Sixteen-year-old Evgenia Medvedeva led a Russian podium sweep to claim the women’s title at the ISU European Figure Skating Championships ©Getty Images

Sixteen-year-old Evgenia Medvedeva led a Russian podium sweep to claim the women’s title at the International Skating Union (ISU) European Figure Skating Championships at the Ondrej Nepela Arena in Bratislava this evening.

Medvedeva, whose only notable mistake was on a double axel, fended off a challenge from team-mates Elena Radionova and Anna Pogorilaya, both aged 17, to win her first European crown on her debut appearance. 

The teenager led throughout, scoring an overall 215.45 points with Radionova’s 209.99 and Pogorilaya’s 187.05 putting them in the silver and bronze medal positions respectively for a second consecutive year.

Having won the world junior title last March, Medvedeva went on to win the prestigious ISU Grand Prix Final last month with the third best overall score in history; 224.54 points.

She was also crowned the Russian national champion in December ahead of Olympic champion Adelina Sotnikova and reigning world and European champion Elizaveta Tuktamysheva.

"It's such a happy day for me," Medvedeva said.

"When I fell on a double axel I was so sad.

"I cried because I was so happy today."

Russia's Olympic champions Tatiana Volosozhar and Maxim Trankov are poised to claim a fourth pairs title
Russia's Olympic champions Tatiana Volosozhar and Maxim Trankov are poised to claim a fourth pairs title ©Getty Images

Earlier in the day, Russia's Olympic champions Tatiana Volosozhar and Maxim Trankov put themselves in pole position for a fourth pairs title after overcoming illness and injury to lead the short programme.

Volosozhar, recovering from flu, and Trankov, still feeling the effects of a sore back, were still on top form with their Bollywood Selection keeping them ahead of their competitors with 79.77 points.

The former world champions and three-time European gold medallists, who have skated together for six years and married last August, have not competed at a major competition since their Olympic gold medal  in Sochi nearly two years ago having sat out last season because of injuries.

"It’s a big competition, maybe the biggest for us this season, and we are happy to be back on the ice and will be focused for the free programme," Volosozhar said.

Trankov noted: "It was not our best skate today and it could have been better, before in our practices we did it better and I think we are ready to get scores of more than 80 like we had before.

"But it was good enough for the gold medal in the short programme."

Promising new pairing Aliona Savchenko and Bruno Massot of Germany were 4.23 points behind with their "Cirque du Soleil" performance, while Russia's Evgenia Tarasova and Vladimir Morozov were third on 70.17 going into tomorrow’s free skating final.