SHEFFIELD, England, Jan 17 (Reuters) - Georgia's Nika Egadze delivered the performance of his career on Saturday, landing four quadruple jumps to run away with the European men's figure skating title and leave a mistake‑ridden field far behind.
The 23-year-old carved through a pressure‑packed free skate with remarkable composure, turning what was expected to be a tight showdown into a commanding victory in the final international event for Olympic-bound European skaters ahead of the Milano Cortina Games.
Skating to Sail by Awolnation, he scored 181.72 points and 273.00 overall for Georgia's first European victory in men's singles.
"It was a really hard week for me mentally, because the first days were really shaky, the practices didn't go well," Egadze said.
"Benoit (Richaud, his choreographer) really speaks a lot with me, he gave me some advice on how to be more calm, more relaxed -- don't think about the medal, just think about my skate, to make people happy with my skating. I think we did a really good job."
Matteo Rizzo was second with 256.37 points to secure the second spot on Italy's Olympic team, while Russian-born Georgii Reshtenko of the Czech Republic climbed from eighth after the short program to take third with 238.27 points.
Rizzo was in a battle for the remaining Italian Olympic team spot with Nikolaj Memola, with Daniel Grassl having locked up the country's first spot. Memola, who has been battling injuries, was 11th.
It was a disastrous day for 2022 European silver medallist Grassl, who arrived as the favourite with the top score among the field this season. The Italian fell three times en route to finishing 13th.
Egadze said he practised hard over the last two months to add a fourth quad jump to his free programme.
"I think it paid off," he said.
His victory came on the heels of Georgian teammates Anastasiia Metelkina and Luka Berulava winning the pairs event earlier in the week.
"First time I met Luka it was at junior worlds (in 2022), and we become really close friends, really best friends. We are like a family. He's like my brother," Egadze said.
"I can speak with him for everything, and that really helps us... (at) big competitions, when you are supporting each other."
The coaching teams for both Egadze and the pairs champions include Eteri Tutberidze, who coached Kamila Valieva, the 15-year-old Russian skater at the centre of a doping scandal during the 2022 Beijing Olympics.
The free dance was scheduled for later on Saturday.
(Reporting by Lori Ewing, editing by Ed Osmond and Christian Radnedge)
