American figure skating sensation Ilia Malinin has redefined the limits of the sport, becoming the first athlete ever to land seven quadruple jumps in a single competition. The historic feat propelled him to a stunning victory at the Grand Prix Final in Nagoya, Japan, on Saturday, solidifying his position as the man to beat at the upcoming Winter Olympics.
The Quad God Delivers Unprecedented Performance
Entering the free skate in a disappointing third place after the short program, the 20-year-old known as "The Quad God" staged a breathtaking comeback. He executed his ambitious jump layout flawlessly, which included a quadruple axel and a quad loop, to post a record free skate score of 238.24 points. His overall winning total was 332.29.
"This is one of the best skates I’ve ever had," Malinin said after his performance. "I went out on the ice and I had to fight for every single element and I was so glad I was able to do that in front of the Japanese crowd." The victory marks his third consecutive Grand Prix Final title and extends his unbeaten streak to more than two years.
Confidence Boost Ahead of Olympic Debut
Malinin, the reigning two-time world champion, revealed he had initially planned to attempt six quads but decided to push the envelope further. He described the Grand Prix Final as a testing ground for his Olympic ambitions. "I decided I wanted to go all out and give myself a foundation of what (my program) could look like," he explained.
The landmark win provides a massive confidence boost as he prepares for his first Olympic Games in Milan Cortina this February. "It gives me a lot of confidence that I am able to go out there and get this done," Malinin stated. "I will take the next two months heading up to the Olympics trying to perfect everything."
Japan's Yuma Kagiyama, the Beijing Olympic silver medallist, took the silver medal with 302.41 points, while his compatriot Shun Sato claimed bronze with 292.08.
Liu Claims Women's Title in Wide-Open Field
In the women's competition, American world champion Alysa Liu secured the gold medal despite finishing third in the free skate. Her overall score of 222.49 points was enough for the top spot, highlighting the unpredictable nature of the women's field heading to the Olympics.
"It does give me confidence in my stamina and consistency," Liu said. "But a lot of things can happen between now and the Olympics." Japan's Ami Nakai, who landed a clean triple axel, won silver (220.89), and three-time world champion Kaori Sakamoto took bronze (218.80).
The results underscore that there is no clear favourite for the Olympic women's title, a situation further complicated by the International Skating Union's decision to allow Russian skaters to compete as neutrals in Milan Cortina.
Chock and Bates Dominate Ice Dance
The United States completed a successful weekend with a third gold medal in the ice dance. Olympic gold medal favourites Madison Chock and Evan Bates won their third straight Grand Prix Final title with a season's-best free dance score. The three-time reigning world champions posted a total of 220.42 points.
"There are so many positives that we can bring forward into the second half of the season," Chock said. The French pair of Laurence Fournier Beaudry and Guillaume Cizeron won silver (214.25), while Britain's Lilah Fear and Lewis Gibson earned a bronze medal with 208.81 points.
