It’s not just about the medals anymore. Between Ilia Malinin’s defying of physics and Yuma Kagiyama’s desperate defence of artistry, the soul of figure skating is being renegotiated right here in Italy. I’m rink-side, and the tension is heavy enough to crack the ice.
The Men's Free Skate is hours away. I’ve been watching the practice sessions at the Unipol Forum, and the tension is thick enough to cut with a skate blade. It's not just about Gold—it's a philosophical brawl between the 'Quad God' and the masters of the blade.
