Malinin is on fire! With four wins in a row, he’s now in the same league as legends like Brian Boitano and Scott Hamilton. He’s eyeing the Olympic Games next month with high hopes.
During his free skate, Malinin opened with his signature quadruple flip followed by a triple Axel. While he usually performs at full throttle, he held back a bit this time, planning to save his energy for Milan. “It was easy for me not to put too much energy into this program,” he joked with the press.
But the real stars of the night might have been Naumov and Torgashev. They both made strong cases for the U.S. Olympic team. Torgashev, in particular, delivered a stunning performance to his “Oratores” medley, winning the night’s biggest applause and a standing ovation.
“This is the best night of sleep I’m going to have in St. Louis,” he said, adding, “Today was great. Everything came together.” He reflected on the Olympic spirit being about resilience and determination, qualities that bring skaters back to the rink daily.
Naumov also captivated the audience with an emotional tribute to his late parents just days ago. His free skate, “In This Shirt,” was powerful, despite some shaky jumps. He concluded the performance with impressive spins that left the crowd cheering.
“I wanted to leave it all out there,” he shared. “That’s my mentality since childhood. It got me through tonight.”
On the flip side, Jason Brown had a tough outing. He stumbled on his opening triple Axel and struggled throughout, finishing 12th in the free skate segment. “That’s a brutal one,” he admitted. “But I’m proud of my overall work. We’ll see how the selection goes.”
These performances highlight not just the competition but also the human spirit and dedication that drives athletes like Malinin, Naumov, and Torgashev. With the Olympics approaching, it’s a thrilling time for figure skating enthusiasts.
