MILAN, Feb. 8 (Xinhua) -- The United States held a five-point lead over Japan in the figure skating team event after Saturday's ice dancing free dance at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games.
Madison Chock and Evan Bates topped the free dance with 133.23 points, earning 10 points for the title-defending Americans. Host pair Charlene Guignard and Marco Fabbri settled for second place on 124.22, while Canada's Marjorie Lajoie and Zachary Lagha third on 120.90.
Five teams, led by the U.S. and Japan, advanced to the final after the men's short program earlier in the day.
Japan's Yuma Kagiyama, the men's silver medalist at Beijing 2022, topped the men's short program with a score of 108.67 points, while world champion Ilia Malinin of the U.S. declined to perform his signature quadruple Axel to settle for second place with 98.00 points.
Speaking of Malinin, Kagiyama said, "He is a good jumper who can do the quad, so I always think about catching up with him and matching his performance. My score was close to my personal best, so I'm satisfied."
With a total of ten teams competing in the team event, China finished the qualification in eighth place to miss final, after three-time Olympian Jin boyang earned 84.15 points for his men's short program to sit seventh.
"I think I performed very well today," said 28-year-old Jin. "I felt very relaxed on the rink, which allowed me to fully devote myself to the performance. I really enjoyed my third Winter Olympics."
The men's, women's and pairs free skates will be held on Sunday to define the team event podium. ■
