Newcastle figure skater Kailani Craine is safely through to the free skate program after a personal-best score at the world championships in Helsinki.
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Craine was 19th in the short program with a score of 56.97. Only the top 24 moved through to the free skate on Saturday morning.
The 18-year-old is chasing a top-17 finish to guarantee Australia a place in next year’s Winter Olympics figure-skating competition.
Craine is likely to go to Pyeongchang regardless if her form continues in other events this year, but she is desperate to lock up a place this week.
I’m freaking out because of the Olympics. It’s fighting for something that’s been your dream.
“I have had to figure out the best possible way to have a good worlds,” Craine said from her Los Angeles training base before the world titles began in Finland.
“I’m freaking out because of the Olympics. It’s fighting for something that’s been your dream. The top 24 is where I need to be and in the top 17 is my goal.
“I will have to have trust in myself and stay in the moment. I do need to enjoy the event – otherwise why am I doing it?”
Thirty-eight women from 29 countries lined up in the short program. Craine, who has won the past three national championships, is the only female competitor from Australia.
She is wearing new boots and blades after an Achilles problem at the recent Four Continents and Asian Winter Games competitions.
“It was lucky that I had new ones waiting. Four Continents wasn’t my best skate and I had to wonder why, then go back to figure it out. The free program was a shock to me and I’ve since changed my training a little bit.
“Mostly I have to get out of my own head and trust myself – so I will be trying to change my game plan going into this comp.”
