The atmosphere was electric at the US Figure Skating Championships in St Louis on Thursday night as Ilia Malinin delivered a breathtaking short program, firmly establishing himself as the man to beat ahead of next month's Winter Olympics.
Malinin's Quad-Fueled Masterclass
Malinin, the 21-year-old sensation from Virginia, left the audience in awe with a technically audacious performance. He opened with a clean quad flip, followed by a complex quad Lutz-triple toe loop combination, and capped it off with a crowd-pleasing back flip. The routine earned him a commanding score of 115.10 points.
"I came into this competition just to see what happens out there and I impressed myself," Malinin admitted after his skate. "I didn't know I was able to skate that complete, that good." He revealed he had briefly considered a more conservative approach but decided to stick with his original, high-risk plan once he felt the flow on the ice.
His lead is substantial, with Tomoki Hiwatashi a distant second on 89.26 points and Jason Brown in third with 88.49. The men's free skate, which will determine the national champion, takes place on Saturday.
Emotional Tribute and Ice Dance Dominance
The evening was also marked by a profoundly emotional moment from skater Maxim Naumov. After his performance, he held up and kissed a childhood photograph of himself with his parents, Vadim Naumov and Evgenia Shishkova. The 1994 world pairs champions died nearly a year ago in the tragic mid-air collision between an American Airlines flight and an army helicopter over Washington DC.
In the ice dance discipline, married favourites Madison Chock and Evan Bates surged closer to a historic seventh national title. Their rhythm dance to a Lenny Kravitz medley scored 91.70, showcasing the seamless connection and innovative lifts that make them gold medal contenders for the Olympics.
"It has been the best journey," said Bates, reflecting on their 15-year partnership. "I remember the day Maddie said she wanted to skate with me, it was one of the best days of my life." The pair lead Emilea Zingas and Vadym Kolesnik (85.98) and Christina Carreira and Anthony Ponomarenko (83.29) heading into Saturday's free dance.
Road to Milano Cortina
For Malinin, this performance is a powerful statement of redemption. Omitted from the US Olympic team four years ago, he has channelled that disappointment into a relentless drive for excellence, drawing comparisons to Simone Biles's dominance in gymnastics. "That was such a hard moment for me to go through but it made me the skater I am today," he stated.
The top three finishers in each discipline at these championships will earn coveted spots on the US team for the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games. With his commanding lead, Malinin is poised to secure his place and head to the Games as one of the most watched athletes in the sport.
