Japanese figure skater Yuma Kagiyama finished second in the men's short program at the 2026 Milano Cortina Olympics with 103.07 points. American Ilia Malinin led with 108.16 points, but Kagiyama remains focused on targeting gold. Kagiyama, a silver medalist at Beijing 2022 and three-time world silver medalist, has trailed Malinin in recent competitions.
On February 11, 2026, at the Milano Cortina Olympics, Japanese figure skater Yuma Kagiyama scored 103.07 points to place second in the men's short program. American Ilia Malinin took the lead with 108.16 points.
Kagiyama earned silver at the Beijing 2022 Olympics and has won three world silver medals. He has finished runner-up to Malinin at the last two Grand Prix Finals. Earlier in the week, during the team event short program, Kagiyama beat Malinin with 108.67 points, but in the individual event, he made a mistake on the triple axel while earning praise for his steps and spins.
After his performance, Kagiyama smiled and said, “It was fun. I think it will carry over to my free skating.” On targeting gold, he added, “In sport you don't aim for second or third because anything can happen once competition begins.”
Malinin, known as the “Quad God,” skipped the quad axel but landed a backflip, drawing cheers from the crowd and showcasing his confidence.
Kagiyama, who has consistently trailed Malinin in recent years, aims to challenge him in the free skating.
