Los Angeles (AFP) - Kao Miura held his nerve to win the Four Continents figure skating championships men's title on Saturday to headline a big night for Japan in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
The 17-year-old from Tokyo claimed the biggest title of his career, edging Canadian Keegan Messing in the free skate to top the standings with a total of 281.53 points.
His triumph gave Japan both golds awarded on the night, after world silver medalists Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara became the first Japanese duo to win the pairs title at the Four Continents, a competition for skaters from non-European countries.
The Four Continents marks the final major event ahead of next month's World Championships in Saitama, Japan.
Miura, who had topped the men's standings after Thursday's short programme, took the ice last after Messing set the crowd alight with a dazzling free skate that garnered a career-best 188.87 points.
The Japanese teen came through with his highest scoring free skate ever to improve on his third-place finish at last year's Four Continents.
"Keegan put out such a strong skate," said Miura, who let out a yell when his scores came up."I feel like I rode that momentum.
"I told myself, 'I can do that too.'
"I'm very proud of myself for putting out the performance that I did today," added Miura, whose Grand Prix campaign was marked by struggles in the free skate.
Messing's silver medal total of 275.57 was also a career best, and put him comfortably in front of bronze medallist Shun Sato, who climbed from sixth after the short programme to third with a total of 259.14 points.
With their breakthrough pairs title, Riku Miura and Kihara remained unbeaten in international competition this season.
They had led after the short programme and despite a few wobbles they won the free skate with 137.05 points for a total of 208.24.
That gave them a comfortable victory over Americans Emily Chan and Spencer Akira Howe.
"It was really tough skating at this altitude," Kihara said, "but the cheers of the audience kept our legs moving."
Chan and Howe moved up from third after the short programme to take silver with a total of 201.11 points.
Canadians Deanna Stellato-Dudek and Maxime Deschamps were third with a total of 193.84 points.
