Malinin’s Quad Mastery Secures Second World Title at 2025 Championships

Ilia Malinin © Instagram / europeonice

The men’s free skate at the 2025 World Figure Skating Championships on Saturday night was a spectacle of daring jumps, emotional highs, and historic moments, with Ilia Malinin of the United States cementing his reign as the “Quadgod.” On March 29, 2025, the 20-year-old phenom electrified the TD Garden crowd, landing six quadruple jumps—including his signature quad Axel—to defend his world title with a commanding total score of 318.56. The final day of competition in Boston showcased not only Malinin’s technical supremacy but also the resilience and artistry of a fiercely competitive field vying for glory less than a year from the 2026 Milano-Cortina Olympics.

The Quadgod Strikes Again

Entering the free skate with a 3.32-point lead over Japan’s Yuma Kagiyama after Thursday’s short program (110.41), Malinin faced sky-high expectations on home ice. Skating second-to-last to a pulsating medley from Dune, he delivered a performance that blended audacity with precision. His opening quad flip earned a massive +4.24 grade of execution, setting the tone for a program that featured six quads: a flip, Lutz, two toe loops, a Salchow, and the groundbreaking quad Axel—though the latter received a quarter-underrotation call.

“I just wanted to give it my all and really fight for every element,” Malinin told reporters afterward, still buzzing from the adrenaline. His free skate scored a season-best 208.15, dwarfing the field and securing his second consecutive world title by a 31.09-point margin. The Virginia native punctuated his victory with two backflips—one mid-program and another during the medal ceremony—igniting a standing ovation from the 13,000 fans who packed the arena.

Malinin’s win marked him as the first American man to repeat as world champion since Nathan Chen in 2018-19, reinforcing a storied U.S. tradition: every American men’s singles skater who won worlds the year before the Olympics has gone on to claim Olympic gold, from Dick Button in 1952 to Chen in 2022. With his eight-event win streak intact since December 2023, Malinin is firmly on that path.

Shaidorov’s Silver Surprise

Kazakhstan’s Mikhail Shaidorov, third after the short program (94.77), turned heads with the skate of his life, vaulting to silver with 287.47. His Moonlight Sonata program crescendoed into a Take on Me cover, featuring four pristine quads—highlighted by a rare triple Axel-Euler-quad Salchow combination, a first at worlds. The 20-year-old’s technical brilliance earned him 204.94 in the free skate, the second-highest of the night, and a tearful celebration as he tripped over the ice in sheer delight.

“This is a dream,” Shaidorov said, clutching a small panda toy—a nod to his playful side, though he skipped his usual panda costume. His podium finish was Kazakhstan’s first men’s medal at worlds, signaling his arrival as a contender for 2026.

Kagiyama’s Bronze Amid a Battle

Yuma Kagiyama, Japan’s silver medalist from 2024 worlds, entered as Malinin’s closest rival but faltered in a free skate that unraveled his podium hopes early. Skating last to a dramatic composition, the 21-year-old doubled a planned quad flip, stepped out of a quad Salchow, and fell on a quad toe, finishing with a lackluster 171.10—10th in the segment. His short program strength (107.09) salvaged bronze with 278.19, edging France’s Adam Siao Him Fa (275.48) by less than three points.

Kagiyama’s dejected expression in the kiss-and-cry told the story of a missed opportunity. “I had no confidence going into some jumps,” he admitted. Despite the stumble, his artistry and resilience kept him on the podium, though he’ll need a sharper free skate to challenge Malinin moving forward.

American Depth and Veteran Grace

The U.S. flexed its depth with two more skaters in the top 10. Jason Brown, 30, and competing in his seventh worlds, leaned on his unparalleled artistry to climb from 12th after the short program (84.72) to eighth overall (265.40). His Moonlight free skate earned the night’s highest program component score (92.31), a testament to his enduring elegance despite landing just one quad. “Boston’s always been special to me,” Brown said, referencing his boot struggles earlier this season.

Andrew Torgashev, 23, slipped from eighth (87.27) to 22nd (212.79) after a free skate marred by three falls, but his presence underscored America’s robust talent pool ahead of Olympic quotas being set.

A Field of Contenders

France’s Kevin Aymoz (272.52) and Siao Him Fa (275.48) finished fifth and fourth, respectively, with Aymoz’s emotional Boléro earning roars and Siao Him Fa’s quad-heavy program nearly snagging bronze. Japan’s Shun Sato (270.56), South Korea’s Cha Jun-Hwan (265.74), and Georgia’s Nika Egadze (263.03) rounded out a top 10 that showcased global diversity and skill, even without Russian skaters, banned since 2022.

Stakes Beyond the Podium

Saturday’s results determined Olympic quota spots for 2026, with the U.S. securing three men’s entries thanks to Malinin and Brown’s combined placement sum. The electric atmosphere at TD Garden—hosting its second worlds after 2016—also honored the Skating Club of Boston’s lost members from a January plane crash, adding poignancy to the night.

As Malinin backflipped into history, the men’s free skate closed a chapter on the 2024-25 season with a bang. “I feel like I really fought here,” he said, eyes already on the Olympic horizon. For the “Quadgod” and his rivals, Boston was both a triumph and a launchpad—proof that in figure skating, the sky’s not the limit when you’ve got four revolutions to soar.

By Vitalina Andrushchenko, Staff Writer