China's Jin Boyang competes in the men's free skate competition during the ISU Four Continents Figure Skating Championships 2023 at the Broadmoor World Arena in Colorado Springs, Colorado on Feb 11, 2023. (PHOTO / AFP)

BEIJING - Both the men's and pairs titles went to Japanese skaters while China's Jin Boyang finished seventh at the ISU Four Continents Figure Skating Championships in Colorado Springs, US on Saturday.

Kao Miura, the youngest competitor in the men's event at 17, nailed a triple Axel-Euler-triple Salchow, a quad toe-triple toe combination, a quad toe and three more triples to claim his first ISU championship title with a personal-best 189.63-point free skate and 281.53 points overall.

The oldest man in the competition, 31-year-old Keegan Messing, earned 188.87 points in the free skate for a total score of 275.57 to claim silver, the first ISU championship medal of his long career. The Canadian is planning to retire at the end of this season.

"Today was amazing. Just before I went on the ice, Keegan put out an amazing program," Miura said. "The atmosphere was different and he gave me a lot of energy, so I was able to really skate well."

My condition coming into this competition wasn't good. I almost wanted to withdraw, so even finishing was an accomplishment ... I'll now focus on the 2023 World Championships in a month's time. Hopefully, I can improve both my physical condition and the quality of my programs.

Jin Boyang, Chinese figure skater

Fellow Japanese Shun Sato, 19, climbed from sixth to earn the bronze medal, and 2022 champion Cha Jun-hwan of South Korea came fourth on 250.14 points.

Two-time world bronze medalist Jin Boyang, ninth at Beijing 2022, placed seventh in his first competition in a year with a total of 227.47 points.

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"My condition coming into this competition wasn't good. I almost wanted to withdraw, so even finishing was an accomplishment," said the 25-year-old, who underwent an appendectomy last June and skipped the whole 2022-23 Grand Prix series.

"I'll now focus on the 2023 World Championships in a month's time. Hopefully, I can improve both my physical condition and the quality of my programs," he added.

Jin's compatriot Chen Yudong ranked 15th with 184.41 points.

In the pairs event, reigning world silver medalists Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara made history by claiming the first ISU championship title in pairs for Japan.

Japan's Kana Muramoto and Daisuke Takahashi skate their free dance in the ice dance competition during the ISU Four Continents Figure Skating Championships 2023 at the Broadmoor World Arena in Colorado Springs, Colorado, on Feb 12, 2023. (PHOTO / AFP)

The overnight leaders put out a strong performance with a triple twist, two level-four lifts and throw triple loop to earn 137.05 points in free skate and 208.24 overall for the gold, despite shaky side-by-side jumps and a slightly underrotated triple Salchow and triple toe.

Local favorites and 2022 runners-up Emily Chan and Spencer Akira Howe took the silver medal again with 201.11 points, and Canada's Deanna Stellato-Dudek and Maxime Deschamps totaled 193.84 points to win their first medal together after four years as a team.

China's young pair Zhang Siyang and Yang Yongchao finished their Four Continents debut eighth among ten pairs with a 97.66-point free skate and 153.76 points in total, after their compatriots Wang Huidi and Jia Ziqi had withdrawn ahead of Saturday's competitions.

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The Four Continents Championships concludes on Sunday with the ice dancing free dance.