Canada’s Marjorie Lajoie and Zachary Lagha clinched the silver medal in the ice dance competition at the Skate America figure skating event held on Sunday. The duo secured a total score of 197.16 points. The gold medal was claimed by Madison Chock and Evan Bates of the United States with a score of 212.58, while France’s Evgeniia Lopareva and Geoffrey Brissaud took home the bronze with a score of 192.61. Canada’s Alicia Fabbri and Paul Ayer finished in ninth place with a total score of 165.68.
Lajoie and Lagha made history by becoming one of the few Canadians to medal at the competition, joining Kelly Ann Laurin and Loucas Ethier in this achievement.
Expressing their joy, Lajoie commented, “We are extremely proud and satisfied with our performance and final standing. Securing the second position holds significant meaning for us as we put in a lot of effort in the period between the Skate Canada and Skate America events. I believe we executed our routine exceptionally well.” Lagha added, “Given the circumstances, we couldn’t have asked for a better outcome. It was simply perfect!”
Earlier, Laurin and Ethier had claimed the bronze medal in the pairs event on Saturday. Laurin expressed their surprise and happiness, stating, “Winning a medal was beyond our expectations, and we are thrilled.” Ethier shared, “This accomplishment is significant for us, especially after a turbulent start to the season. Delivering our best performance on the international platform feels incredibly rewarding.”