BANGKOK, THAILAND (Sept. 5, 2026) – Canada’s junior skaters were back in action this week at the third event of the ISU Junior Grand Prix Series in Bangkok, Thailand. Canadian junior women’s record holder Lia Cho (Calgary, Alta.) won the women’s bronze medal, becoming the first Canadian woman to medal at a Junior Grand Prix event in five years.

Cho delivered personal-best performances in both segments, earning 66.72 points in the short program and 126.03 points in the free program. Her total of 192.75 points was also a personal best.

Sofiia Dzepka (AIN) captured the women’s gold medal with 205.73 points, while Sumika Kanazawa (JPN) took silver with 202.79 points.

“I was very excited to compete in this event,” Cho said after the competition. “I wasn’t really expecting to get a medal; my goal was to get top 5. I’m so happy and excited that I podiumed.”

In junior men’s, Colton Moness (Toronto, Ont.) placed 12th overall. He scored 61.67 points in the short program and 114.67 points in the free program, totalling 176.34 points overall.

“I definitely took a lot away from this experience,” he said. “Watching all the other competitors skate was really cool, and seeing all their quads and other jumps, but at the same time, I had to keep focus on myself and try to do as best as possible.”

Individual neutral athlete Lev Lazarev stood atop the junior men’s podium with a total of 260.90 points. New Zealand’s Yanhao Li secured the silver medal with 244.68 points, while Thailand’s Hiro Kaewtathip won bronze with 229.51 points.

Two Canadian ice dance teams made their Junior Grand Prix debuts in Bangkok, with Chaïma Ben Khelifa (Laval, Que.) and Julien Lévesque (Boucherville, Que.) leading the way in fifth place. The duo earned 56.79 points in the rhythm dance before posting 87.38 points in the free dance, for a total of 144.17 points.

“It was pretty fun to connect together, having moments together while travelling,” Ben Khelifa said after the event, reflecting on the team’s first opportunity to compete internationally.

Madelaine Breau (Coquitlam, B.C.) and Kurtis Che (Calgary, Alta.) finished 10th overall with 122.61 points. They earned 46.78 points in the rhythm dance and 75.83 points in the free dance.

“It was a really good experience, a very good opportunity,” Breau said. “Our programs went pretty smoothly, we’re happy with our skate. I think it’s been a really good week.”

Leading the category, individual neutral athletes Mariia Fefelova and Artem Valov won gold with 166.09 points. Italy’s Zoe Bianchi and Daniel Basile earned silver with a total 160.28 points, and France’s Léa Hienne and Louis Varescon took bronze with 149.03 points.

The ISU Junior Grand Prix Series continues in Ankara, Türkiye, from Sept. 17 to 19.

The full competition results can be found here.