‘Quad God’ Ilia Malinin Collapsed Twice, Shaidorov Earns Gold in Men’s Figure Skating/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Mikhail Shaidorov captured Olympic gold in men’s figure skating after American favorite Ilia Malinin faltered in the free skate. The Kazakhstan skater delivered a career-best performance at the Milan Cortina Games. Elsewhere, gold medals were awarded in halfpipe, skeleton, speedskating, cross-country skiing and snowboardcross.
Shaidorov Upsets Malinin in Olympic Figure Skating Quick Looks
- Mikhail Shaidorov wins men’s figure skating gold.
- Ilia Malinin falls twice in free skate.
- Yuma Kagiyama takes silver; Shun Sato earns bronze.
- Yuto Totsuka claims halfpipe gold.
- Matt Weston dominates skeleton.
- Johannes Høsflot Klæbo ties Olympic gold record.
Deep Look: ‘Quad God’ Ilia Malinin Collapsed Twice, Shaidorov Earns Gold in Men’s Figure Skating
The expected coronation of American figure skating star Ilia Malinin will have to wait.
Instead, Kazakhstan’s Mikhail Shaidorov delivered the performance of his life to claim a stunning gold medal in men’s figure skating at the Milan Cortina Olympics, capitalizing on an uncharacteristically shaky free skate by the heavily favored Malinin.
Malinin, nicknamed the “Quad God” for his mastery of quadruple jumps, entered the final with a lead of more than five points and appeared poised to extend his remarkable streak. The two-time world champion had won 14 consecutive events coming into the Games and seemed firmly in control.
But Olympic pressure proved unforgiving.
Malinin’s Missed Opportunity
The 21-year-old American bailed out of a planned jump early in his program and later fell twice during what quickly unraveled into one of his most uneven skates in years. The mistakes opened the door for Shaidorov, who skated with poise and precision.
Shaidorov posted a career-best total of 291.58 points, securing Kazakhstan’s first gold medal of these Winter Games. The result stunned the crowd in Cortina d’Ampezzo and reshaped the men’s podium.
Japan’s Yuma Kagiyama earned silver for the second consecutive Olympics, reinforcing his status as one of the sport’s most consistent performers. Fellow Japanese skater Shun Sato claimed bronze.
For Malinin, the setback delays what many assumed was an inevitable Olympic triumph. Still young and immensely talented, he remains one of the sport’s brightest stars heading into the next cycle.
Totsuka Soars to Halfpipe Gold
In men’s snowboard halfpipe, Japan’s Yuto Totsuka validated his world No. 1 ranking by soaring to gold in Livigno.
Totsuka’s winning run featured consecutive tricks that included three inverted flips, earning a top score of 95. Five-time Olympian Scotty James of Australia pushed hard for gold, scoring 93.50 on his second run, but fell on his final attempt and settled for silver. Japan’s Ryusei Yamada claimed bronze, adding to his country’s growing medal haul in snowboarding.
Weston Dominates Skeleton
Britain’s Matt Weston capped his meteoric rise in men’s skeleton with a commanding gold medal performance.
Weston’s combined time of 3 minutes, 43.33 seconds was nearly a full second faster than Germany’s Axel Jungk. Defending Olympic champion Christopher Grotheer took bronze.
Since finishing 15th in Beijing four years ago, Weston has transformed into the sport’s dominant force, winning 15 World Cup races and reaching the podium 28 times. He became Britain’s first men’s Olympic skeleton champion and was visibly emotional after the race.
Meanwhile, Ukraine’s Vladyslav Heraskevych was disqualified before competition began due to his insistence on wearing a helmet honoring athletes and coaches killed during Russia’s invasion. An appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport was denied.
Teen Sensation in Speedskating
Nineteen-year-old Czech speedskater Metodej Jilek claimed gold in the grueling 10,000 meters, finishing in 12 minutes, 33.43 seconds despite battling cold symptoms.
Poland’s Vladimir Semirunniy took silver, more than five seconds behind, while 40-year-old Dutch veteran Jorrit Bergsma earned bronze — 12 years after his Olympic gold in Sochi.
Klæbo Ties All-Time Gold Record
Norwegian cross-country star Johannes Høsflot Klæbo added to his legendary résumé by winning the 10-kilometer interval-start race in 20 minutes, 36.2 seconds.
The victory marked his eighth career Olympic gold, tying Norwegian icons Marit Bjørgen, Bjørn Dæhlie and Ole Einar Bjørndalen for the most Winter Olympic gold medals ever.
Klæbo, who has three events remaining in Italy, paced himself early before unleashing a trademark late surge. Exhausted after crossing the finish line, he collapsed into the snow in celebration.
“It’s a special day,” Klæbo said. “I’m lost for words.”
More Podium Moments
Norway’s Strula Holm Lægreid added a second bronze medal in biathlon, finishing third in the sprint behind France’s Fillon Maillet. Lægreid, whose earlier personal revelations drew attention during the Games’ opening week, focused strictly on performance this time.
In women’s snowboardcross, Australia’s Josie Baff stormed to gold, giving her nation its second top podium finish of the Games. Baff, who finished 18th in Beijing, edged Eva Adamczykova of the Czech Republic and Italy’s Michela Moioli in a dramatic final.
A Day of Surprises
From Shaidorov’s breakthrough on Olympic ice to Klæbo’s historic milestone and Jilek’s teenage triumph, the Milan Cortina Games delivered a day defined by resilience and unexpected turns.
For Malinin, the setback may sting — but at just 21, the “Quad God” has time on his side. For Shaidorov, however, Friday belonged entirely to him.
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