Ukrainian figure skater Ivan Shmuratko performed in the free program of the 2024 European Figure Skating Championships wearing a shirt with a red “bloodstain,” Suspilne.Sport reported.
At the event, taking place from Jan. 11-13 in Kaunas, Lithuania, Shmuratko was the first to perform in the free program. He explained how he had incorporated the theme of the state between life and death into his routine. The choice to come onto the ice wearing a shirt with a red stain was a symbol of the loss of life caused by missiles.
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“There will be another program, a new story,” Shmuratkosaid. “The story of the child from my short program will be continued with her journey after death caused when a missile kills her.”
He added: “What meaning did I put in it? The celestial, the state between life and death. No more, no less. Sometimes, much more can be conveyed than with words. Why an element of blood? That’s how it is, quite literally. People die from missiles, and there is blood.”
For his performance, Shmuratko received a score of 140.70 points, which placed him 12th in the free program. His total score, combining both the short program and the free program, was 210.65 points, earning him 14th place overall.
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The 22-year-old from Kyiv is a four-time national champion in Ukraine, holding the title from 2018 to 2021.
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