Sheffield skater Luke Digby celebrated a personal best performance as he and pairs partner Anastasia Vaipan-Law savoured redemption on the biggest stage at the Winter Olympics in Milan on Sunday night.

The 24-year-old who learned to skate at IceSheffield, scored a season’s-best 66.07 with Vaipan-Law to qualify 13th for Monday evening’s free skate to decide the medals.

That performance came just nine days after the pair had endured a difficult time in the team event as they failed to advance to the second round.

But a delighted Digby - still sporting a wrist support after picking up an injury in training following the European Championships in his home city last month - revealed how the time between events worked to their favour.

All smiles: Anastasia Vaipan-Law and partner Luke Digby of Team Great Britain compete in Pair Skating - Short Program on day nine of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games at Milano Ice Skating Arena (Picture: Elsa/Getty Images)

placeholder image — All smiles: Anastasia Vaipan-Law and partner Luke Digby of Team Great Britain compete in Pair Skating - Short Program on day nine of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games at Milano Ice Skating Arena (Picture: Elsa/Getty Images)

“That week in between really helped us, we worked really hard, had a little bit of a reset,” said Digby.

“Coming out tonight, the whole event has been such top quality, the crowd out there seeing so many British flags, so many family and friends, that whole energy gave us that little extra tonight.

“We kept our heads in the game and we were nice and calm throughout the performance and I think that really showed.

“A personal best skate - I don’t think we can ask for anything more, especially at an Olympic Games.”

Full beam: Anastasia Vaipan-Law and partner Luke Digby of Team Great Britain react in the Kiss and Cry zone after setting a personal best in Pair Skating - Short Program at the Winter Olympics (Picture: Elsa/Getty Images)

For Scotland’s Vaipan-Law, who Digby trains alongside in Dundee, it was personal redemption after a stuttering start to her Olympic campaign.

“That performance was positivity, determination and grit,” she said.

“I felt very down about the team event, I was so determined today that I wouldn’t feel anything like that again, I was going out there with 100 per cent.

“So that little celebration at the end was me releasing that after it went the way I wanted it to go.”

Digby and Vaipan-Law are due to dance again at 7.31pm UK time on Monday.

“It’s a quick turnaround but we’ll use the energy from tonight and take it into the evening skate,” said Digby. “We couldn’t be any prouder of today.”

The German pairing of Minerva Fabienne Hase and Nikita Volodin lead.