In St. Louis, Ilia Malinin demonstrated exceptional skill and composure during the short program segment of the U.S. Figure Skating Championships on Thursday evening. The 21-year-old, who is preparing for the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics, recorded an impressive 115.10 points, edging far ahead of his rivals and solidifying his aim for a fourth consecutive national title.
Malinin's routine, choreographed to the soundtrack from the action-adventure video game "Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown," not only captivated the crowd but also broke the season's previous world-best score of 108.87 he had achieved earlier at the Lombardia Trophy. His new score also bested his prior short program victory at nationals by nearly five points.
Reflecting on his performance, Malinin expressed satisfaction, stating, "I felt really good, and everything seemed to flow really well."
The skater, who has earned the nickname "Quad God" for his mastery of quadruple jumps, began his program with a quad flip, seamlessly transitioned into a triple axel—a jump that is challenging for many—and concluded his jump sequence with a quad lutz-triple toe loop combination. He further thrilled the audience by showcasing a popular backflip and his trademark "raspberry twist," moves that elicited standing ovations from spectators.
Following his performance, fans enthusiastically threw numerous stuffed animals resembling Toothless, the dragon from the "How to Train Your Dragon" movie series, onto the ice. Malinin appears in an advertisement for Dreamworks' live-action remake of the 2010 animated feature, which is also promoted alongside NBC's Winter Olympics broadcast. He is widely regarded as the leading contender for the Olympic gold medal in men's figure skating.
"I did not expect that. That was not my plan at all. I was just as surprised as you," Malinin said about the spontaneous tribute. "That made me feel so warm. And Toothless is kind of like my spirit animal, so that was incredible."
Since clinching the World Championship in 2023, Malinin has consistently dominated competitions, securing victories at every event he has entered except for one Grand Prix where he placed second. Throughout this winning streak, the main challenge has been his own relentless quest for perfection.
Having been overlooked for the 2022 Beijing Olympic team due to youth and inexperience, Malinin is expected to be a guaranteed member of this year's Olympic roster, which will be announced on Sunday. The selection process revolves around which two other skaters will accompany him.
Tomoki Hiwatashi, a 25-year-old who improved from sixth place in last year’s nationals, has shown steady advancement this season. After finishing fourth at the Cup of China, he currently stands in second place following Thursday’s short program with 89.26 points, positioning him well for the free skate on Saturday night.
Jason Brown, in pursuit of a third Olympic appearance, lacks the high-difficulty jumps typical of younger competitors like Malinin, but compensates with outstanding skating grace and artistry. His refined version of the "Riverdance" routine earned him 88.49 points and places him in contention for a ninth podium finish at the national level.
"Performance matters in this sport," Brown emphasized. "It’s been really cool to see everyone improve that performance aspect."
Other contenders include Maxim Naumov, who ranks fourth with 85.72 points, and Andrew Torgashev, in fifth with 84.99 points. Both are aiming for spots on the Olympic team as well. Naumov, who experienced a tragic loss last year when his parents died in a plane crash over the Potomac River, spoke of the significance of the Olympics as the ultimate goal for all competitors.
Earlier in the evening, ice dance champions Madison Chock and Evan Bates delivered a vibrant rhythm dance inspired by Lenny Kravitz’s music. Their performance, aimed at capturing a record-breaking seventh national ice dance championship, earned a season-high 91.70 points. This trio of world champions is the leading favorite for Olympic gold.
Rising ice dance duo Emilea Zingas and Vadym Kolesnik placed second with a personal best score of 85.98, performing to music from 1990s Boston-based hip-hop and R&B group Bell Biv DeVoe. Their energetic routine demonstrated their potential as the next significant force in American ice dance.
"Nationals, especially in an Olympic year, is a really special event," Zingas noted. "We felt the crowd behind us for sure. I could hear my sister screaming throughout our program. Yeah, it was fire, I thought. We felt really good. I’m really proud of us."