Ilia Malinin wins second world title, solidifies Olympic hopes

Ilia Malinin successfully defended his title at the 2025 World Figure Skating Championships in Boston, dominating the men's free skate with a score of 318.56 points, which was over 31 points ahead of his nearest competitor. The 20-year-old, known as the 'Quad God', attempted a challenging program that included six quadruple jumps, although he fell short on a planned quad Lutz. His victory contributed to a historic performance for Team USA, which saw three gold medals across the championships, with Madison Chock and Evan Bates winning in ice dance and Alysa Liu claiming the women's title. Malinin's impressive feats have solidified his status as a top contender ahead of the upcoming 2026 Winter Olympics. This championship marks the first time in history that American skaters have secured three titles in a single edition of the championships. His confident performance has led commentators to describe him as 'inevitable' in his dominance of the sport.