Team USA delivered a powerhouse performance across Olympic and Paralympic sports this weekend, highlighted by dominant wins at the Grand Prix Final the premier figure skating event before the 2026 Winter Olympics.
Malinin Makes History With Seven Quads
Reigning world champion Ilia Malinin once again lived up to his “Quad God” reputation. He became the first skater ever to land seven clean quadruple jumps in a single program. Despite sitting third after the short program, Malinin broke his own free skate world record and won by a commanding 29.88 points over Japan’s Yuma Kagiyama.
His victory extends his two-year winning streak to 13 straight events, tying the longest run of 2022 Olympic champion Nathan Chen.
Alysa Liu Takes Gold in a Tight Women’s Final
On the women’s side, Alysa Liu edged out Japan’s Ami Nakai by just 1.6 points to capture the Grand Prix Final title. After returning from retirement last year and stunning the world with a global title, Liu entered this Final seeded fifth but delivered one of the weekend’s cleanest performances.
She aims to add a triple Axel before U.S. Nationals a key weapon used by rivals like Amber Glenn, who climbed from sixth to fourth.
Chock & Bates Claim Third Straight Ice Dance Title
In ice dance, Madison Chock and Evan Bates secured their third consecutive Grand Prix Final championship. They topped France’s Laurence Fournier Beaudry and Guillaume Cizeron by 6.17 points, setting the stage for a highly anticipated Olympic showdown between the two training partners.
Shiffrin Finds GS Form Ahead of Busy Weeks
Two-time Olympic champion Mikaela Shiffrin produced her best back-to-back giant slalom results since a 2024 crash, finishing sixth and tied for fourth in Tremblant. She is expected to race only the super-G this Sunday in St. Moritz her first in nearly two years while Lindsey Vonn plans to make her season debut in all three speed events.
Meanwhile, Switzerland’s Marco Odermatt continues his dominant Olympic push with wins in both the downhill and GS at Beaver Creek. American Ryan Cochran-Siegle earned a strong second-place finish in the downhill.
Jessie Diggins Punches Ticket to Fourth Olympics
Cross-country legend Jessie Diggins continued her stellar start to her final season, taking first and third in World Cup races to officially qualify for her fourth Olympic Games. Her victory came in a 20km skiathlon, marking the first skiathlon win of her career and positioning her as a contender for the first U.S. medal in Milan.
Jordan Stolz Breaks Three Track Records in Thialf
Speed skating sensation Jordan Stolz put on a show in the Netherlands, breaking the 500m, 1000m, and 1500m track records — all previously held by Dutch athletes. He has now won 9 of 11 races this season and could become the first American since Eric Heiden to win three gold medals at a single Winter Olympics.
Erin Jackson, recovering from a hamstring injury, missed the races but hopes to return this week. Dutch skater Femke Kok extended her undefeated streak in the 500m.
U.S. Secures Ski Mountaineering Olympic Spot
In Utah, Anna Gibson and Cam Smith won a mixed relay World Cup event, ensuring the U.S. will field a team in the sport’s Olympic debut. Gibson, a former junior national cross-country champion and 2024 Olympic Trials runner, only took up ski mountaineering six months ago. Smith, a decade-long international competitor, has dreamed of the Olympics since childhood.
Strong U.S. Results in Moguls
In moguls, Tess Johnson boosted her Olympic hopes with a win and a fourth-place finish in the season’s first two World Cups. Olivia Giaccio added podium finishes both days, while Jaelin Kauf rebounded from a crash to finish third. With four Olympic spots available, all top U.S. contenders look strong along with reigning Olympic champions Jakara Anthony (AUS) and Perrine Laffont (FRA).