The United States narrowly edged out Japan in the team event at the Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina, with Ilia Malinin's impressive performance securing him a gold medal in his debut.
At the Milano Cortina Olympics, the first set of medals was awarded in figure skating, where the United States achieved a narrow victory over Japan in the team competition. The competition featured ten countries, with teams competing in men’s and women’s short programs, pairs short programs, and ice dance rhythm. Points were awarded based on placement, with the best performance receiving ten points and subsequent positions receiving fewer points.
Japan initially had a strong showing, with Riku Mura and Ryuichi Kihara winning in the pairs event and Kaori Sakamoto excelled in the women’s free skate. Both victories contributed to Japan amassing an equal point tally with the United States, standing at 59 points before the men's free skate concluded the events. The competition thus boiled down to a highly anticipated finale between the two nations.
Ultimately, it was Ilia Malinin's debut performance that secured the gold medal for the USA. Despite a minor setback with one of his jumps, Malinin completed four quads and scored an impressive 200.03 points in the free skate, outperforming Japan’s Shun Sato, who finished second. This victory not only highlights Malinin's potential but also marks a significant moment in Olympic figure skating history, underlining the competitive spirit of the event.
