Team USA Successfully Defends Olympic Figure Skating Team Event Gold at Milan Cortina 2026
Team USA defended its Olympic figure skating team event gold medal on Sunday, led by Ilia “Quad God” Malinin, who propelled the team to victory at the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics. Malinin, a 21-year-old two-time World champion, attempted a total of five quad jumps, delivering a stellar performance that ultimately decided the podium placement.
Heading into the men’s free skate, the final event of the team competition, the U.S. and Japan were tied at 59 points. Malinin earned an impressive score of 200.03, topping Japan’s Shun Sato who scored 194.86. Sato had substituted for Yuma Kagiyama, who had outperformed Malinin in the short program on Saturday. The host country, Italy, secured the bronze medal.
The Olympic figure skating team event on Sunday comprised four segments: free ice dance, free pair skating, women’s single free skate, and men’s single free skate.
Amber Glenn Debuts on Olympic Ice
North Texas native Amber Glenn took to the ice in the women’s free skate event, which occurred before the men’s program on Sunday. At 26 years old, the first-time Olympian became the oldest U.S. women’s singles skater to compete at the Olympics in 98 years, according to U.S. Figure Skating. Additionally, Glenn made history as the first out LGBTQ woman to skate at the Olympic Games.
Despite shakily landing her hallmark triple axel, Glenn expressed mixed emotions in a post-performance interview with NBC. “I felt disappointed, but I am very proud of the fight. I just felt really not my best today, and I’m just really disappointed in that,” she said. Her performance earned the U.S. team eight points.
Pair Skaters Ellie Kam and Danny O’Shea Finish Fourth
The U.S. pair skating duo Ellie Kam and Danny O’Shea placed fourth on Sunday, finishing behind teams from Japan, Georgia, and Italy. Their strong performance contributed seven points to Team USA’s overall score.
Madison Chock and Evan Bates Dominate Ice Dance
Following their rhythm dance triumph on Saturday, Madison Chock and Evan Bates delivered a commanding free dance victory on Sunday. The duo, skating together in their fourth consecutive Winter Olympic Games, once again showcased their prowess on the ice dance programs.
“We definitely skated great, and we’re very happy, as you saw when we finished. I think we both felt the excitement of just getting these Olympics underway,” said Bates. Both Chock and Bates are holdovers from the Beijing Games gold medal team, and as three-time world champions, they remain favorites to capture individual Olympic gold later in the Winter Games.
With these outstanding performances across all events, Team USA successfully defended their Olympic figure skating team event title, thrilling fans and setting a high bar for the remainder of the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics.
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