Bold truth: the 2026 Winter Olympics are unfolding in Italy with Team USA chasing more medals as Day 7 begins. This page includes affiliate disclosures: if you click, sign up, deposit, or place a wager, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Friday’s schedule at Milano Cortina promises additional hardware for Team USA, led by a potential second gold from figure skating sensation Ilia Malinin, whose remarkable short program set him up for another podium finish.
Feb 13, 2026 at 12:58 pm ET - 1 min read
Friday will feature several pivotal events as the United States aims to elevate its medal tally. Malinin, who already earned gold contributing to the U.S. figure skating team victory, is in strong position to add another gold as the competition progresses. In Tuesday’s short program, Malinin nailed his signature backflip, scoring 108.16 — more than five points higher than the next closest skater.
2026 Winter Olympics schedule: Where to watch Milan Cortina Games as Ilia Malinin eyes another gold
Shanna McCarriston
The big question for Friday is whether Malinin will attempt and land the quad Axel, a move he did not attempt in the short program. If he secures the gold, it would mark back-to-back Olympic triumphs for the United States in men’s singles figure skating.
Elsewhere, the U.S. women’s hockey team seeks continued momentum as it faces Italy in the Olympic quarterfinals at 3:30 p.m. ET. The Americans dominated the round-robin, outscoring opponents 20-1, and are favorites against the host nation. Caroline Harvey has tallied six points in the last two games, while Hilary Knight is just one goal away from breaking multiple U.S. Olympic records.
In snowboarding, four U.S. athletes will compete in the women’s snowboard cross, featuring two seeding runs (the first at 4:00 a.m. ET) followed by elimination rounds. Also, 17-year-old Alessandro Barbieri advances to the men’s halfpipe finals after finishing fourth in Wednesday’s qualifiers.
Follow Thursday’s top moments here as Team USA pushes to increase its medal count, with live medal-tracking updates available on the linked page.
2026 Olympics schedule — Friday, Feb. 13
Notable sports, team events, and medal opportunities (All times are Eastern)
- Cross-Country Skiing: Men’s 10 km Interval Start Free – 5:45 a.m.
- Snowboarding: Women’s Cross Final – 7:30 a.m. to 9:15 a.m.
- Biathlon: Men’s 10 km Sprint – 8:00 a.m.
- Speed Skating: Men’s 10,000m – 10:00 a.m.
- Figure Skating: Men’s Free Skate – 1:00 p.m. to 5:10 p.m.
- Snowboarding: Men’s Halfpipe Final – 1:30 p.m.
- Women’s Ice Hockey: Quarterfinal – Team USA vs. Italy – 3:10 p.m.
- denotes a medal event
Live updates
Is Ilia Malinin the only skater who can land a backflip in the current era?
When Ilia Malinin lands a backflip at the end of his programs, it often prompts the question of whether he’s unique in performing this jump in elite competition. He is, in fact, the first skater to land a backflip legally in modern major competition since 1976, when Terry Kubicka performed one at the Innsbruck Games. The backflip was subsequently banned as a somersault-type jump for decades, with later attempts by skaters like Surya Bonaly being performed outside the official rules and penalized.
A rule change ahead of the 2024–25 season reclassified the backflip as a choreographic element, permitting its inclusion in competition. Malinin promptly incorporated it, marking a rare and historically meaningful revival on skating’s biggest stages.
Why is Ilia Malinin dubbed the Quad God?
Malinin is anticipated to cement his place in U.S. skating lore by chasing gold in the men’s free skate, after entering the event with a five-point advantage from the short program. He arrived at these Olympics as one of the sport’s marquee figures and has continued to live up to that billing. His edge comes from a repertoire that few others can match, including multiple quadruple jumps.
Known as The Quad God, Malinin’s depth includes at least four quads in the program, with the potential for up to seven in the free skate. Given his lead, he may opt for difficulty without overexposing himself. He’s also the sole male figure skater who can execute a quadruple axel (roughly 4.5 rotations), which he did not attempt in the short program but is expected to showcase in the free skate.
If he lands the quad axel and his other major jumps, catching him for gold would become exceedingly difficult for his rivals.
What time is Ilia Malinin skating today?
The most awaited moment for Team USA on Friday is the men’s singles free skate, with medals awarded after the performances. Malinin heads into the long program as the leading skater. The free skate begins at 1:00 p.m. ET, and he will skate 24th out of 24.
Current standings after the short program:
- Ilia Malinin (USA) 108.16
- Yuma Kagiyama (JPN) 103.07
- Adam Siao Him Fa (FRA) 102.55
- Daniel Grassl (ITA) 93.46
- Mikhail Shaidorov (KAZ) 92.94
American skater Andrew Torgashev sits eighth with 88.94 points and will need a standout free skate to climb onto the podium.
Other highlights
The ISU backed a French judge amid controversy over an ice-dance scoring decision involving Evan Bates and Madison Chock, who finished second to Beaudry/Cizeron by a razor-thin margin after a narrow free-dance edge for the French duo. The federation defended the judging that produced a wider spread in scores across multiple judges. This continues a broader dialogue about transparency in judging across figure skating.
In curling, the U.S. women earned a historic 9–8 victory over Canada, moving to 2–1 in round-robin play, highlighted by a decisive four-point end in the sixth. Canada fought back to take an 8–7 lead into the 10th end, before Team USA delivered two key throws for the win.
In cross-country skiing, Norway’s Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo claimed his eighth Olympic gold in the 10 km freestyle, tying the Winter Games record for most golds. Klaebo remains poised with two more events left to potentially break the all-time mark.
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