MILAN — Following three days of intense and often unexpected competition, the United States secured the Olympic gold medal in the figure skating team event on Sunday night.
It was no easy feat.
Entering the final day of competition with a five-point lead, the Americans found themselves tied with Japan right before the men’s free skate, the last segment of the event.
The moment rested on Ilia Malinin, the two-time reigning world champion competing in his first Olympics. The 21-year-old faced challenges with nerves during his short program on Saturday, stepping out of his triple axel and under-rotating his quad lutz, which placed him a surprising second, more than 10 points behind the leader.
The stakes on Sunday were monumental as his teammates anxiously watched him take the ice, their fate hanging in the balance.
“I was more nervous watching Ilia than I was [skating] myself,” remarked U.S. team captain and pairs skater Danny O’Shea.
Malinin’s performance on Sunday wasn’t flawless, and he opted not to attempt the famous quadruple axel he is known for — the only skater in history to have landed it in competition — but it proved to be more than sufficient. Dubbed the “Quad God,” he executed five quadruple jumps, with his music from “The Voice” amplifying his electrifying presence on the ice.
As Malinin executed his now-iconic backflip later in his routine, it prompted 24-time major tennis champion Novak Djokovic in the audience to leap from his seat, exclaiming, “What?” while holding his head in disbelief. Malinin secured a score of 200.03, and his teammates rushed to him on the kiss-and-cry podium.
yet, the competition was not officially over.
Japan’s Shun Sato stepped onto the ice to conclude the event. even if he successfully performed three quad jumps and delivered a clean skate, his score of 194.86 was insufficient. Teammates comforted Sato as his score was revealed, while the Americans celebrated nearby, leaping with joy.
The final tally: United States 69, Japan 68.
“We came here to do one job, and we achieved it,” declared Malinin.
Italy took bronze with 60 points, featuring an emotional and nearly flawless performance from Matteo Rizzo. Many of his teammates were seen wiping away tears by the program’s conclusion, fully aware that he had ensured Italy’s third Olympic medal in figure skating.
This marked the second Olympic gold for the American team in the event, but it was the first time they could celebrate with a podium ceremony. The team had initially won in 2022, only to be disqualified due to a positive drug test involving athletes from the Russian Olympic Committee. The Americans finally received their medals in Paris in 2024.
Madison Chock and Evan Bates, the three-time reigning ice dance world champions, were the only two members to compete in both 2022 and 2026. They contributed significantly, winning both the short program on Friday and the free dance on Saturday, earning crucial 20 points for the team.
While not as dominant, Ellie Kam and O’Shea emerged as unexpected heroes on Sunday. Having finished fifth in the pairs short program two days earlier, they knew they needed to improve to maintain their lead over the Japanese team. even if the Japanese pair of Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara won the segment, Kam and O’Shea delivered one of their career-best performances, ultimately placing fourth and keeping Japan two points behind.
“Our goal was to help take some pressure off Team USA and do our part,” O’Shea shared. “And we managed to do even a little more today.”
This made all the difference.
Following the pairs program, the women’s free skate featured three-time reigning national champion Amber Glenn in her Olympic debut. Alysa Liu had participated in the short program, and the team made one of their two allowed substitutions, bringing in Glenn. She encountered some difficulties early in her program, spinning out of her triple axel and struggling with a jump combination.
yet, Glenn regained her composure in the second half of her performance, although she appeared devastated at the conclusion, receiving a score of 138.62 that surprisingly placed her third.
“I didn’t perform the way I wanted to,” Glenn stated. “I physically didn’t feel great. My legs felt heavy, I was tired, and I just didn’t feel like my best self, despite my extensive practice here.”
She attributed her performance to “first-time Olympian” nerves but expressed pride in her mental strength for finishing the program.
Kaori Sakamoto took first place with a score of 148.62, bringing Japan into a tie with the United States at the top of the leaderboard.
Speaking to the media before the event concluded, Sakamoto expressed pride in her team regardless of the outcome. “In my eyes, everyone has delivered a gold medal performance, so it really doesn’t matter what color medal we receive,” she said.
