Ilia Malinin’s dream of becoming an Olympic champion will have to wait after a shocking result in the men’s figure skating free skate at the Milan Cortina Olympics.
The 21-year-old American, known as the “Quad God,” delivered an unusually weak performance on Friday. Malinin entered the final with a lead of more than five points and was expected to win gold. However, he made costly mistakes during his routine.
Malinin bailed out of a planned jump early in his program and later fell twice, ending his strong winning streak. The two-time world champion had won 14 straight events before this Olympic free skate.
Taking full advantage, Kazakhstan’s Mikhail Shaidorov produced a career-best performance and won a surprise gold medal. Shaidorov finished with 291.58 points, giving Kazakhstan its first-ever Winter Olympics gold medal.
Japan’s Yuma Kagiyama won the silver medal, his second straight Olympic silver, while Japanese teammate Shun Sato claimed bronze.
Other Major Olympic Results (Friday)
Totsuka Wins Men’s Halfpipe Gold
Japan’s Yuto Totsuka, the world’s top-ranked men’s halfpipe rider, won Olympic gold in Livigno. His best run scored 95, the highest of the night, featuring back-to-back jumps with three flips.
Australia’s Scotty James, a five-time Olympian and four-time world champion, took silver with 93.50. Japan’s Ryusei Yamada won bronze. Japan has now won six snowboarding medals so far.
Matt Weston Wins Skeleton Gold
Britain’s Matt Weston won Olympic gold in men’s skeleton after dominating the event over two days in Cortina.
Weston finished with a combined time of 3:43.33, almost one second ahead of Germany’s Axel Jungk (3:44.21). Defending Olympic champion Christopher Grotheer took bronze.
Weston became the first British man to win Olympic skeleton gold.
Ukraine’s Heraskevych Disqualified Over Helmet Dispute
Ukrainian slider Vladyslav Heraskevych was disqualified before the skeleton event began. Officials ruled against him due to his refusal to change a helmet tribute honoring more than 20 Ukrainian coaches and athletes killed since Russia’s invasion.
His appeal was rejected by the Court of Arbitration for Sport after a hearing in Milan.
Teenager Jilek Wins 10,000m Speedskating Gold
Czech speedskater Metodej Jilek, just 19 years old, won gold in the 10,000 meters despite battling cold symptoms.
He finished in 12:33.43. Poland’s Vladimir Semirunniy won silver, while Dutch veteran Jorrit Bergsma, 40, earned bronze—12 years after winning gold in Sochi.
Klaebo Equals Winter Olympics Gold Record
Norway’s cross-country skiing star Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo won the 10-kilometer interval-start race with a time of 20:36.2.
This victory gave Klaebo his eighth Olympic gold medal, tying the all-time Winter Olympics record held by Marit Bjoergen, Bjoern Daehlie, and Ole Einar Bjoerndalen.
Klaebo is still scheduled to race three more times, meaning he could break the record.
Laegreid Takes Sprint Bronze
Norwegian biathlete Strula Holm Laegreid won bronze in the sprint, finishing 15.9 seconds behind France’s gold medalist Martin Fourcade Fillon Maillet.
It was Laegreid’s second bronze medal in four days.
Australia’s Josie Baff Wins Snowboardcross Gold
Australian snowboarder Josie Baff won gold in the women’s snowboardcross, giving Australia its second gold medal of the Games.
Baff defeated Czech racer Eva Adamczykova and Italy’s Michela Moioli in the final. She had finished 18th at the Beijing Olympics but returned stronger in Italy.
Australia’s first gold in these Games was won earlier this week by Cooper Woods in men’s moguls.
