Olympic ice dance champions Gabriella Papadakis and Guillaume Cizeron shattered their own rhythm dance world record on Friday to take the lead over two American teams at the world championships in Montpellier, France.

Russian Olympic athletes who participated in a rally supporting President Vladimir Putin and the invasion of Ukraine are facing a backlash.

Kaitlin Hawayek and Jean-Luc Baker of the USA perform during the Ice Dance - Rhythm Dance at the Figure Skating World Championships in Stockholm, Sweden, Friday, March 26, 2021. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)STOCKHOLM – Russia extended its dominance at the World Figure Skating Championships on Friday when Victoria Sinitsina and Nikita Katsalapov took the rhythm dance. Already, the Russians have won pairs — they almost always do — and have the lead in the women's event. Another of the favorites, Alexandra Stepanova and Ivan Bukin of Russia, struggled with some footwork and turns, finishing fifth. Later Friday is the women's free skate, with Anna Shcherbakova of Russia in the lead.