm dance. Jacob Sanchez led Team USA in the men’s event, placing third in the men’s short program.
Wolfkostin and Tsarevski’s rhythm dance, set to "Car Wash" by Christina Aguilera featuring Missy Elliott and "Disco Inferno" by Syzz and Nora Van Elken, earned a score of 65.71. The 2024 Junior Grand Prix Final silver medalists scored 9.69 points for their midline step sequence – their highest-scoring element – and Level 4 marks on their sequential twizzles and rotational lift.
Also representing Team USA, Caroline Mullen and Brendan Mullen posted a rhythm dance score of 61.83 while Hana Maria Aboian and Daniil Veselukhin earned 59.64, good for sixth and seventh place, respectively. Both are making their World Junior Championships debut.
The Mullen’s opened their skate to "Stayin' Alive," "Night Fever" and "You Should Be Dancing" by the Bee Gees opened with their two strongest elements – a midline step sequence followed by a set of sequential twizzles worth a combined 17.5 points.
2025 U.S. junior ice dance champions Aboian and Veselukhin’s skate to “Heart of Glass” by Blondie and “Knock on Wood” by Amii Stewart was highlighted by a midline step sequence that garnered nearly nine points.
Sanchez, the 2024 Junior Grand Prix Final champion skating at his second World Junior Championships, finished in third place after the men’s short program with a score of 82.88.
Skating to a John Miles medley, Sanchez opened with a Triple Axel and then earned 12.29 points for his triple Lutz-triple toe-loop combination, which was tied as the highest-scoring element of the event segment. He also achieved Level 4 marks on all three spins to put him in podium position in his second consecutive World Junior Championships.
2025 U.S. junior bronze medalist Patrick Blackwell finished in 21st place with a score of 62.00.
Tomorrow, the women take the ice for the first time for the short program, and the first medals of the event will be awarded after the free dance.
For full results from the ISU World Junior Figure Skating Championships 2025, click here.
