United States Secures Gold in Olympic Figure Skating Team Event

The Olympic figure skating team event, held over two thrilling days in Milan, concluded with the United States clenching a gold medal. The finish was intensely suspenseful, but ultimately, it was Ilia Malinin’s powerful performance that secured victory for the U.S.

At only 21 years old, Malinin had already made a name for himself in the figure skating world by becoming a world champion. His new routines, featuring groundbreaking tricks, kept everyone on their toes. During his performance, he showcased a thrilling backflip — marking only the second time this move has been seen in Olympic history. Although he stumbled at one point, Malinin managed to regroup and continue delivering a performance that left spectators in awe.

The tension was palpable as Malinin awaited the scores of Japan’s final competitor, Shun Sato. The dramatic conclusion left the once-bustling Milan Ice Skating Arena in silence, with all ears attuned to the score. Ultimately, Sato’s score fell short, affirming the United States’ triumph with a total score of 69 points, closely followed by Japan with 68 points. Italy rounded out the top three with 60 points to claim bronze.

Following his first Olympic medal, Malinin expressed a profound sense of gratitude and acknowledged the support of his teammates. Speaking to NBC Sports’ Andrea Joyce, he remarked, “Going in today, I was just so grateful to be a part of this team and knowing that they all were going to support me throughout this program no matter what really gave me the confidence to really just calm down and really just get into that flow state. Without them, I don’t think I would’ve been able to accomplish this.”

This event marked the United States’ second consecutive Olympic win in figure skating’s team event. Over the course of two days, scores from short programs and free skates in several disciplines determined the final results. Every performance was crucial in adding to the U.S.’s winning total. Key contributors included Madison Chock and Evan Bates in both rhythm and free dance, Ellie Kam and Danny O’Shea in paired skate events, alongside Malinin in men’s singles. Alysa Liu stepped in for women’s singles on Saturday, while Amber Glenn performed on Sunday.

Despite feeling “guilty” for placing third and momentarily losing the U.S. lead, Glenn continued to demonstrate her commitment and tenacity, expressing the challenge of adjusting to the intense team-event format and rigorous training schedule.

As the final round unfolded, Malinin confidently took to the ice, unfazed by the pressure. He unveiled a sparkly black top under his Team USA jacket, ready to compete against Japan’s reserved Sato. Despite knowing his formidable status in the sport, Malinin still faced nerves, but managed an impressive performance despite an early hiccup. His routine concluded with exuberance, signaling to supporters in jubilant celebration.

Malinin’s remarkable score of 200.03 set an almost insurmountable lead, leaving Japan’s Sato to seek a difficult path to gold. With Sato’s score coming in at 194.86, the gold belonged to the United States.

Sports reporter Andrew Greif contributed to this report, alongside the Associated Press.