Latvian figure skater Deniss Vasiļjevs finished 18th in the Olympic Games in Milan, while the favorite, American Ilja Maļinins, unexpectedly fell short.
Deniss Vasiļjevs, representing Latvia, concluded his Olympic figure skating competition in Milan with an 18th place finish. His performance came amid surprising outcomes, including the unexpected victory of Kazakhstan's Mihail Shaydorov, who claimed the gold medal after starting the free skate in fifth position. Following the short program, he had not been seen as a likely champion, but his total score of 291.58 points turned the expectations upside down.
The American figure skater Ilja Maļinins, who was the clear favorite and led after the short program, faced a dramatic downfall in the free skate. He made several errors on his jumps and experienced falls, resulting in a disappointing final score that placed him 8th overall with 264.49 points. This outcome marked a significant upset for Maļinins, as he had been anticipated to contend strongly for the gold medal.
In addition to Vasiļjevs' performance, other competitors also made their mark, with Japanese skaters Yuma Kagiyama and Shun Sato taking home the silver and bronze medals, respectively. Vasiļjevs was 17th after the short program but dropped to 18th with a free skate score of 144.02 points, totaling 226.46 points. His placement highlighted the competitiveness of the event and the unexpected twists that can occur in Olympic sports.
