BEIJING (Reuters) – American teen Ilia Malinin made more history at the Grand Prix Final in Beijing on Saturday, becoming the first skater to land all six types of quad jump in competition, completing the set with a successful quad loop.
Despite an early fall on his quad Axel in Saturday’s free program, Malinin went on to win his first Grand Prix Final with a score of 314.66. Japan’s Shoma Uno was second on 297.34.
The 19-year-old American, who became the first to land a quad Axel in a short program on Thursday, had not landed a quad loop in competition until Saturday.
No skater has ever landed all six – the quad toe loop, Salchow, flip, Lutz, Axel and loop – in competition in their career before.
“It was the first time I was going for it (in competition),” Malinin told reporters. “A couple of weeks ago, my quad loop wasn’t good at all. I’m really glad I was able to put it out here under pressure.”
Kaori Sakamoto of Japan won the women’s singles title with a score of 225.70, while Americans Madison Chock and Evan Bates took ice dance gold (221.61) and Minerva Fabienne Hase and Nikita Volodon won the pairs event (206.43).
(Reporting by Lori Ewing; Editing by Hugh Lawson)
