MILAN — Kazakhstan’s Mikhail Shaidorov emerged as the shock winner of the men’s competition at the Milan Cortina Games on Friday as heavy favorite Ilia Malinin’s free program fell apart and he finished out of the medals in one of Olympic figure skating’s biggest upsets.

Japan’s Yuma Kagiyama took silver and countryman Shun Sato captured bronze on a night when many top skaters struggled to execute their jumps.

Malinin had been expected to pack in seven quadruple jumps, including the quad Axel which only he has landed in competition, but the American’s display unraveled as he made one mistake after another.

From the moment the expected quad Axel turned into a single Axel, he appeared to be in freefall as he made two crash landings onto the ice and ended up executing only three quads cleanly.

He looked absolutely distraught by the end of his free skate and kept shaking his head, scarcely believing the nightmare he had just endured on the biggest stage for his sport.

His score of 156.33 left him languishing in 15th place in the free skate and he ended up with a total of 264.49 points.

Shaidorov, who had finished fifth in the short program earlier this week, topped Friday’s competition with 198.64 points to earn the gold medal with a total of 291.58.

Malinin said the pressure of being the gold-medal favorite and the enormous media attention on him in his first Games was “too much to handle.”

“I’m trying to understand what happened specifically,” Malinin told reporters.

“But I know that it’s done. I can’t change the outcome.”

Shaidorov, who like Malinin is 21 years old and known for his technical ability, fell on his back in ecstasy on the ice at the Milano Ice Skating Arena after delivering a personal best, but few could have foreseen what was to come since all of the main medal contenders had yet to skate.

Frenchman Adam Siao Him Fa, who entered the free skate in third place, struggled mightily and Kagiyama, who was in second behind Malinin, also failed to live up to his standards.

Their errors appeared to have set the stage for two-time world champion Malinin to cruise to the title, especially since he had won 14 competitions in a row dating back to 2023.

But it was not to be.

Malinin said he was happy for Shaidorov, whose medal is Kazakhstan’s first of the Games.

“I went up to him and I congratulated him because watching him skate, I watched him in the locker room, and we’re just so proud of him,” he said.

“That’s what’s so special about the sport as well, is everyone has each other’s support.

“And I feel like we’re all a big, huge figure skating family. And I think people forget that when, you know, they see us competing against each other.”

–Reuters, special to Field Level Media

Romain Grosjean has signed with Dale Coyne Racing for the 2026 IndyCar season, marking a return to the team with which he made his series debut in 2021.

The announcement was made on Friday, with the former Formula 1 driver stepping into the No. 18 Honda for DCR. He will team with rookie Dennis Hauger for the team, which parted ways with Rinus VeeKay after last season.

“Pairing an exceptional rookie in Dennis with a proven veteran like Romain gives us a strong competitive foundation,” team owner Dale Coyne said. “Bringing back key pieces of our history while building new global partnerships positions us well for 2026.”

Grosjean was out of IndyCar in 2025 after racing with Juncos Hollinger Racing. He competed in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, but in August he expressed optimism about returning to the IndyCar grid.

The 39-year-old Swiss-born Frenchman started 179 F1 races from 2009-20. He has made six podiums and won three poles in 64 IndyCar races.

The 2026 IndyCar season begins with the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg on March 1.

–Field Level Media

Darren Clarke of Northern Ireland made two eagles over his final four holes to grab a share of the first-round lead at the Chubb Classic on Friday in Naples, Fla.

Clarke and Australian Michael Wright posted 7-under-par 65 at Tiburon Golf Club’s Black Course with two rounds to go. Tied for third one stroke behind are defending champion Justin Leonard, Scott Parel, Rob Labritz and Argentina’s Ricardo Gonzalez.

Clarke already had a busy round when he reached the par-5 15th hole, with five birdies and two bogeys on his card. He reached the green in two on that hole, and again at the par-5 18th, sinking eagle putts both times.

“The one on 15, I hit driver, 3-iron from 237 (yards) to 12 feet and holed it for eagle,” said Clarke, 57. “Then the last one I hit driver, 3-wood. The 3-wood was from 241 or something straight into the wind. Hit it to 15 feet behind the hole. So they were both pretty good. Take those any day.”

Wright, 51, is newer to the tour and is well-positioned to go for his first win.

He sank nine birdies, including four of his last five holes, helping absorb a double bogey at the par-4 13th. He said his son Charlie carried his bag and read most of his putts for him Friday.

“This is his first Champions event and his first event ever was three weeks ago in Australia,” Michael Wright said. “He’s doing a great job. I love having him on the bag.”

Leonard posted four birdies on each nine. After a bogey at No. 17, he bounced back at No. 18 when he stuck his approach shot a few feet from the hole to set up birdie.

“I hit a lot of greens today,” Leonard said. “I think I may have only missed one or two greens. Did make a couple bogeys, but I played well on the par-5s and got off to a good start. I kind of did all the things you need to do around here.”

Leonard won by four shots here in 2025.

Two shots off the pace at 5-under 67 are Bo Van Pelt, David Toms, Germany’s Alex Cejka and South Korea’s K.J. Choi.

–Field Level Media