Prior to the men's figure skating event at Milan-Cortina 2026, Ilia Malinin had already secured a team event gold medal with the USA.

Ilia Malinin, heavily favored to win the men's figure skating gold at Milan-Cortina 2026, experienced a disastrous performance, falling twice and ultimately missing out on a medal.

The men's free skate was marked by struggles from top contenders, with five of the final six athletes falling during their routines.

Mikhail Shaidorov of Kazakhstan capitalized on the mistakes of others, delivering a flawless performance to claim gold – Kazakhstan's first Winter Olympic medal in 32 years.

Yuma Kagiyama of Japan, considered Malinin's closest competitor for gold, fell on a quad flip and settled for silver, while his compatriot Shun Sato took bronze.

The USA's Ilia Malinin finished eighth after a disappointing free skate, visibly struggling under the pressure.

At 21 years old, Malinin was competing in his first Olympics, having earned the nickname 'Quad God' for being the only skater to successfully land the quadruple axel.

The quadruple axel requires a skater to jump, spin four and a half times in the air, and land cleanly on one foot.

However, Malinin did not attempt the quadruple axel during the Games, despite having it listed in his planned elements, and instead only performed a single axel, which drew disappointment from the crowd.

Malinin's attempted quad lutz ended in a fall, a moment that stunned the Olympics audience.

The unexpected fall was followed by another mistake just two elements later, leaving the crowd in shock.

As Malinin left the ice, he appeared on the verge of tears, his head in his hands, a stark contrast to his reputation as the 'Quad God'.

A day-by-day guide to the Winter Olympics is available for those looking to stay up-to-date with the events.

The full schedule, including medal event times, can be found for planning purposes.

The Winter Olympics 2026 medal table is continually updated to reflect the latest standings.

Following the short program, Mikhail Shaidorov trailed Ilia Malinin by 16 points.

Malinin had faced criticism earlier in the Games, particularly for his performance in the team event, where he was outscored by Yuma Kagiyama in the short program and made errors in the free skate.

In an effort to help Malinin cope with the pressure, his team took him out of the Olympic environment to train 35 miles away in Bergamo before the men's event.

Malinin's strong performance in the individual short program, finishing five points ahead of the field, suggested that the strategy had paid off.

His lead going into the free skate was significant, as Malinin typically dominates this phase of competition, having won the Grand Prix Final by 30 points after the free skate.

Malinin's usual advantage stems from his fearlessness and ability, which earns him high technical scores and extra credit from judges for his ambition.

However, his free skate routine was uncharacteristically cautious, with the quadruple axel replaced by a single axel and a quad loop reduced to a double loop.

Malinin's quad salchow attempt resulted in a double salchow, followed by a fall, a harsh reality check.

His free skate score of 156.33 points was only the 15th best of the night, more than 40 points behind Shaidorov's winning score.

Malinin's decision to perform a backflip for the crowd's entertainment seemed like a nostalgic gesture to his earlier performances.

Earlier in the team event, Malinin had made history by landing the first legal backflip at an Olympic Games since Terry Kubicka in 1976.

The backflip, once banned for safety reasons, is now legal again thanks in part to skaters like Surya Bonaly, who successfully performed the move illegally at Nagano 1998.

Malinin had also successfully landed the backflip on one foot in the short program, a testament to his skill.

Despite his disappointment, Malinin was quick to congratulate Shaidorov on his victory after the scores were announced.

Shaidorov's gold medal marks Kazakhstan's first Winter Olympic gold since Vladimir Smirnov's win in the men's 50km cross-country skiing at Lillehammer 1994, 10 years before Shaidorov was born.

After a slight mistake on the quad lutz, Shaidorov composed himself and delivered two clean quad techniques, showcasing his skill under pressure.

With his victory, Mikhail Shaidorov has emerged as a new figure in men's figure skating.

For the first time in nearly three decades, Wrexham has secured a spot in the fifth round of the FA Cup, achieving this milestone with a win over Ipswich Town, a fellow Championship team, at Stok Cae Ras, marking a 29-year hiatus.

A detailed account of the match can be found in the report: Wrexham 1, Ipswich 0.

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According to Heathrow Airport's boss, the perceived crowding at Terminal 5 can be attributed to pedestrians walking in areas that contribute to congestion, rather than an actual excess of people.

At an industry event, Thomas Woldbye noted that the tendency of British passengers to keep to the left and European passengers to keep to the right can create the illusion of overcrowding in the terminal.

Woldbye shared his personal observation that this phenomenon occurs in both directions, resulting in collisions between people and contributing to the perception of overcrowding.

As the UK's busiest airport, Heathrow's proposal to construct a third runway has been met with resistance from climate campaigners and local residents, despite receiving government backing.

During the Aviation Club UK event, Woldbye expressed uncertainty about the project's future, stating that he was "not sure of anything" despite government support for the expansion.

Woldbye outlined the airport's plans, stating that they have a clear understanding of the project's scope and design.

However, he emphasized the need for modernized airspace and a long-term regulatory framework to establish a viable business case.

Woldbye highlighted the lack of clear regulations as a significant obstacle, making it challenging to move forward with the project.

He stressed that several key tasks must be completed this year to facilitate the commencement of construction.

With 84 million passengers passing through Heathrow annually, the airport believes that a third runway could increase this number to 150 million.

The government has argued that the expansion is necessary for economic growth, although some economists have disputed this claim.

Others have voiced opposition to the expansion due to environmental concerns and the potential disruption to local residents.

Woldbye suggested that the airport could implement "soft skills" to manage increased passenger traffic, such as improving pedestrian flow by separating travelers moving in different directions.

He proposed that by adjusting the flow of pedestrians, the airport could reduce congestion and improve the overall travel experience.

Woldbye acknowledged that this solution might be oversimplified but emphasized the importance of creative problem-solving in addressing the airport's challenges.

The airport measures both crowding and passengers' perceptions of crowding, with Terminal 3 receiving the highest score and Terminal 5 ranking among the lowest, despite having more space.

Woldbye attributed Terminal 3's success to the removal of seating, telephone boxes, and other obstacles, which has resulted in a less crowded atmosphere.

He observed that by reducing clutter and improving visibility, passengers feel more at ease and can navigate the terminal more efficiently.