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Ilia won Mali’s first world title by achieving the best collection of jumps in one program in the history of figure skating.
The 19-year-old American performed a quadruple Axel, a quadruple Lutz, a quadruple twist, a quadruple Salchow, another quadruple Lutz (along with a triple flip), a quadruple loop (combined with a triple toe), plus a bar crawl. triple Lutz-triple Axel combo to end his unprecedented four-minute free skate.
He became the second man after 2022 Olympic champion Nathan Chen to land six quads in one skate, but Chen did not land all six cleanly and never attempted the most difficult quad, the quad Axel.
“When I got into the starting position, I knew it could be the best skate of my life, or it could be very bad,” said Malinin, who had planned six quads in her free skate in previous competitions without clearing all of them. .
Figure Skating Worlds: Results
He broke Chen’s world record (227.79 points) and scored 333.76 points between the two programs, ahead of Olympic silver medalist Yuma Kagiyama of Japan by 24.11.
“The last few weeks have been such a mental and physical challenge for me,” Malinin said, echoing a statement he made after Thursday’s short program in which he finished third. “I was even debating whether to come to the World Cup or not.”
Malin received positive execution marks on every jumper. He is the only skater to land a clean, full-spin quadruple Axel, doing so seven times in a full competition over the past two seasons.
“I didn’t even realize what was going on (while skating),” he said. “I was just going through the program.”
He has risen rapidly to the top of the sport: from ninth in his senior world debut in 2022 to third last year and now gold.
In the most important skate of Mali’s life, he skated for ages – he was the last in the world championships.
Before that, Kagiyama skated a nearly flawless free skate with three quads until he fell after landing a huge triple Axel.
“I will fight against (Malin) for years,” said the 20-year-old Kagiyama, according to an interpreter. “The next time I see him, if we’re both at 100%, I don’t think I can win against him. … I’m going to work on my skating skills and get GOEs (grades of performance) in all my elements to get there.”
Frenchman Xiao Him Fa jumped from 19th place after the short program and won the bronze medal.
She had the third-best overall score in the world this season and had four quads in her free skate, plus an illegal backslide that cost her a two-point deduction (but didn’t affect her final standings). He too performed a back flip He won the European Championship held in January.
Two-time champion Shoma Uno of Japan dropped from first overall to fourth place after the short program.
In the free skate, she landed in the opening quad and put her hand on the ice to save her other two jump landings. Uno had the lowest result in the last nine Olympics or World Championships.
He was followed by two-time American Olympian Jason Brown, who was once again first without a quadruple jump.
The 29-year-old elder statesman had the highest artistic score (trademark) and there was one common jump error between the two programs – a late jump Axel in the free skate.
With Isabeau Leviton’s silver on Friday, the United States had the same top two men’s and women’s world championships for the first time since 2003 (Michelle Kwan, Timothy Goebel).
It was the first time a U.S. junior female and a U.S. junior male had made the same world podium since 1991 (Christy Yamaguchi, Todd Eldredge) and the first time since 1968 that a U.S. junior male and female junior both placed in the top two (Peggy Fleming, Tim). wood).
With Madison Chock and Evan Bates’ golds earlier Saturday, the U.S. won two world singles titles for the first time since 1996 (Kwan, Todd Eldredge).
The next figure skating season is expected to begin in earnest with the start of the Grand Prix Series in October.
He scoffed at Mali’s idea of jumping into the top five in the race. He could attempt to land all six different types of quads in one free skate.
What’s next for the aptly nicknamed “Quadg0d”?
“I think we have to learn that; I’ll leave it to the surprise,” he told the crowd at the Bell Centre. “But you have to look forward to next season.”
Madison Chock and Evan Bates repeated as world champions and went undefeated this season.
