Team USA extended its lead in the team event on Saturday at the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026.

A victory in the free dance event by Madison Chock and Evan Bates and a second-place effort by Ilia Malinin in the men's short program generated a combined 19 points for the United States. With 44 points, Team USA leads second-place Japan by five points and Italy by seven points heading into Sunday's final day of the team event.

The 2022 Olympic team event gold medalists, Chock and Bates dominated the competition, easily winning the free dance with a commanding performance that produced a season-high 133.23 points and gained 10 points for Team USA. 

Taking the ice to "Paint It Black," the three-time and reigning World champions attacked each element in a manner befitting the program's "matador and bull" theme. Their greatest strengths — stunning lifts and captivating storytelling — came to the fore, gaining sustained cheers and a standing ovation from the Milan crowd.

"[We] felt very calm, very present," Chock said. "It was a great feeling to take Olympic ice with that feeling of intention and staying in the moment."

Chock and Bates earned Level 4s on four elements, including a curve-curve combination lift that tallied 14.74 points, which was the highest-scoring element of the competition.

Chock and Bates also won the rhythm dance on Friday.

"We're happy with how we skated so far at this event and especially happy to contribute meaningfully to the team," Bates added. "Each time we step out, we are competing with ourselves. That's been our mindset and our approach; it's how we stay focused and how we've been training."

Competing for the first time on Olympic ice, Malinin, the "Quadgod," skated with his usual swagger, igniting the crowd with his backflip, aerial twist (the "Raspberry Twist") and a one-armed cartwheel.

But the two-time and reigning World champion lost technical points when he slightly over-rotated the landing of his triple Axel and under-rotated the first jump of a quadruple Lutz-triple toe loop combination. His 98.00 points put him second and earned nine points for Team USA.

"I feel happy. I'm so glad to be here," Malinin, 21, said. "This Olympic movement, this Olympic experience was a once-in-a-lifetime moment for me, so just being able to go out there, that's what I'm grateful for."

Skating a warrior-themed program to "Dies Irae" by Náttúra featuring Vila and "The Lost Crown" by 2WEI, Josnez and Kataem, Malinin opened with a quad flip that generated a program-high 14.77 points. He earned Level 4s for his change-foot spins and step sequence.

Undefeated for more than two years, Malinin is the three-time and reigning Grand Prix Final champion and four-time and reigning U.S. champion.
The team event concludes on Sunday with the pairs, women's and men's free skates.

The United States has medaled in the team event every Olympic Winter Games since the event began in 2014. After securing bronze in 2014 and 2018, Team USA clinched gold in 2022.

To follow Team USA during the team event, including the full schedule, bios, news and more, visit the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 Competition Central.