Keegan Messing
With his skating and sportsmanship, Keegan Messing of Girdwood stole the show at the Autumn Classic International in Ontario, Canada.
The 26-year-old claimed the bronze medal in the senior men’s competition and then displayed the true character of a gentleman in the awards ceremony by holding up the Japanese flag for gold medalist Yuzuru Hanyu.
Messing saw there was no flag display when the national anthem of Japan started to play, so he made his own display by unfolding a Japanese flag behind the podium and held it up while Hanyu faced it for the duration of the anthem.
Hanyu bowed to thank Messing after the anthem while the crowd cheered.
Keegan Messing going out of his way to hold the Japanese flag up for Yuzuru Hanyu to salute during the national anthem is the most Keegan thing ever. #ACI19 ❤️❤️❤️ pic.twitter.com/0g6zoek0w5
— Jackie Wong (@rockerskating) September 14, 2019
Messing, who skates for Team Canada, finished third with 256.02 points. Hanyu was first with 279.01 points and France’s Kevin Aymoz was second at 262.47.
This is Messing’s 12th senior medal since 2010 – with seven of them coming since 2016.
The Autumn Classic International is part of the ISU Challenger Series and features senior athletes from around the world. The event is designed to allow skaters to compete on an international stage prior to the start of the Grand Prix season.