Fourth time’s the charm for Canada’s Ava Kemp and Yohnatan Elizarov
Canada’s Ava Kemp and Yohnatan Elizarov struck gold in the Pairs’ event in their fourth appearance at the 2026 World Junior Figure Skating Championships, ending a 48-year Canadian drought in the discipline. They became the first Canadian team to win the Junior World Pairs’ title since Barbara Underhill and Paul Martini in 1978. Teammates Jazmine Desrochers and Kieran Thrasher settled for silver, while Ukraine’s Hannah Herrera and Ivan Khobta captured the bronze.
Ava Kemp and Yohnatan Elizarov
The two-time junior national champions opened their short program to music from Succession with a level-two triple twist and side-by-side double Axels. Kemp hung on to the landing of a throw triple Lutz, but the lift and spin were graded a level four. They scored 62.22 points for second place heading into the free skate.
“I think the program itself, we were a little bit cautious,” admitted Kemp. “Everything felt slightly off, so that definitely could have gone better, but I think we’re pretty happy overall.”
“Definitely better than last year,” added Elizarov, who relayed they had a small injury after the Junior Grand Prix this season. “We originally tried to prepare for some senior domestic competitions, but we couldn’t go because the injury. But we got the Four Continents and Worlds minimums, so we were happy with that and how we managed.”
The two-time Junior Grand Prix Final medalists showed good ice coverage in their elegant free skate to Clair De Lune, but their program was not without errors. Kemp took a fall on the side-by-side triple toes and stepped out of a throw triple loop. Still, the team landed their triple Salchow-Axel-Axel sequence as well a strong throw triple Lutz. All lifts and the pairs spin garnered a level four, and they finished first in the free skate with 105.68 points. With a total score of 167.90, they rose from second to claim the title.
“Going into today, we were not really that nervous,” offered Kemp. “I felt really good in practice this morning and overnight. Then getting into the program, it was a bit different. I was slightly disappointed in our skate, but it is okay. It was not bad, but definitely not what we had planned for.”
“I had not really been sure what the other skaters had done, so honestly I had no clue what was going to happen,” she added. “Of course, we were super happy to have won the title here.”
When asked about becoming the first Canadian pair team to win Junior Worlds since Barbara Underhill and Paul Martini in 1978, Kemp said: “I think that means everything to us, because Barbara and Paul—we actually met them last year. They used to skate or train in the same club, and they came to our ice show and watched us, and we talked with them a bit. Also, our choreographer Sandra (Bezic) worked with them, and we have one move in our long program that is for them, so it actually means a lot.”
Elizarov said they “think” they will move up to the senior division next season.
“We would have one more year in junior, so we will see what happens next,” he said. “Because you can also do both, like the Georgians did in the past—Senior Grand Prix and Junior Worlds. “But we are very happy to move up to seniors. We already did three senior competitions this year, so we are very happy with how that went, and we want to be up there with those senior teams.”
Jazmine Desrochers and Kieran Thrasher
Desrochers and Thrasher earned a new personal best for their short program, placing first with 62.84 points. The team produced a level-three triple twist and side-by-side double Axels while also earning a level four on the lift, spin, and footwork. The only minor glitch came when Desrochers two-footed the landing of the throw triple Lutz.
It was the first time they had broke the 60-point mark.
“I think that’s a big achievement,” said Desrochers. “It’s somewhere where we want to be able to be and stay, so it’s a good steppingstone for us—actually a huge one.”
While Desrochers was happy with their skate, Thrasher felt a bit different.
“Personally, my practices haven’t gone as they usually do, so that kind of messed me up a bit,” he said. “But I knew that as long as I did what I had to do, Jazz would be fine, and that happened. So, I’m just glad that I could stay somewhat normal.”
The two-time Junior Grand Prix Final bronze medalists are eligible to remain juniors for another season, but it hasn’t been decided yet.
Desrochers and Thrasher struggled a bit in the free skate, placing fourth (99.41) in this segment. They opened with a triple twist that was graded a level two before Desrochers two footed the landing in the side-by-side double Axel-Axel-double Axel sequence. She then stepped out of a throw triple loop before taking a fall on the throw triple Salchow. However, both lifts were graded a level four, and they landed their double Salchows. With a total score of 162.25, they slipped to second place overall.
