2026 European Figure Skating Championships: Men’s Figure Skating
Nika Egadze dominated the Men’s event to win the gold, becoming the first man from Georgia to do so, on Saturday in Sheffield, Great Britain. Matteo Rizzo of Italy rose from fourth to capture the silver, while Georgii Reshtenko of the Czech Republic earned the bronze—his first European medal.
Two-time champion Adam Siao Him Fa, who is still recovering from injury, sat out this event on the advisement of his federation in order to prepare for the upcoming Olympics.
Nika Egadze
Egadze delivered a solid short program to “Waltz” by MGZAVREBI which featured a quad Salchow-triple toe, quad toe and triple Axel. While he lost a few levels on his spins, he showed improved expression throughout and scored 91.28 for first place in this segment.
“I couldn’t hold back my emotions, and overall, I’m pleased,” said the 2025 Grand Prix de France bronze medalist. “There were some minor imperfections. My Axel wasn’t flawless, and there were small issues in the spin and step sequence, but I’m in a very positive mood. I’m grateful to my coaches and the Georgian federation for their support today. I also want to thank (coaches) Eteri Tutberidze, Daniil Gleikhengauz, Sergei Dudakov, and Georgy Pokhilyuk for training me, supporting me, and helping me.”
Egadze, who was fourth at this event last year, scored a new personal best (181.72) in free skate to “Sailing,” “Verve,” and “Sail.” He hung on to a triple Axel and triple Lutz, but delivered a quad Lutz, quad toe, quad Salchow-Euler-triple Salchow. Two spins were graded a level four, and he also produced a clean triple flip-double Axel sequence and solo triple Lutz. With a total score of 273.00—another personal best, the three-time Challenger Series gold medalist maintained first place overall for the gold.
“I am so happy to be here in the UK and to skate here,” said the 23-year-old. “I feel so pleased. I was trying to compete with myself. I didn’t hear anyone’s scores. I just wanted to do my job here. And I think it wasn’t perfect, because in the second half of the program, I missed some element of the combo. Some things I need to correct a little bit. But I’m so happy that I finally made it. I am not feeling yet that I am the champion. I am just glad that I did two almost clean programs. There were small things but overall, I am thrilled.”
Matteo Rizzo
Rizzo was focus and committed in his short program to “Silverlines,” earning 88.00 points for fourth place. The three-time European medalist hung on to his opening quad toe before landing a solid triple Lutz-triple toe and triple Axel.
“There were small mistakes, like the landing on the toe could have been a bit better,” he pointed out. “The spins were not really there yet, you know. I have to work on the GOE. So unfortunately, I’m missing a little bit on the toe, but I’m happy overall.”
“I can’t say coping with pressure is easy,” Rizzo added of this event being a determining factor for a spot at the Olympics. “The pressure was there but I was well prepared to deliver a good program.”
The four-time Grand Prix bronze medalist gave a good free skate to music from Interstellar earning a new season’s best of 168.37. His routine featured a quad toe and seven clean triple jumps, including a triple Lutz-triple toe. The only mistake came when he stepped out of the back end of a triple Lutz-Euler-triple Salchow that was underrotated. With a total score of 256.37, he rose to second place overall for the silver.
“Obviously I’m happy about everything,” said the 27-year-old. “Of course, you always want more, and I know I haven’t skated my best today. Also, Nika today—he really pulled out an incredible program, a really big program! So, kudos to him. I’m still very happy about the result. I’m happy for my team and for everybody else.”
Rizzo hopes to compete next at the 2026 Olympics in him hometown of Milan.
“I grew up in Milan, and I know it’s going to be special,” he said. “I would say I think so that I got the spot, but you know these questions are always tricky. But I think so. I think I skated my best, and I think I showed everybody what I can do and what I am worth.”
Georgii Reshtenko
Reshtenko placed eighth in the short program which featured a quad Salchow and quad toe-triple toe. The levels on the spins and footwork were lower than the top skaters, but the national champ still earned a new personal best score of 78.62.
“I was feeling free and happy at the end of my performance because I delivered,” said Reshtenko. “I was very nervous before because when you go in the first group, it’s a little bit hard. It’s extra pressure because a lot can happen and a lot can go wrong. But I’m very happy that for the first time I delivered all the jumps.”
