BEIJING (AP) — Russian figure skater Petr Gumennik showed he could be a contender for the Olympic podium at next year’s Milan-Cortina Games after he won the final qualifying event by a vast 34-point margin Sunday.

Competing as an Individual Neutral Athlete , Gumennik performed five high-scoring quadruple jumps in the free skate, despite some shaky landings, on his way to a total score of 262.82, securing him a place at next year’s Olympics. That score would have placed him 10th at last season’s world championships.

Among the other skaters in the top five qualifying men’s spots Sunday were Mexico’s Donovan Carrillo, a fan favorite on his Olympic debut in 2022, and Ukrainian Kyrylo Marsak.

Neutral athletes qualify for Olympic spots for themselves as individuals, while other skaters qu

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