After the disappointment of the 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympics, Niçois Adam Siao Him Fa wanted to show that he was worth more than what he had suggested last February. Unfortunately, things did not go as planned after the free program this Saturday.
At the World Championships in Prague, Adam Siao Him Fa regained the form of a major contender, delivering a short program with technical density and artistic mastery that confirmed his status at the highest level. With his 101.85 points, the Niçois established himself as the only true rival to Ilia Malinin, supported by a sequence of great precision – quadruple toe loop-triple toe loop, perfectly controlled triple axel, quadruple salchow – and by a quality of glide that remained his signature. His score, slightly below what he could have expected given the cleanliness of his skating, nonetheless placed him in an ideal position to aim for a second world podium.
A month after the frustration of the Olympic free skate, he approached the continuation of the competition with regained form and a comfortable lead over his pursuers, starting with Estonian Aleksandr Selevko. The question was whether he would be able to maintain this momentum during the long program, where his Italian disappointment had unfolded.
Another Fall and Too Many Technical Errors
After a magical short program, the Niçois was in the running this Sunday for a medal on a creation by Philip Glass. Unfortunately, several imperfections and a fall were costly for the skater from the Alpes-Maritimes on the free skate. The Niçois once again fell on his quadruple lutz. Additionally, there was a non-trigger on his quadruple salchow, before turning over the triple axel. His score of 169.71 placed him in 4th position provisionally before Ilia Malinin’s performance, who secured a third world title.
In the end, Adam Siao Him Fa concluded these World Championships in fifth place, with a total of 271.59 points, a little over 16 points from the podium.
