Team USA won the gold medal in the figure skating team event at the 2026 Winter Olympics after Ilia Malinin delivered a pressure-packed free skate that broke a tie with Japan and secured the title.
The 21-year-old landed his signature quad axel and even nailed a one-legged backflip, scoring 200.03 and earning the maximum 10 points. The Americans finished with 69 points, edging Japan’s 68, while Italy took bronze with 60.
The victory capped one of the closest team competitions since the event debuted in 2014.
But the Winter Games didn’t go as planned for the three-time Olympic medalist Lindsey Vonn. She crashed yesterday during the downhill event in Cortina, just 14 seconds into her first run, and broke her left leg.
Considered one of the world’s most successful skiers, the 41-year-old had returned to the sport in late 2024 after six years of retirement.
Even as the oldest skier in team history, Vonn entered the downhill as a gold-medal favorite, backed by two World Cup victories and three podium finishes this season.
She was racing on a rebuilt right knee and an injured left knee. The crash occurred when she clipped a gate seconds after the start, lost control, and tumbled violently down the slope.
Gold went to American skier Breezy Johnson.