“I think at the end of the day, we’re just happy to be here,” said Desrochers. “Putting out that short program was a really big step for us this season, so there is definitely a lot to be proud of. I do not think it is a gold medal lost today. I think we did what we could in the moment, and we fought for what we had.”
“Obviously, I wish today’s skate had gone better and had been more like what we trained for at home, but still, I’m proud of what we were able to do,” she summed up.
Hannah Herrera and Ivan Khobta
Herrera and Khobta placed fifth in the short program which was highlighted by a level-four triple twist and side-by-side double Axels.
“I think for this first World Championships in this new partnership, it was really good because we just started to skate together in June,” said Khobta. “So, we really didn’t have much time, but I’m really glad that I am here and that I’m speaking here right now.”
“I’m really enjoying this experience, and I had a lot of fun,” added Herrera. “This is my very first skating season doing pairs. Our coach had reached out to me for a tryout and I was like, ‘why not?'”
The team, who trains in Colorado Springs, Colo., put out a sophisticated free skate to “Primavera” that featured a superb level-four triple twist. The team also landed their double Axel-double Axel-Axel sequence, but Herrera popped her jump in the side-by-side triple Salchows. She also took a fall on a throw double flip, but the throw double loop was clean, and they picked up a level four on the lifts, death spiral and spin. The finished second in the free skate with a new personal best score of 103.20 and rose two spots to capture the third place on the podium (160.15).
“I’m still kind of shocked because it is really hard to expect getting a medal at your very first Worlds, starting the competition in the second warm-up,” said Khobta. “So honestly, my goal was just to skate clean, skate what I can do, and show our maximum for this moment.”
“It is also the first Worlds ever for Hannah,” Khobta pointed out. “We were kind of just getting started and it is a new discipline for her. She has done it for less than a year.””
“Today I had a really good time out there,” added Herrera. “I was not really thinking about results or anything because everything is just brand new. I made a mistake, but overall, it was a lot of fun.”
“My mom is watching me in a pairs competition for the first time,” relayed Herrera.
Herrera and Khobta will move up to the senior division next season.
“I theoretically could do another year of juniors, but Hannah cannot,” Khobta explained. “We want to try more difficult elements. Of course, we will have to do a third lift. One goal of mine is really getting 60 in the short. I believe that we can do that. So, all of that is going to be the focus for next season.”
Yuxuan Chen and Yinbo Dong
China’s Yuxuan Chen and Yinbo Dong placed fifth in the short program with a new personal best of 56.74 points. Their routine to music from the Cruella soundtrack featured a level-four triple twist, side-by-side double Axels, and a throw double flip.
The 2025-26 Grand Prix finalists fared better in the free skate, placing third for their routine to Romeo and Juliet with another personal best score of 101.25. Dong turned out of the second jump in the side-by-side triple flip-double Axel-double Axel sequence which was marked with several slight underrotations. The death spiral was given base value, but the lifts were graded a level four, and they landed the triple toes, throw double flip and throw double loop. With another personal best total score of 157.99, they rose two spots to fourth place overall.
“I’m very happy today because we showed what we have been doing in training,” said Chen. “There is room for improvement, but overall, I’m happy with the performance. I think the biggest improvement we made this season was in our mental strength, and I think we also improved a lot in skating skills, performance, and all the details.”
“This is my first time at Junior Worlds, and it is a challenge for myself,” said Dong. “The atmosphere is different from other competitions, and the pressure level is also different, but overall, it is a great experience.”
The team from Beijing want to add more difficulty for next season, such as triple throws, and obtain better levels on their elements overall.
Olivia Flores and Luke Wang
USA’s Olivia Flores and Luke Wang placed a close fourth in the short with a new season’s best of 57.96 despite leaving a few points on the table. Flores tripped going into a triple twist which was graded a level two, but the side-by-side double Axels were solid. Flores landed a throw double flip instead of a planned triple Lutz, but the lift, spin, steps and death spiral were graded a level four.
The team has been also competing on the senior level this season, placing eighth at 2025 Skate America and seventh at the 2026 U.S. Figure Skating Championships.
