The men’s singles qualifying round in figure skating concluded at the Milano Cortina 2026, with the top 24 skaters advancing to the next stage after a highly competitive session. The qualifiers delivered strong technical content and tight scoring margins, headlined by the United States’ Ilia Malinin, who finished first with 108.16 points.
The session determined which athletes would progress to the main segment of the Olympic men’s singles competition, with consistency and execution proving decisive.
Malinin Sets the Benchmark
Ilia Malinin produced a technically demanding program to top the standings with 108.16 points, combining high-value jumps with clean landings and strong skating skills. His score placed him comfortably ahead of the field and reinforced his status as a leading contender heading into the final rounds.
Japan’s Yuma Kagiyama secured second place with 103.07 points, delivering a composed and well-balanced routine. France’s Adam Siao Him Fa followed closely in third with 102.55 points, maintaining strong momentum through the latter half of his program.
Strong Performances Across the Top Ten
Italy’s Daniel Grassl finished fourth on 93.46, while Kazakhstan’s Mikhail Shaidorov placed fifth with 92.94. South Korea’s Jun-hwan Cha secured sixth on 92.72, narrowly ahead of France’s Kevin Aymoz, who scored 92.64 for seventh.
The United States placed a second skater inside the top eight through Andrew Torgashev in eighth with 88.94, while Japan’s Shun Sato finished ninth.
Canada’s Stephen Gogolev completed the top ten with 87.41 points.
Qualification Cut and Advancing Skaters
The final qualifying spot went to Yu-Hsiang Li of Chinese Taipei, who placed 24th with 72.41 points. All skaters from first through 24th advanced to the next phase.
Notably, Spain’s Tomas-Llorenc Guarino Sabate (69.80), South Korea’s Hyungyeom Kim (69.30), and Sweden’s Andreas Nordebäck (67.15) fell short of qualification. Latvia’s Deniss Vasiļjevs qualified in 17th, while Estonia’s Aleksandr Selevko and Switzerland’s Lukas Britschgi also progressed.
Poland’s Vladimir Samoilov, Japan’s Kao Miura, and Mexico’s Donovan Carrillo secured their advancement within the qualification threshold.
Technical Demands and Competitive Landscape
The qualifier required athletes to balance high-risk technical elements—particularly quadruple jumps—with consistency and program components. Small errors in jump landings or under-rotations had noticeable impact on scoring, particularly in a field separated by narrow margins in the mid-table.
Malinin’s lead of more than five points over second place provided a psychological advantage heading into the next stage, though the depth of talent across the top ten indicated a tightly contested battle ahead.
Conclusion
The men’s singles qualifiers at the Winter Olympics 2026 set the stage for a compelling final phase, with Ilia Malinin leading the field after a strong technical performance. With 24 skaters advancing and several medal contenders positioned closely behind, the competition moved forward with intensity and high expectations at Milano Cortina.