“I was hoping for a score like maybe 80, 81,” he added. “But then I looked at the protocols, and I looked at my spins and I was, I am so dumb. So I really don’t want to lose points on the spins, so I will pay attention to that in the free program.”
The 23-year-old delivered a very good free skate to music from the Kingsman: The Secret Service soundtrack, improving his personal best from two years ago with a score of 159.65. He landed a quad toe-triple toe, quad Salchow and quad toe. A triple flip received an edge call, but he landed a total of five triple jumps. While his spins still need work as reflected by the levels, he placed third in this segment and soared to third place overall for his first European medal (238.27).
“Today, something happened that I didn’t expect for sure!” said Reshtenko. “I am super happy in how I did and I was just surprised. I wasn’t expecting to sit in that leader’s chair and be in the lead at all because our group was so strong, as you saw. And everyone was going clean and I didn’t expect that at all.”
“I cannot say it was easy today,” he added. “I needed to push myself a lot through the program, but I did it and I’m really, really, really happy about it.”
The skater recalled when he struggled last season.
“I barely made the free skate at Europeans last year,” he pointed out. “I was 23rd, and I am now, you know, third. I am so happy about it.”
Lukas Britschgi
Lukas Britschgi of Switzerland put stepped out of his opening quad toe, putting a hand down in his short program to “No Good” by Kaleo. However, he rebounded to land a solid triple Axel and triple Lutz-triple toe. He finished sixth with 82.12 points.
“It was ok,” said the 2025 defending champion. “It wasn’t my best unfortunately, but I was really stressed. I’m happy I’ve done more or less my job. Now it’s time to attack on Saturday in the long program.”
While he showed attack in his free skate to “Journey through the Orient,” it wasn’t perfect. The seven-time Challenger Series medalist opted to open with a triple toe-triple toe, forgoing the quad toe on the front end. He underrotated and fell on the quad toe and later stepped out of a triple Axel and doubled the first jump in a triple Lutz-double toe. While the spins were graded a level four with high GOEs, the mistakes were costly, and he placed fifth in this segment (154.78). However, with a total score of 236.90, he finished fourth overall.
“Well, after two mistakes, in the beginning, it’s tough to keep going with a lot of energy and motivation,” said the 27-year-old. “It was not what I expected. It’s a pity, but this is figure skating. Unfortunately, right now, also with Daniel, it’s a tough sport. We have to get out of it stronger, learn from it, and come back when it’s really important.”
Britschgi said he actually felt good going into the free skate but was lacking a bit of energy.
“Now I can really focus on the Olympics,” he said. “Before, there was always another competition that I was practicing for, but now I can give all the power and energy I have towards the Olympics.”
“I’m most excited about seeing the Olympic rings. It’s a unique feeling,” he added. “This is what I also remember most about Beijing. A lot of family members will be coming. Luckily, the Olympics are close to my home, and it’s an opportunity for them to see me skating on the biggest stage.”
Aleksandr Selevko
Aleksandr Selevko of Estonia engaged the crowd with his entertaining short program to “Kiss” by Prince. His fun routine included a quad toe, triple Axel and triple Lutz-triple toe. He also earned a level four on all spins and footwork, scoring 88.71 for second place.
Selevko noted his performance wasn’t perfect, but he was happy all the same.
“I think that I did it pretty good because pressure was high,” he said. “It’s the last qualification competition for us, so it was hard. My team helped me a lot, my coaches. My family and friends help me a lot. And the audience was great! I am very happy to have had the opportunity to skate here.”
Unfortunately, the 2024 European silver medalist had a subpar free skate, placing 10th in this segment with 143.75 points. Selevko fell on an underrotated quad toe as well as a triple Axel in his routine to “Adagio For Strings and Storm” and “The Longest Night in Limbo.” With a total score of 232.46, he slipped off the podium to fifth place overall.
“Well, it wasn’t my best performance for sure,” noted the 24-year-old. “It was really tiring. I was trying to invest to save points wherever it was possible.”
