Article by Roxana Fleşeru – Published Wednesday, February 18, 2026, 12:55 / Updated Wednesday, February 18, 2026 1:05 p.m.
Julia Sauter skated with joy in the short program, pulling off a mistake-free performance on Tuesday for which she received a score of 63.13, her best score of the season and of her career. “It felt just like home workouts. I entered the rink and said to myself: “OK, do exactly what you do in training – and maybe even a little more”.
In the morning, I already felt very ready. I actually had to hold back and focus on the present instead of living in the future. When I landed after the Lutz-tulup combination, I thought, “Wow, that was really, really good.” I had a brief flashback from the European Championships when I missed out. But we've been training so well that the body is solid again. I was just happy to be here,” Julia Sauter told Golden Skate.
Born in Germany, she has been competing for Romania since 2013. She financed her dream through fundraising on crowdfunding platforms, multiple jobs, had to overcome moments of anxiety, changes of coaches, problems with Romanian citizenship, which she obtained at the end of last year, and much more.
Julia Sauter: “What really impresses me is how everything works behind the scenes”
But now he is living his Olympic dream. “It all started with receiving the Olympic equipment. You prepare for so long, and when you're trying to stay in the present and go through the steps to get here, you don't always think too much about the future. But then the equipment arrived, I traveled here for the first time, it was the opening ceremony – there was already so much positive energy,” Julia told the quoted source.
The Corona Brașov registered skater continued: “What really impresses me about the Olympic Games is how everything works behind the scenes. It's the only occasion where I can live this experience and I really try to enjoy my time here. My husband and my mother were in the arena, and that was very special.”
Julai Sauter: “The short program worked at the most important competition”
In Romania's history, Romania has only been represented in the women's event by Beatrice Huștiu, in 1968 (28th place), and by Roxana Luca, Julia's current coach, in 2006 and 2022, she taking 26th and 23rd places.
“There was some pressure, because I knew I had very strong competition. But I kept telling myself that I don't identify with whether or not I get to the free program, because the road to get here has been extremely difficult – and that road is what really matters.
The only thing was that I felt so ready and I really wanted to prove it. And now it finally worked. This season, the short program has always been a little more difficult for me. And now it worked at the most important competition,” Julia Sauter told Golden Skate.
The free program will take place on Thursday, from 20:00. Twenty-four skaters out of 29 who competed qualified for the free program. On the podium, after the first part of the women's competition, are the Japanese Ami Nakai (78.71), Kaori Sakamoto (77.23) and the American Alysa Liu (76.59).
