One, two, three even four medals – if you count the “chocolate” one for the 4th place – went to FISU student-athletes on Friday night on the Milanese ice.
FISU student-athletes counted on more than luck on Friday 13th! It is their pure talent – and perhaps also the experience they gathered last year at the Torino 2025 FISU World University Games – that allowed them to claim all the men’s figure skating medals at the Milano Cortina Olympic Games.
Super favourite American Illia Malinin – who was an ambassador of the last FISU Winter Games – completely missed his programme, leaving Kazakstan’s Mikhail Shaidorov completely speechless as he claimed gold for his first Olympic participation. The young figure skater finished fourth in January 2025 in Torino.
Japan’s Yuma Kagiyama, who had already claimed silver four years ago in Beijing wasn’t able to finish first like in Torino.
But was super happy not only for his second place, but for his teammate’s Shun Sato‘s bronze for his fist Olympic Games (he was fifth at the Torino 2025 FISU World University Games)!
Last year in Piemonte, Junhwan Cha (right) from the Republic of Korea was on the third step of the podium, behind Italy’s Daniel Grassl (9th at the Olympics in his home country). In Milano, he finishes 4th, but with a brilliant future ahead of him!
What an superb proof that FISU World University Games are the best springboard all these young and talented athletes could dream of!
After one week of competition at these 2026 Olympic Games, former and current FISU student-athletes have already won over 20 medals! Congratulations to them all and the very best of luck to all those who still have to compete.
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