NHK Trophy: 'Dream come true' for ice dancers Lilah Fear and Lewis Gibson as they win gold in Japan Grand Prix

Lewis Gibson grew up in Prestwick

Ice dancers Lewis Gibson and Lilah Fear have said their first ever gold medal win at a Grand Prix event is a “dream come true” as they smashed their personal best score to move into first place.

The British pair pipped European champions Charlene Guignard and Marco Fabbri to the win, scoring 130.26 in the free, for an overall score and personal best of 215.19. Italians Guignard and Fabbri, who were lying in first place after yesterday’s rhythm dance by a half point margin, scored 214.56.

“It really just feels like a dream come true,” said Gibson, from Prestwick. “We of course train to progress and move up over our years in skating.

Gold medallists Lilah Fear and Lewis Gibson attend the medal ceremony for the ice dance free dance during ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating NHK Trophy in Japan. The pair scooped their first gold, pipping European champions Charlene Guignard and Marco Fabbri to the win.

"To finally win a Grand Prix is everything and it's so exciting and I can't really put that into words right now.”

Fear added: “Lewis and I are over the moon. It was a very fulfilling performance and so much fun with that crowd. They were so welcoming and energetic and we're still shaking.”

She added: “I’m so overwhelmed, honoured and excited. The audience was absolutely amazing in Japan and to win our first Grand Prix here means so much.

The couple started the free dance in second place, after scoring 84.93 in the rhythm dance – less than half a point behind the Italians.

The bronze went to Allison Reed and Saulius Ambruvelicius of Lithuania, in their second Grand Prix medal of the season.

The British pair will now compete at the Grand Prix final in China next month. Gibson and Fear qualified for the final for the first time last year – the first British ice dance pair in 13 years to do so - finishing fourth overall. They also won a medal – silver – at the Skate Canada International grand prix last month, when they were beaten to the gold by Canadians Paul Poirier and Piper Gillies.

The Grand Prix win sets Gibson and Fear up for a successful season in the European and World Figure Skating Championships, which are both held early next year. Their main competition for a spot on the podium is likely to come from the Italian team, as well as Poirier and Gillies – and American world champions Madison Chock and Evan Bates.

A Grand Prix event was assigned to the UK for the first time last year after competitions usually held in China and Russia were relocated due to the war in Ukraine and Covid travel restrictions respectively. However, the Chinese competition was reinstated this year.

The women’s competition was won by American Ava Marie Ziegler, who beat teammate Lindsay Thorngren, who had been lying in first place after the short programme.