Ilia Malinin Dominates Olympic Figure Skating Short Program with Stellar 108.16 Score
Skating second-to-last at the Milano Ice Skating Arena on Tuesday, the two-time reigning world champion from Vienna, Virginia, delivered a flawless performance marked by his signature quadruple jumps, precise transitions, and an electrifying backflip. Malinin’s score, just 0.71 points shy of his international season’s best, gave him a 5.09-point advantage over Japan’s Yuma Kagiyama in second place. This triumph positions the 21-year-old “Quad God” perfectly for a shot at individual Olympic gold after contributing to Team USA’s efforts in the team event.
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A Warrior’s Performance
Malinin opened with a towering quad flip, launching off the ice with remarkable height and control, followed by a quad Lutz-triple toe loop combination that showcased his technical prowess. Commentators praised his execution, noting he has the most difficult technical plan in the competition. His program, themed around a warrior fighting through obstacles, resonated with the crowd, culminating in a near-perfect backflip that drew roars of approval.
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“Going into this individual event, I definitely took a different approach,” Malinin said post-performance. “In the team event, there was so much pressure, and I was so hyped up. For this short program, I wanted to take it more slowly, more calm, and just push the autopilot button.” This measured strategy paid dividends, building a solid foundation after some uncharacteristic errors in the team competition where Kagiyama edged him out.
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Unbeaten Streak Continues
Entering his Olympic debut on a 14-competition winning streak since 2023, Malinin holds the highest short program score in history and remains the only skater to land a quad Axel in competition. He recently etched his name in the record books with a seven-quad free skate at the Grand Prix Final. Undefeated and composed, Malinin skated with “measured confidence,” letting his program breathe while highlighting clean jumps and dynamic step sequences.
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His highest-scoring element, the quad flip, earned nearly five points more than any other in the field. As one analyst noted, “There’s a certain strength he has to do that program. It feels like he’s coming out of the sand and heading to battle, which is very suitable for the Olympics.”
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American Teammates Shine
While Malinin lit up the arena, fellow Americans made their mark. Dmitry Torgashev, embracing the rock-and-roll vibe of his program, notched a personal best of 88.94 for eighth place. He held up a photo of his parents in the Kiss and Cry, choreographed by Shae-Lynn Bourne, who instilled freedom in his skating.
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Jason Naumov, the U.S. bronze medalist, delivered a strong showing with a majestic quad Salchow (11.78 points) and a triple Lutz-triple toe (12.46 points), achieving Level 4 across all spins and steps for a season’s best score.
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Looking Ahead to Free Skate
With the free skate set for Friday, anticipation builds around whether Malinin will unleash his full arsenal, potentially including seven quads and the quad Axel. “We’re definitely going to see me at my best condition,” he teased. “Hoping I can feel the best and perform as much as I can.” Kagiyama, who bested Malinin in the team event, looms as a threat, but the American leads the 29-skater field.
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Malinin’s dominance reaffirms his status as the benchmark in men’s figure skating. As NBC Sports captured, “He is the benchmark.” Fans and experts alike await whether the warrior can forge Olympic gold in the days ahead.
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