“On the Olympics, I think we will get the answer a little bit later from our federation, so I would like not to comment yet on it,” he added of the Games. “Of course, we are happy to have earned the third spot for Estonia for Europeans together with my brother, but we were aiming for a little bit higher than this and wanted a better result. So yeah, I’m a little bit sad.”
Mihhail Selevko
Estonia’s Mihhail Selevko scored a new personal best of 88.28 for third place after a stellar and confident short program. He landed a quad toe-triple toe, triple flip and triple Axel. His clever routine to “The Sounds of Nightmares” also featured two level-four spins.
“I really love this program!” said Selevko. “It’s very dear to my heart, and I love skating to it, so that definitely helps. I tried to stay focused until the very end and take it one element at the time today.”
“Actually, I was very nervous before, but when I started the program, it just kind of went away and I felt fresh,” he added. “I was actually feeling fresh all this week. I got a little bit of a break after nationals. I went to a show in Germany, that was really cool. After that, I got a bit sick and I took time. That was a time to rest. And then I went back into training. Probably I needed this rest and now I feel very good.”
In the free skate, Selevko missed his opening quad combination, turning out the quad toe. He tried it again, but stepped out of the attempt, only tacking on a single toe at the end. He later took a fall on an underrotated triple Axel and subsequently placed 11th (142.02) in this segment. Like his brother, he slipped off the podium and finished sixth place overall (230.30).
“It was definitely a fight through the program,” said the 23-year-old. “I was trying to take it one jump at a time, but yeah, I’m a bit disappointed. The practice sessions were going really well, and I was hoping to show that, but it happens.”
Tamir Kuperman
Israel’s Tamir Kuperman placed seventh in the short program, free skate and overall (230.17) in his debut at this event.
“I was super nervous today,” he said after the free skate. “I’m so happy that I could skate to secure a second spot for Israel. It’s always nice to be able to qualify more spots, and that was my goal that I had in my mind. So I’m very happy to have achieved it. It was such an honor to skate in the same group with Deniss Vasiljevs, who has been one of the four best skaters in the world for so long. Also, Georgii skated amazing right before me; the vibe was incredible! I’m hoping to be selected for Senior Worlds. There will be a skate-off between the Israeli boys, and I really hope I can make it.”
Daniel Grassl
Daniel Grassl of Italy put out a fiercely expressive short program to Tango per la libertà which was highlighted by his innovative spins. He slightly underrotated both jumps in his opening quad Lutz-triple toe before underrotating a quad loop. But the triple Axel was solid, and he placed fifth (84.82) going into the free skate.
“I’m very happy about the performance today. Of course, there was the underrotation, but that’s okay,” he said. “That will give me more motivation for the Olympics, for doing my best there. I wanted to do my best programs and feel better for the Olympics, and that’s really what I felt, so I’m really happy and proud about this.”
Unfortunately, the 2022 European silver medalist took three falls in the free skate, placing 15th (130.51) in that segment. With a total score of 215.33, he dropped to 13th place overall.
“This is not what I worked for, but it’s okay,” said the 23-year-old. “I’m just going to work for the next one. This will give me much more motivation to get better and do better at the Olympics.”
“For sure the team event is going to be very important because we know that potentially we can medal there,” he said, regarding what he is excited for in Milan. “And for sure, all of us will give our best for being ready. It’s going to be a tough competition, but we are really looking forward to that. I am going to train at home in Torino and then we’ll go to Milan close to the event for some more practice and to feel the arena.”
Kevin Aymoz
Kevin Aymoz of France had a disastrous short program with several falls and did not qualify for the free skate.
“I’m very disappointed with my skate,” said the 28-year-old. “Of course, I will try to regroup myself and will focus on the positive, and there were positives today. Even if it didn’t look like that. I only had one week to prepare and 10 days off, so that is why I wasn’t prepared and ready. I am extremely disappointed because what I did in the six-minute (warm-up) was perfect. It happens, to mess up, but that happens and now I need to move on.”
Kyrylo Marsak of Ukraine placed eighth overall (229.25), followed by Deniss Vasiljevs of Latvia (227.51), Adam Hagara of Slovakia (224.27), and Italy’s Nikolaj Memola (223.52).
Related Info:
