NAGOYA ¨C American figure skater Ilia Malinin can burnish his credentials as the red-hot favorite for Olympic gold when he faces his rivals at the Grand Prix Final in Japan this week.
The 21-year-old, whose dazzling array of quadruple jumps has earned him the nickname ¡°Quad God,¡± is a two-time world champion and front-runner to claim the title when he makes his Olympic debut in Milan-Cortina in February.
He will take his preparations to the next level this week against an elite field in Nagoya, with Japanese pair Yuma Kagiyama and Shun Sato and France¡¯s Adam Siao Him Fa also looking to make a statement ahead of the Winter Games.
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