Malinin Skates to Five-Point Lead in Men’s Short Program

The Milano Ice Skating Arena witnessed a night of high-octane drama on Tuesday as the world’s elite men took to the ice for the Short Program. American sensation Ilia Malinin lived up to his “favorite” status, carving out a five-point lead in a segment defined by gravity-defying quadruple jumps and artistic finesse.

Malinin, the two-time ISU World Champion, delivered an intense performance to “The Lost Crown,” scoring 108.16 points. Unlike his nervous outing in the Team Event last Saturday, Malinin looked completely settled, landing a quad flip, a triple Axel, and a massive quad Lutz-triple toe combination. He even treated the roaring Milanese crowd to his signature backflip, a move that highlighted his “autopilot” confidence.

“Going out there the first time for the Team Event, I didn’t expect the Olympic pressure to be so much,” Malinin admitted. “But today, I took a different approach—just relaxed and let it cruise.”

The Chasers: Kagiyama and Siao Him Fa

While Malinin leads, the gap remains dangerously narrow. Japan’s Yuma Kagiyama, the 2022 Olympic silver medalist, remains in striking distance with 103.07 points. Despite a stumble on his triple Axel, his program to “I Wish” was a masterclass in skating skills and deep edges. Kagiyama remained unfazed by the score, noting that “short program scores don’t mean much” as he focuses on his recovery for the long program.

Close behind in third is Frenchman Adam Siao Him Fa, who scored a personal best of 102.55 points. His program, inspired by Leonardo da Vinci’s “Vitruvian Man,” justified his decision to skip the European Championships to focus on Olympic preparation. “I’ve never been so ready for a competition,” Siao Him Fa said. “Tomorrow, I start from zero.”

Home Hero and Rising Stars

The local crowd had plenty to cheer about as Italy’s Daniel Grassl finished in a strong fourth place (93.46 points). Grassl, inspired by his recent bronze medal in the Team Event, landed a quad Lutz-triple toe and a rare quad loop.

Kazakhstan’s Mikhail Shaidorov followed in fifth (92.94 points) with an evocative performance to the “Dune” soundtrack, while South Korea’s Junhwan Cha rounded out the top six with 92.72 points. With the top three skaters all breaking the 100-point barrier, Friday’s Free Skating promises to be an all-out battle for the podium.

Ultimately, Ilia Malinin has put the world on notice—but with Kagiyama and Siao Him Fa breathing down his neck, the race for Olympic gold is far from over.

Source: article on isu-skating.com, published February 10, 2026.

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By Vitalina Andrushchenko, Staff Writer