Ilia Malinin wins 3rd world title after Olympic disappointment : NPR
NPR • • sports
Key Points:
- American figure skater Ilia Malinin won his third consecutive World Championship title in Prague, rebounding from an eighth-place finish at the Winter Olympics by delivering two clean, quad-heavy programs and winning gold by over 20 points.
- Malinin credited a "change in mindset" and skating for enjoyment rather than pressure as key to his success, and was honored as the International Skating Union's "Trailblazer on Ice" for his record-breaking seven-quad program.
- Other American skaters had mixed results: Amber Glenn finished sixth after a strong short program but struggled in the free skate, while ice dance duo Emilea Zingas and Vadym Kolesnik won bronze in their world championship debut.
- Japanese skater Kaori Sakamoto won the women's gold medal in her final competitive event, delivering a personal best and emotional performance before retiring as a four-time reigning world champion.
- The World Championships mark the end of the 2025-2026 figure skating season; skaters will now focus on rest, shows such as Stars on Ice, and preparation for the next season starting July 1, with qualifying events and the U.S. Championships scheduled for 2027.
