Olympic hope has reverberated through Boston’s TD Garden as the U.S. shows it – finally – could have what it takes to medal in figure skating after a decades-long dry spell. Friday night, America’s Alysa Liu was named the female world champion.

Madison Chock and Evan Bates are bidding to become the first ice dancers to win three consecutive world titles in 28 years.

Liu, 19, leapfrogged three-time defending world champion Kaori Sakamoto of Japan to win the gold with a free skate score of 148.39. Mone Chiba, who is also from Japan, took bronze, while Americans Isabeau Levito and Amber Glenn finished fourth and fifth, respectively.

Fear and Gibson are three-time European medallists and have come fourth at the past two World Championships. They head into this week's Worlds - which you can watch on the BBC - among the favourites for the podium in a season where they claimed Britain's first ever medal at the Grand Prix final.

So it is for U.S. ice dancers Madison Chock and Evan Bates, who came into the 2025 World Championships with an Olympic gold medal, six national titles and five world medals, the last two of them gold.