MINSK, 17 February (BelTA) - Four Belarusian athletes will kick off their campaigns at the 25th Winter Olympic Games in Italy on 17 February, BelTA has learned.
At 12:45 Minsk time, the women’s aerials qualification is set to start in Livigno. Twenty-five freestyle skiers will take part in the qualifying round, including Belarusian athletes Hanna Huskova, Anna Derugo, and Anastasiya Andryianava, as well as 2022 Olympic champion Xu Mengtao of China and reigning world champion from the USA, Kaila Kuhn. Following the first round, the top six athletes will advance directly to the final. The remaining 19 women will compete in a second round, vying for another six spots in the decisive event. Consequently, the final on 18 February will feature 12 skiers.
In the past World Cup season, the Belarusian women participated in three stages. Hanna Huskova placed ninth three times, Anna Derugo finished all three starts in the top 20, and Anastasiya Andryianava’s best result was a 14th-place finish. At the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, Anna Derugo finished 24th and Anastasiya Andryianava 12th. Hanna Huskova won silver four years ago, and eight years ago in PyeongChang, she climbed to the top step of the podium.
At 20:45 in Milan, the women’s singles short program will begin, with Belarusian athlete Viktoriia Safonova being the first to take the ice. The top 24 skaters will qualify for the free program, scheduled for 19 February. This past September, the Belarusian figure skater finished fourth at the qualifying tournament in Beijing, and at the Olympics four years ago, she placed 12th.
The roster includes 29 women in total, among them Russian champion Adeliia Petrosian, three-time world champion and 2022 Olympic medalist from Japan, Kaori Sakamoto, as well as reigning world champion from the USA, Alysa Liu.
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