Javier Fernandez wins gold at World Figure Skating Championships in Shanghai
Saturday 28 March 2015 19:27, UK
European figure skating champion Javier Fernandez became the first Spanish man to win the world singles title, overcoming last year's winner Yuzuru Hanyu in dramatic style in Shanghai on Saturday.
Fernandez, who has twice won the bronze medal at the World Figure Skating Championships, scored 181.16 in the final free skate to give him 273.90 overall, edging Japan's Olympic champion who scored 175.88 and finished second overall with 271.08.
The winner of the final programme with 181.83 points was Kazakhstan's Dennis Tan, who finished third overall with a score of 267.72. Fernandez finished second at Saturday's skate, while Hanyu settled for third.
Fernandez nailed a quadruple toeloop before falling on a quadruple Salchow-triple toeloop combination, but continued his performance in assured fashion to clinch his biggest title.
Victory will taste sweet for 23-year-old Fernandez, who is a three-time European champion.
He also finished fourth at last year's Sochi Winter Games.
