MILAN, Feb. 8 (Xinhua) –The United States efficiently defended its title within the determine skating crew occasion on the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics on Sunday, with Japan ending an in depth second and host Italy taking bronze.
The United States and Japan entered the boys’s free skate – the ultimate phase of the competitors – tied atop the general standings.
American star Ilia Malinin didn’t land his signature quad Axel however electrified the gang with a backflip in his routine. Despite minor errors, the 21-year-old scored 200.03 factors to win the free skate and earn the utmost 10 factors, sealing victory for Team USA.
Skating final underneath intense strain, Japan’s Shun Sato delivered a clear efficiency and posted a season-best 194.86 factors, inserting second.
Italy’s Matteo Rizzo, competing in his third Olympic Games, scored 179.62 factors to complete third, serving to the host nation safe a podium place.
In the pairs free skate earlier within the night, Japan’s Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara scored a season-best 155.55 factors, popping out the distant frontrunners and incomes 10 factors for his or her crew.
“We were aiming for about 145 points or a little bit higher, when we saw that it was 155.55, it was just so much joy. I was overwhelmed with emotion,” Miura mentioned.
Georgia’s Anastasiia Metelkina and Luka Berulava positioned second with 139.70 factors, whereas Italy’s Sara Conti and Niccolo Macii completed third with 136.61 factors.
In the ladies’s free skate, Beijing 2022 bronze medalist Kaori Sakamoto topped the standings with 148.62 factors, incomes one other 10 factors for Japan.
“In my eyes, everybody has delivered a gold-medal performance, so it really doesn’t matter what color medal we get,” Sakamoto mentioned.
Georgia’s Anastasiia Gubanova completed second with 140.17 factors. Six-time ISU Grand Prix medalist Amber Glenn positioned third with 138.62 factors, incomes eight factors for the United States.
“For all of us first-time Olympians, you saw our nerves, and just getting it out. So I’m really grateful that I was able to have this opportunity [before] the individual [event],” Glenn mentioned.