“Ironically…actually, I felt the most at ease at this year’s Nationals,” offered Wang. “We put out two very solid performances, especially for our senior debut at Nationals. Two very respectable performances. I felt very comfortable there.”
“Going back to juniors is a little bit more difficult,” added Flores. “There are different elements that you actually have to work on—required elements. In seniors you have more flexibility. So, when going back to juniors we were like, ‘hey, three of our things don’t really meet the requirements.’ So, we had to switch the programs around.”
The 2023 Junior World silver medalists are not feeling any pressure in their third appearance at this event.
“I’m just really honestly happy to be here and excited for one last competition this season,” said Wang. “I’m not sure if this is our last in juniors, but if it is, we’re really trying to soak it all in and have fun here. Going from seniors to being here, you really just have to appreciate it. And we got to skate with so many other amazing athletes. It’s so cool to be here!”
“Yeah, I’m also happy to see some people again,” Flores chimed in. “It’s been a year for a lot of them. It’s always good to reconnect.”
Unfortunately, Flores and Wang made some costly mistakes in their free skate to Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. The triple twist was only graded a level two and Flores doubled her first jump in the triple Salchow-double Axel-double Axel sequence. She also took a fall on the triple toes before stepping out of a throw triple loop. However, the throw triple Salchow was solid, and they picked up a level four on the lifts and pair spin. They finished fifth in the free skate (92.03) and fifth overall (149.99).
When asked how they felt, Flores replied, “Hot and sweaty. “Obviously there were mistakes that I’m not very proud of, but it’s okay.”
“Something that we really improved on, that we previously really struggled with, is that if we made mistakes, it used to go straight downhill when something went wrong,” she added. “But now we can make mistakes and still finish the program on a high note, so that is good.”
The team from Maryland wants to focus on seniors again, but since they still have one more year of junior eligibility, they will see what next season brings.
Rui Guo and Yiwen Zhang
Rui Guo and Yiwen Zhang of China, who stood in third (58.34) after the short program, placed ninth (88.49) in the free skate and sixth (146.83) overall.
“Today’s program is a learning experience for us,” said Zhang of the free skate. “We very rarely make this many mistakes, so we learned our lessons and we grow.”
“I did feel the pressure, but before the competition, I actually was not that nervous,” added Guo. “However, when I stepped onto the ice in competition, I felt very nervous—more nervous than in any other competition before.”
The 2025-26 Junior Grand Prix Final champions plan to continue making progress on the quad twist which has a base value of 6.40 to 8.00 depending on the level of difficulty.
“I think this season we really broadened our horizon and saw the world,” said Zhang. “We competed in different places, and we grew and developed together.”
“The main goal for me is mainly mental preparation and strength,” said Guo regarding next season. “This time I was so nervous that I could not do my job here.”
Reagan Moss and Jakub Galbavy
USA’s Reagan Moss and Jakub Galbavy placed seventh (144.50) overall, improving 10 spots from last year. The team has mixed emotions with the season coming to a close, but are looking forward to an exciting future. They are still undecided whether they will move up fully to seniors or continue in juniors, but they do plan to compete senior domestically.
“Right now, I’m going to Slovakia to see my family,” said Galbavy. “My parents, my friends—all my family is still living there. I’m excited to also see my dogs and spend time with them.”
“I am looking forward to a family vacation in Italy that is coming up now,” added Moss.
Together with Flores and Wang’s fifth-place finish, a third spot has been added for USA next year.
Rounding out the top 10
Louise Ehrhard and Matthis Pellegris of France, who were 13th last year, placed seventh (140.68) overall.
“We are very happy about making the top 10,” said Ehrhard. “We still struggled a bit with the jumps, but the other elements were really better — the lift, the spiral, the whole skating. So, we are quite proud of that.”
The two-time national bronze medalists will be moving up to seniors next season and want to improve everything, particularly their jumps, skating skills, and speed.
“We want to land the triples, we want to include two triple throws,” said Ehrhard. “We were not sure if we wanted to include it today because we just wanted to focus on getting a clean program. But we also want to work on the double Axel, especially for me. I’m struggling with it right now, so I do need to work on it.”
Julia Quattrocchi and Etienne Lacasse of Canada finished ninth (139.91), followed by Italy’s Polina Polman and Gabriel Renoldi (136.72).
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