Golden Performance: Malinin Leads U.S. to Olympic Figure Skating Victory

U.S. Wins Olympic Figure Skating Team Gold as Ilia Malinin Shines

After three days of intense competition, the United States captured the gold medal in the Olympic figure skating team event, edging Japan by a single point. The final outcome came down to Ilia Malinin, the 21-year-old two-time world champion making his Olympic debut.

Entering the men’s free skate with the U.S. tied with Japan, Malinin delivered a remarkable performance under pressure. Despite earlier struggles, he landed five quadruple jumps and finished with a score of 200.03, electrifying the crowd and securing the team victory. His signature backflip drew gasps from spectators, including tennis star Novak Djokovic.

Japan’s Shun Sato also skated brilliantly, landing three quads and earning 194.86 points, but it wasn’t enough to overtake the Americans. Italy took the bronze with 60 points, led by Matteo Rizzo’s near-flawless program.

Key contributions from Madison Chock and Evan Bates in ice dance, as well as Ellie Kam and Danny O’Shea in pairs, helped maintain the U.S. lead and ultimately made the difference. The women’s free skate also saw an emotional performance from Olympic debutant Amber Glenn, who overcame nerves to complete her routine.

The narrow victory marked the second Olympic team gold for the United States, and the first time the team could celebrate on the podium immediately. Malinin described the win as the result of the team’s collective effort, and the athletes’ resilience and focus proved decisive in a thrilling, tightly contested competition.