Yuma Kagiyama Wins Back-to-Back Silver, Shun Sato Takes Bronze — Shaidorov’s Gold Stuns Men’s Singles【Milano Cortina 2026】

Yuma Kagiyama Wins Back-to-Back Silver, Shun Sato Takes Bronze — Shaidorov’s Gold Stuns Men’s Singles【Milano Cortina 2026】

The men’s singles free skating (FS) in figure skating at the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics was held on the 13th (local time) at the Ice Skating Arena in Milan. Kazakhstan’s Mikhail Shaidorov won gold with a total of 291.58 points, Japan’s Yuma Kagiyama took silver with 280.06, and Shun Sato earned bronze with 274.90. Pre-tournament favorite Ilia Malinin of the United States shockingly fell to 8th, turning the event into a major upset.

For Japan’s men, it was a double-podium night: Kagiyama secured his second consecutive Olympic silver following Beijing 2022, and Sato captured bronze in his first Olympic appearance in an individual event. In men’s singles, it also marked the birth of Japan’s first double medalists since Yuzuru Hanyu—an especially significant moment.

Shaidorov Turns It Around with a Career Free — “Quad God” Malinin Collapses

Malinin, who led after the short program (SP) and was widely seen as “gold all but confirmed,” opened the free with a string of jump errors. He avoided some of the planned quadruple jumps, and with two falls and messy landings, his technical and component scores never recovered—an unbelievable slide to 8th.

Meanwhile, Shaidorov began the night in 5th after the SP and delivered a near-perfect skate to “Diva Dance” from The Fifth Element, landing five clean quads including a quadruple salchow. He posted 198.64 in the free and a personal-best 291.58 total, winning Kazakhstan’s first-ever Olympic gold medal in figure skating.

As Shaidorov lay sprawled on the ice in celebration, silver medalist Kagiyama and bronze medalist Sato skated over to congratulate him—an awards-scene image that captured a night when the men’s singles power map visibly shifted.

Yuma Kagiyama: Back-to-Back Silver with Both “Frustration” and “Relief”

Kagiyama started from 2nd after the SP. In the free, he fell on an early quad and then struggled with parts of his planned quad layout. Even so, he regained his trademark speed and expression in the second half—through jumps and steps—and finished the program with 176.99. With 280.06 combined, he claimed silver again, following Beijing.

In his post-skate interview, Kagiyama’s face showed mixed emotions. “I’m relieved to have won a medal, but I’m also frustrated,” he said, adding, “Even after making two mistakes early on, I didn’t give up and skated to the end—that’s growth.” He reflected that what supported him tonight was a “mind that doesn’t break.”

Kagiyama also said his father and coach, Masakazu, had told him, “Even if you fall, just give everything until the end.” In Milan—known as a city tied to Turandot—he skated with those words in his heart, and this free is likely to remain unforgettable for him.

Shun Sato: Bronze in His First Olympics — “I Don’t Know If This Is a Dream or Reality”

Bronze medalist Sato delivered a poised performance in his Olympic debut. Starting 4th after the SP, he attacked a high-difficulty layout featuring a quadruple lutz and skated cleanly without major errors, earning 186.20 in the free. His 274.90 total secured 3rd, giving him his first-ever Olympic individual medal in men’s singles.

Afterward, Sato said, “I still don’t know if this is a dream or reality,” reflecting how unexpected the “arrival at bronze” felt even for him. He had already played a major role in Japan’s silver in the team event at these Games, and with this result, he now owns a second medal.

In a men’s singles field whose faces have changed dramatically over the last four years, the fact that two young Japanese skaters won silver and bronze side by side once again underscores the depth of Japan’s men’s figure skating from Beijing onward.

Men’s Singles Final Results (Top Finishers)

A “Night in Milan” for Japan’s Men

At Beijing 2022, the center of men’s singles belonged to skaters like Yuzuru Hanyu and Shoma Uno. In Milano Cortina, that leading role has been passed to Kagiyama and Sato. A team-event silver plus individual silver and bronze in men’s singles sends a clear message to the world that Japan’s generational transition is progressing smoothly.

At the same time, in the sense that “gold was just out of reach,” the same frustration remains as in Beijing. The challenge Japan has carried since the Hanyu era—an Olympic individual gold in men’s singles—was once again left as homework for the future at Milano Cortina.

Still, Kagiyama and Sato are both only in their early 20s, with a long runway ahead. What kind of story will they weave four years from now—and beyond? Perhaps this night in Milan was only the prologue.