American figure skater Alysa Liu achieved an incredible comeback story by capturing Olympic gold in the women’s competition, while her teammate Ilia Malinin experienced a devastating fall from grace during a competition filled with unexpected twists in Milan.
Liu had walked away from competitive skating at age 16 following the 2022 Beijing Olympics, citing exhaustion and burnout. Two years later, the California skater returned to the ice with renewed strength and artistic vision.
The American athlete clinched her victory with a spectacular final performance that included seven flawless triple jumps. As the packed arena erupted in applause, Liu gestured toward the heavens in celebration.
Japan’s Kaori Sakamoto settled for silver in what will be her final Olympic appearance, though Japanese skating showed promise for the future. Seventeen-year-old Ami Nakai earned bronze while 20-year-old Mone Chiba placed fourth, both making impressive Olympic debuts.
The men’s competition told a dramatically different story as Malinin’s performance crumbled before a celebrity-filled audience.
The two-time world champion entered the final skate with a commanding lead, expected by many to claim Olympic gold. His revolutionary jumping ability has redefined the sport, but those skills abandoned him when it mattered most.
Malinin’s signature quadruple Axel – a jump no other competitor has successfully completed in competition – reduced to a simple single rotation. Two additional falls sent him tumbling to eighth place overall.
“I blew it,” Malinin stated directly after his performance.
Kazakhstan’s Mikhail Shaidorov seized the opportunity to claim the men’s title, appearing shocked as the final results confirmed his unexpected victory.
The 21-year-old American acknowledged that mental exhaustion contributed to his struggles. He revealed receiving support from gymnastics superstar Simone Biles, who attended the men’s final.
Biles overcame her own mental challenges following the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, eventually returning to dominate at the 2024 Paris Games. Malinin hopes to follow a similar path of redemption at the next Winter Olympics in France.
Despite his disappointment, Malinin has shown grace in defeat, supporting his teammates from the audience and delivering a powerful exhibition performance that addressed the pressures of modern athletic fame and social media scrutiny.
The ice dancing competition produced another surprise result, as France’s newly-formed team of Laurence Fournier Beaudry and Guillaume Cizeron upset American veterans Madison Chock and Evan Bates, who had won three world championships.
In pairs skating, Japan’s Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara delivered their career-best performance to win their nation’s first Olympic pairs gold medal with a commanding Gladiator-themed routine.
The 10-day competition began with Liu and Malinin helping Team USA narrowly defeat Japan for their second consecutive Olympic team championship.
The games concluded with Malinin’s exhibition skate, where his signature backflip earned a standing ovation that seemed to acknowledge both his exceptional talent and the immense pressure he had endured.
“I feel like this gala has been so helpful to overcome the stress of everything that happened to me over the last week,” Malinin wrote afterward. “Glad I am able to express myself in such a poetic way.”
