A cool-headed Grassl keeps Italy on course for a medal.

Daniel Grassl made his first major appearance at the Olympic Games in Milan on Saturday evening, which he mastered brilliantly thanks to impressive composure.

February 07, 2026

From: leo

After the short programs in rhythm dance, pairs skating, and the women's singles, Italy was in a promising third place in the team event. However, their lead over their pursuers was minimal, which put Daniel Grassl under pressure in his Milan debut. While the skater from Merano didn't deliver a flawless performance at the Forum Assago, it was one that kept Italy in medal contention.

Grassl started with a quadruple Lutz, which he landed, but only combined with a double toe loop. The 23-year-old also didn't receive full marks from the judges for a quadruple loop. Grassl then skated a clean program without any further errors. Ultimately, the South Tyrolean skater scored 87,54 points (his personal best in a short program is 97,62), placing him fifth in his competition.

Grassl remains unperturbed.

Grassl thus earned six points for the team event, guaranteeing Italy third place before the free skate (28). But beware: Canada is only one point behind (27). And Georgia is also still within reach (25).

At the top, Japan and the USA are battling for gold. Yuma Kagiyama, coached in part by Carolina Kostner, thrilled fans on Saturday with a fantastic performance that earned him a remarkable 108,67 points. Even the overwhelming favorite for individual gold, Ilia Malinin, couldn't match him. Heading into the free skate, in which only the top five skaters can participate, Japan (34) holds a one-point lead over the United States (33).

The next chapter of the team event takes place on Saturday evening at 10:05 p.m. The free skate in rhythm dance is on the program. Charlene Guignard and Marco Fabbri, who finished fifth in the short program, will represent Italy. The remaining three free skates will be held on Sunday (starting at 7:30 p.m.).