208.85 Points to the Title! China’s 14-Year-Old Figure Skating Prodigy Shines, Outshines Zhu Yi

At the 2025 Chinese National Figure Skating Championships, 14-year-old Jin Shuxian delivered a breathtaking performance in the women’s free skate, dancing gracefully to Butterfly Lovers as if transformed into a fluttering butterfly. She earned a remarkable 139.77 points in the free skate, combined with 69.08 points from the short program, to claim the championship with a total score of 208.85.

The event also served as part of China’s selection process for the 2026 Milan Winter Olympics. Unfortunately, Jin is not yet eligible due to age restrictions, as she has not reached 17 years old. Even under previous Olympic rules requiring skaters to be at least 15, she would still fall short. Nevertheless, Jin is widely regarded as a key figure for China in the next Olympic cycle and is expected to make her mark internationally in the years ahead.

Zhang Ruiyang finished second with 197.58 points, while Zhu Yi took third with 193.48 points. Jin topped both the short program and free skate, and was the only competitor to surpass the 200-point mark, highlighting her clear competitive edge.

This season, Jin switched her music from Arirang to Butterfly Lovers and made significant adjustments to her choreography and technical layout. Despite some fluctuations toward the end of the year, she delivered her strongest performance in the final competition of 2025. Skating cleanly with no major errors, her jumps appeared effortless and fully controlled, combining high technical difficulty with refined artistic expression.

Jin’s victory was well deserved. Meanwhile, Zhang Ruiyang secured her place at the Milan Olympics by finishing first overall across the China Cup and national championships with a combined score of 377.12. As Jin enters a growth phase and gains height, she continues to demonstrate maturity and consistency. After the event, she said, “Overall, I’m very satisfied. This was a complete program and my best performance at the end of the year. For the final competition, I’d give myself full marks.”

Reflecting on her progress, Jin credited improvements in mindset and jump difficulty. Known for her disciplined training, she noted, “The competition is extremely intense. If I don’t work hard, I’ll be eliminated quickly. Only by pushing myself can I achieve the best results.” Looking ahead, her immediate goal is clear: “I want to step onto the international stage and earn more honors for China.”

Jin first rose to prominence in 2022, winning the women’s singles title at the Chinese Figure Skating Club League at just 11 years old. She went on to claim gold at the 14th National Winter Games in 2024. Now capable of consistently scoring above 200 points, she still has significant room for growth. With increased difficulty ahead, expectations are high that Jin will continue to evolve, pushing her total score beyond 210, 220, and even higher.