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U.S. Olympians struggled to reach the podium during the first two days of the 2026 Winter Olympics, but finished Sunday with a gold medal.
American figure skating won the gold medal in the figure skating team event. The American team had a total score of 69 points and edged out Japan for first place by a single point. Italy finished with the bronze medal with 60 points.
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Madison Chock and Evan Bates of the United States compete in the figure skating ice dance team event at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Stéphanie Scarbrough)
The Americans were expected to finish near the top in ice dancing, pairs, women’s singles and men’s singles. Madison Chock and Evan Bates crushed the ice dance discipline, scoring 133.23 and collecting the 10 points needed to start the day on top.
Danny O’Shea and Kam Ellie did enough to pick up one more point than in qualifying. However, the two men fell behind the Japanese Ryuichi Kihara and Riku Miura, the Georgians Luka Berulava and Anastasiia Metelkina and the Italians Niccolo Macii and Sara Conti.
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American Ilia Malinin reacts to his scores after competing in the men’s figure skating team event at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Sunday, February 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Amber Glenn had eight points in the final round of women’s singles skating, but finished behind Japan’s Kaori Sakamoto and Anastasiia Gubanova.
Ilia Malinin, nicknamed the “Quad God”, needed a near-perfect routine in men’s single skating and he has succeeded so far on the biggest stage of his career. He scored 200.03 and earned the 10 points needed to propel the United States into first place. Japan’s Shun Sato put the pressure on with his performance but only managed a score of 194.86.
It was the second gold medal for the United States on Sunday. Breezy Johnson won first place earlier in the day in women’s downhill alpine skiing.
Ilia Malinin of the United States competes in the men’s figure skating team event at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Sunday, February 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Stéphanie Scarbrough)
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The Americans have just two medals total on Monday’s schedule.
