THE CANADIAN PRESS

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CAPE TOWN, South Africa - Canadian Diane Szmiett won her second medal this season on the Junior Grand Prix figure skating circuit by finishing second at the Skate Safari women's event Friday.

The 17-year-old from Watford, Ont., posted a score of 131.46 to finish behind Alexe Gilles of the United States at 134.11. Another American, Amanda Dobbs, finished third at 128.64.

Szmiett was second after the short and had the fourth-best mark in the long program to secure another trip to the podium. She won a bronze at the season-opening event in France.

"I did a fantastic long program," said Szmiett. "I was consistent, my landings were solid and I held it together. But the biggest improvement I made was in the presentation. I sold it to the judges a lot better and I was smiling a lot more."

McKenzie Crawford of Glencoe, Ont., finished 12th out of 27 skaters.

In ice dancing, Veronique de Beaumont-Boisvert and Sebastien Buron, both from Ste-Julie, Que., finished sixth. Americans placed 1-2 with Madison Hubbell and Keiffer Hubbell taking the gold and Piper Gilles and Zachary Donohue the silver.

In the men's competition, national junior champion Elladj Balde of Pierrefonds, Que., is third after the short program.

His score of 61.41 trails Richard Dornbush of the U.S., at 68.73 and Daisuke Murakami of Japan at 61.81.

Competition ends Saturday with the men's final.