Less than two days ago, Ilia Malinin's clutch performance in the men's free skate helped lift Team USA to a one-point victory over Japan in the team event at the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026.

But there is no rest for the "Quad God."

The two-time and reigning World champion took the ice again today at the Milano Ice Skating Arena for the men's individual short program, and the charismatic skater from Vienna, Virginia, again set the crowd alight with his quadruple jumps, electric step sequences and backflip.

"Going into this individual event, I definitely took a different approach," Malinin said. "Being in the team event, I think I had too much — I'll call it Olympic excitement. So I just felt like there's so much pressure and I was so hyped up, so excited to be out there and it really just came back and bit me. Coming to this short program and individual event, I wanted to take things more slowly, a little more calmly and, honestly, just push the autopilot button and see what happens."

Malinin kept it all under control, earning positive grades of execution on every element.

He started with a quad flip that earned a grade of execution of 3.77 for 14.77 points. Then in the second half of the program, the four-time U.S. champion launched into a flawless quadruple Lutz-triple toe loop combination that gained more than 22 points with a GOE of 4.76. It was the highest-scoring element of the competition by nearly five points.

His score, 108.16, was just 0.71 points off his international season's best mark in the short program and gives him a lead of 5.09 points over Japan's Yuma Kagiyama heading into Friday's free skate.

Malinin embraces the role of a warrior in this short program, set to "Dies Irae" by Náttúra featuring Vila and "The Lost Crown" by 2WEI , Josnez and Kataem, with its lyrics including "I only run with the immortals."

"[Ilia] really loved this music; he connected with it," Malinin's choreographer, Shae-Lynn Bourne, said in the fall. "There's a certain strength he has to have to do that program. I think it feels like he's kind of coming out of the sand and heading to battle, which is very suitable for the Olympics."

 So, will the warrior try seven quadruple jumps, possibly including his quad Axel, in the free?

"We're definitely going to see me at the best condition that I can be, and really just hoping that on that day I can just feel the best and really just go out there and try to perform as much as I can," Malinin said.

Skating to Scorpions' "Maybe I Maybe You," Andrew Torgashev turned in a riveting performance in his Olympic debut, also giving a clean skate. He earned more than 10 points on all three of his jumping elements, opening with a pristine quad toe loop followed by a solid triple Axel-triple flip-triple toe loop combination. In the second half, Torgashev executed a triple flip-triple toe loop combination.

With his jump elements safely done, the Southern California-based skater cut loose with an explosive step sequence, then capped the program with a fast Level 4 combination spin. His score of 88.94 is a new international personal best and places him eighth in the field of 29 skaters.

"That was awesome, I loved every minute of it," Torgashev told NBC. "I've been training, I'm in great shape. I was locked in – still so nervous, though, but I'm so glad that the training came through and was able to take over whatever doubts I had."

The two-time and reigning U.S. silver medalist said the rock 'n' roll theme is something he's embraced.

"In the end of this program, I always feel like I want to be a rock star on the stage, breaking the guitar, having the time of my life," he said. "I was able to do that tonight, and it's pretty sick."

He credited his choreographer Shae-Lynn Bourne and repetition for allowing him to perform the program freely.

"I just tried to hear her voice as I'm skating and enjoy the moment, look at the people and it worked out," he said.

Also making his Olympic debut, Maxim Naumov performed by far his finest short program of the season, skating with style and elegance to Chopin's "Nocturne No. 20."  

The U.S. bronze medalist landed all three jump elements, including a majestic opening quad Salchow that garnered 11.78 points and a triple Lutz-triple toe combination in the second half that was his highest-scoring element of the program at 12.46 points. Naumov also gained Level 4 for all three spins and his step sequence. He claimed 85.65 points - a new international season's best score by nearly nine points – and sits in 14th place.

As he received his marks in the kiss and cry, Naumov showed a photo of himself as a child with his parents, 1994 World pairs champions Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov, to the camera. The beloved skaters and coaches died in the January 2025 plane crash over Washington, D.C. that claimed 67 lives, including 28 members of the figure skating community.

"I feel like I was just guided today by them," Naumov said. "It's not necessarily thinking about them specifically but feeling their presence. With every glide and step that I made on the ice, I couldn't help but feel their support. Almost like a chess piece on a chess board, they were guiding me from one element to another.

"At the end, I finished on my knees, and I didn't know if I was going to cry, smile or laugh. All I could do was look up and say, 'Look at what we just did.' I still can't believe what just happened. I think it's going to take me a few hours or a few weeks, who knows. I hope I made everyone proud."

In past big competitions, the Boston-based skater has occasionally felt nerves. But not today.

"I just wanted to go out there and skate my heart out. Leave everything out there, have no regrets. And that is exactly what I felt."

Competition continues Wednesday, Feb. 11 with the free dance beginning at 1:30 p.m. ET.

For full results and to follow Team USA at the Olympic Winter Games, including the full schedule, bios, news and more, visit the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 Competition Central.