Malinin dominates again as Chock and Bates claim record seventh crown

Ilia Malinin closed the final night of the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in St. Louis with an emphatic performance that underscored his status as America’s central Olympic medal hope. Malinin posted a total of 324.88, powered by a 209.78 free skate that left him 57.26 points clear of Andrew Torgashev and 75.72 points ahead of Maxim Naumov.

Malinin tailored his program for control rather than maximum technical bravado in what he described as his final competition before the Milano-Cortina Olympics. He opened the long program with a quad flip, followed early by a triple Axel and a strategically chosen triple Lutz where a quad has featured in other seasons. He later added a quad Lutz and a quad Salchow–triple Axel combination, and incorporated voice-over elements of his own voice into the presentation to strong crowd response and sustained standing ovations.

"I decided not to go for any risks. I wanted to play it safe, because hopefully in a few weeks I have to go again," Malinin said, noting he has also been breaking in new skates this season. The approach preserved his unbeaten run that now extends more than two years, a streak that includes victories at Grand Prix de France, Skate America and the Grand Prix Final, and cements his reputation as the sport’s premier technical force after becoming the first skater to land a quad Axel in competition.

Behind Malinin, the men’s podium highlighted a widening domestic chase pack. Torgashev moved up from fifth after the short program to claim silver with 267.62, while Naumov held a slim advantage for bronze, edging Jacob Sanchez by less than a tenth of a point. The contrast between Malinin’s managed risk and the deeper scramble for the other podium places framed a narrative about U.S. depth and the strategic choices skaters will have to make in Milan.

On the ice dance side, Madison Chock and Evan Bates extended a rare longevity in elite sport by winning a record seventh U.S. championship. Their flamenco-tinged free dance, set to a rendition of "Paint It Black" as heard in the TV series Westworld, earned a segment score of 137.17 and a total of 228.87, finishing 15.22 points ahead of Emilea Zingas and Vadym Kolesnik.

"The feeling that we got from the audience today was unlike anything I’ve ever felt before. It felt so special, I felt so much love and joy and I’m so grateful for this moment to share with everyone here and to share with Evan. It’s been the most incredible, incredible career. Couldn’t have asked for anything more," Chock said, visibly emotional after the win. Their seventh national title is both a personal milestone and a signal to selectors that experience and consistent delivery remain valuable Olympic currency.

U.S. Figure Skating plans to announce its full Olympic roster the day after the championships at 2 p.m. Eastern, and the results in St. Louis will tightly shape those decisions. Beyond selection, the outcomes carry business and cultural weight: Malinin’s continued dominance enhances his marketability and broadcast draw at the Winter Games, while Chock and Bates’ longevity speaks to a narrative of athlete career sustainability that resonates with older fans and sponsors. For a sport that trades on moments of technical breakthrough and emotional storytelling, this night delivered both entrancing performance and clear headlines for Milan-Cortina.