Ilia Malinin Delivers Under Pressure to Secure USA's Second Straight Olympic Team Gold
In a dramatic conclusion to the figure skating team competition at the Milano Cortina Games, American skater Ilia Malinin delivered a performance that was just enough to lift the United States to a second consecutive Olympic team gold medal. The United States finished with 69 points, narrowly defeating Japan by a single point, while host nation Italy captured the bronze medal with 60 points.
Malinin's Calculated Performance Seals Victory
With the United States and Japan tied heading into the decisive men's free skate, all eyes were on 21-year-old Ilia Malinin. The skater, known for his ambitious quad jumps, did not deliver his absolute best performance but executed strategically to secure the necessary points. Malinin had been expected to attempt seven quadruple jumps but scaled back to five, with some technical imperfections including a stumble on his quad Lutz.
Despite these challenges, Malinin salvaged his program with two strong combinations: a massive quad toe loop followed by a quad Salchow. His final score of 200.03 points was nearly 40 points below his season's best but proved sufficient to defeat Japan's Shun Sato, who followed Malinin but could not match his technical prowess.
Japan's Remarkable Comeback Falls Just Short
Japan entered the final day of competition trailing the United States by five points but mounted an impressive comeback that nearly secured gold. The Japanese team's resurgence began with a stunning performance from pairs world champions Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara, who earned a season's best score of 155.55 points with an emotionally charged routine.
"We were trying to aim for about 145 or a little bit higher, and when we saw that it was 155, there was so much joy... we were overwhelmed with emotions," a tearful Miura told reporters after their performance, which narrowed the gap to just two points with two segments remaining.
Japan completed their comeback when Kaori Sakamoto delivered a spellbinding women's free skate that earned her top place in that segment with 148.62 points. This performance, combined with American Amber Glenn's third-place finish after two botched landings, eliminated the United States' lead and set up the dramatic tie heading into the men's free skate.
Team Dynamics and Individual Performances
The team competition showcased both individual brilliance and collective strategy:
- United States: Relied on Malinin's clutch performance after Glenn's disappointing showing
- Japan: Demonstrated remarkable resilience with strong performances across multiple disciplines
- Italy: Captured bronze on home ice, delighting local fans
American skater Amber Glenn acknowledged her physical struggles after her performance: "I just physically didn't feel great. My legs were feeling heavy, I was tired. I just didn't feel my best."
Malinin, who had described himself as the "Quad God," redeemed himself after a disappointing short program the previous day. His victory in the men's free skate provided the single point that separated the United States from Japan in the final standings.
With this team gold secured, Malinin now enters the individual competition as the overwhelming favorite to claim his first Olympic gold medal in what promises to be an exciting continuation of figure skating excellence at the Milano Cortina Games.
