ST. LOUIS, Missouri — The men’s singles event closed the 2026 Prevagen U.S. Figure Skating Championships with a night of emotional swings, redemption skates and Olympic pressure, as three U.S. Olympic berths were decided in real time.
Claiming his 4th consecutive U.S. title, Ilia Malinin finished in 1st with 324.88 overall after winning both segments of the competition. He posted the top free skate score of the night with 209.78, even while skating more conservatively than usual. After a rocky practice earlier in the day — complicated by a recent boot change and lingering foot discomfort — Malinin scaled back some of his planned quadruple content, completing fewer than half of his intended quads and putting a hand down on one element. Still, his technical base and control kept him well clear of the field, reinforcing his status as the Olympic favorite heading toward Milan Cortina.
"Around nationals is when I typically break in new skates and new boots," Malinin said after the competition concluded. "Being as these nationals were closer because of the Olympics, I didn't have a lot of time to get comfortable with them, so it was still kind of in the process where, you know, sometimes they can be good, other days they can be really uncontrollable. So, I decided to play it safe here, and also to kind of save my energy preparing for the Olympic Games."
Rising sharply into 2nd, Andrew Torgashev delivered the skate of his season, climbing from 5th after the short program to finish with 267.62 overall. His free skate earned 182.63 — the 2nd-highest score of the night — highlighted by clean execution on every planned jump and a high-octane step sequence packed with intricate choreography and speed. After a Grand Prix fall season filled with costly mistakes, the performance erased lingering doubts.
“I just put my heart out there,” Torgashev said afterward.
Third place went to Maxim Naumov, who totaled 249.16 after steady skates across both segments. He placed 4th in the free skate with 163.44, skating with composure under immense emotional weight following the American Airlines Flight 5342 tragedy that claimed his parents and 28 members of the skating community. The 24-year-old from Norwood, Massachusetts kept his placement intact through consistency rather than risk.
“I gave every iota of energy that I have into that program to the end, and that’s all I can do,” Naumov said. After coming in 4th place three years in a row, he was thrilled to break into the top three. "This year was totally different for me. I took a whole other approach, and I'm so happy that the curse [of 4th place] is finally broken, and I'm so happy that's in St Louis, and right now, in this moment that that happened," he said.
Just 0.09 points behind him in 4th, Jacob Sanchez delivered one of the biggest upward moves of the night, surging from 7th after the short program to 3rd in the free skate with 167.80. Skating all of his jumps cleanly and attacking the program with confidence, the teenager announced himself as a legitimate presence on the senior stage.
In 5th, Tomoki Hiwatashi finished with 247.24 after entering the free skate in 2nd. His “Creep” by VINCINT program showed confidence and crowd connection, though a few wobbles left him 5th in the free skate with 157.98. Still, the skater who trains in Japan made a strong argument for Olympic consideration.
Sixth place went to Liam Kapeikis, who backed up a strong short program with a 156.27 free skate, maintaining his position with steady execution and clean rotation. Seventh belonged to Daniel Martynov, who finished with 229.95 despite dropping to 10th in the free skate with 148.32. The 19-year-old opened with two powerful quad jumps showing impressive height and fast rotation but appeared to lose speed and flow midway through the program. While consistency remains elusive as he adjusts to the senior ranks, the technical ceiling remains evident.
In 8th, Jason Brown saw his podium hopes slip away after falling from 3rd following the short program to 12th in the free skate, finishing with 227.52 overall. Skating to “Say Something” by Jacob Banks, Brown delivered his trademark emotional depth but struggled to execute multiple jumping passes, incurring heavy deductions. The crowd responded with a prolonged standing ovation — a testament to his artistry and legacy.
Just behind him in 9th, Lucius Kazanecki climbed from 10th in the short program to 7th in the free skate, totaling 227.07. Kai Kovar finished 10th overall on 225.75 after holding steady across both segments.
With the competition over, the U.S. Olympic selection committee, using a complex metric, must decide who will head to Milan Cortina in February to represent the United States at the 2026 Olympic Games.
Men's results
- Ilia Malinin – 324.88
- Andrew Torgashev – 267.62
- Maxim Naumov – 249.16
- Jacob Sanchez – 249.07
- Tomoki Hiwatashi – 247.24
- Liam Kapeikis – 235.13
- Daniel Martynov – 229.95
- Jason Brown – 227.52
- Lucius Kazanecki – 227.07
- Kai Kovar – 225.75
- Jimmy Ma – 225.71
- Lorenzo Elano – 213.34
- Goku Endo – 203.42
- Michael Xie – 196.78
- Samuel Mindra – 190.04
- Emmanuel Savary – 188.14
- Will Annis – 175.80
- Ken Mikawa – 145.91