Malinin Secures Gold in Nail-Biting Finish
Ilia Malinin, 21, already a world champion, stunned the audience with a historic performance to secure Olympic gold in figure skating for the United States. Despite a brief stumble, he performed a backflip — marking the first time anyone landed two consecutive backflips in Olympic history — electrifying fans at Milan Ice Skating Arena.
As Japan’s Shun Sato completed his routine, the tension peaked. When Sato scored 68, falling short of Malinin’s 69, Team USA celebrated. Italy took the bronze with 60 points. Malinin’s victory marked his first Olympic medal and gave the U.S. its second consecutive gold in this event.
Team USA’s Strategy and Key Performances
Team USA relied on consistent participation across events. Madison Chock and Evan Bates competed in both rhythm and free dance, while Ellie Kam and Danny O’Shea performed pairs skating on both days. Malinin handled men’s singles, and women’s singles featured Alysa Liu on Saturday and Amber Glenn on Sunday.
Glenn, a three-time U.S. champion, admitted fatigue from the team-event format and regretted losing the lead in the penultimate competition. Nevertheless, the U.S. and Japan tied at 59 points entering the final discipline, setting the stage for Malinin’s decisive performance.
Malinin Credits Teammates for Confidence
Malinin emphasized the support from his team as critical to his success. “Going in today, I felt grateful to be part of this team,” he told NBC Sports. “Knowing they would support me gave me confidence to calm down and get into the flow. Without them, I could not have accomplished this.”
During his preskate introduction, the Fairfax, Virginia native, whose parents skated in the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics, showed confidence and energy. He pumped his fist and revealed a sparkly black top under his Team USA jacket. Sato, by contrast, approached the ice more reservedly.
Record-Breaking Routine Shocks Audience
Even after a shaky start where he touched the ice with both hands, Malinin immediately increased the difficulty of his routine. His backflip at center ice wowed fans and set him apart from competitors. He finished with 200.03 points, more than 20 points ahead of Italy’s second-place skater, establishing the benchmark Japan needed to surpass for gold.
Malinin faced pressure after placing second behind Japan’s Yuma Kagiyama on Saturday. Yet, he overcame it with resilience, skill, and strong teamwork, proving he is a rising star in figure skating and cementing the first medal awarded in the Games for the U.S.
