Ilia Malinin Dominates Men's Short Program at Milan Cortina Olympics
American figure skating sensation Ilia Malinin emphatically answered any lingering questions about his Olympic readiness on Tuesday night, delivering a near-flawless short program that propelled him into a commanding lead at the Milan Cortina Winter Games. The two-time reigning world champion, often dubbed the "Quad God" for his technical prowess, earned an impressive 108.16 points at the Milano Ice Skating Arena, setting the stage for a thrilling conclusion to the men's competition.
A Technical Masterclass and Emotional Moments
Malinin's program, choreographed to music from the action-adventure video game "Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown," was a showcase of athletic brilliance. He opened with a massive quad flip, followed by a perfectly executed triple axel, and capped his jumping passes with a quad lutz-triple toe loop combination that alone scored over 22 points. The performance culminated with his signature backflip and "raspberry twist," leaving the Milan crowd roaring in appreciation.
Yuma Kagiyama of Japan sits in second place with 103.07 points, but the five-point gap heading into Friday's free skate is substantial given Malinin's renowned technical advantage in longer programs. Kagiyama nearly matched Malinin's excellence but stepped out on his final triple axel, costing him valuable execution marks.
French skater Adam Siao Him Fa, the last athlete to defeat Malinin over two years ago, is currently third with 102.55 points. This sets up a dramatic podium battle for the gold medal, with all eyes on whether Malinin can maintain his momentum.
Overcoming Pressure and Building Momentum
The victory marked a significant rebound for Malinin, who was narrowly beaten by Kagiyama in the short program during last weekend's team competition. That result had sparked speculation about whether the overwhelming gold medal favorite was succumbing to Olympic pressure. However, Malinin responded emphatically in the team event's free skate, outperforming Japan's Shun Sato to secure a second consecutive team gold for the United States and carrying that confidence into Tuesday's individual event.
Heartwarming Stories Amidst the Competition
Beyond the medal contenders, the opening night of men's figure skating provided poignant and memorable moments. American skater Maxim Naumov delivered an emotionally charged performance just over a year after losing both parents, Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov, in a plane crash. Fulfilling their shared Olympic dream, Naumov concluded his program on his knees at center ice, looking upward as if to say, "Look at what we've done."
"Whatever life throws at you, if you can be resilient and push a little bit more than you think, you can do so much more," Naumov reflected afterward, having carried a photograph of his parents to the kiss-and-cry area. His score of 85.65 points comfortably advanced him to the free skate, a testament to his perseverance and dedication.
Challenges for Other Contenders
Not all skaters enjoyed successful evenings. Japan's Kao Miura, the former world junior champion and recent Four Continents winner, struggled from the start, popping his opening quad salchow and falling on a subsequent jump. His teammate Shun Sato also faced difficulties, spinning out of a quad toe-triple toe combination and scoring 88.70 points, leaving him well outside podium contention.
The event also featured lighter moments, such as Spanish skater Tomas-Llorenc Guarino Sabate's playful "Minions" program, which nearly didn't happen due to copyright concerns last week. The diversity of performances—from Japanese artistry to American aerial acrobatics—highlighted the rich tapestry of men's figure skating on the Olympic stage.
With the short program complete, skaters now have two days to prepare for Friday night's decisive free skate, where Malinin will aim to convert his substantial lead into Olympic gold, potentially unleashing the quad axel that only he has ever landed in competition.
