Breakthrough after isolation: how Mishin and Galliamov took gold Grand Prix in China

Bronze medalists of the Olympic Games in 2022, world and European champions Anastasia Mishina and Alexander Galliamov became the first of the Russians who won the gold of the ISU Grand Prix stage after a forced break. On the sum of the two programs, the judges gave them 209.84 points.

In the free program, the pair performed a cascade of triple salkhs - a triple salkhs, two support and a triple tweak of the fourth level. Todes judges rated the third level, and the total score for hire was 135.15.

The competition was more than serious, because the rivals did not sleep. Second place was taken by silver medalists of the Olympics-2026 representatives of Georgia Anastasia Metelkina and Luka Berulava with a score of 198.27 points. The three winners were closed by the Japanese Yuna Nagaoka and Sumitada Moriguchi (181.50).

The success of Mishyna and Gallyamov does not look like an accident. The Russian national team as a whole strongly announced its return. At the same stage in China silver took Alexander Ignatov (Trusov), and two weeks earlier in France, the second were Alexander Boykov and Dmitry Kozlovsky. It is worth remembering that this season Mishin and Galliamov have already taken silver at the Challenger tournament in Batumi, but the Grand Prix gold is a completely different level of status confirmation.

But behind this triumph is a colossal work and overcoming. Bronze medalist of the championship of Russia in 2009, and now coach Katarina Herboldt very accurately described the background of this success, especially emphasizing the role of mentors and the factor of injuries.

“I am happy for Anastasia Mishin and Alexander Galliamov. Glad for Tamara Nikolaevna (Moskvina, coach of the pair – approx. ed.). My partner had a serious injury and a difficult recovery. I’m glad to be able to recover, come together and enter the world stage as a leader after such a long time. I am sure it is very important for them emotionally. A decent return to the world stage. Congratulations to them and the coaches, Herboldt said.

The athletes themselves are also not inclined to rest on their laurels. For them, this gold is not the finish line, but rather the starting point for further work. Anastasia Mishina shared her emotions from her return:

“We are very happy to return to international competitions, we are glad that we managed to present our programs well. Not perfect, but very good for the first Grand Prix, we are looking forward to the next stage, said Mishin.

Alexander Galliamov looks at things even more pragmatically, realizing that the international arena does not forgive relaxation:

The next stage of the Grand Prix is in two weeks, there is no time to relax. Yes, it was not an ideal rental, it was clear to us already in the final position – we need to improve further to get more points, to prove ourselves in the international arena, Gallyamov said.

The Chinese Grand Prix stage was a great proof that the Russian figure skating school did not lose itself in isolation. Ahead of new starts, where rivals will no longer look at the Russians as a curiosity. Every movement will be fought twice. But judging by the mood of the pair and their coaching staff, Anastasia Mishina and Alexander Galliamov have every reason to look to the future with confidence.