American figure skater, Ilia Malinin, made history at the Grand Prix Finals on Thursday as he cleanly landed the quadruple axel, the most challenging jump in figure skating. With this remarkable feat, Malinin not only became the first skater to successfully execute the jump in a short program, but also achieved the best score of his international career.

Malinin's decision to include the quadruple axel in his routine was inspired by his performance at the Skate America competition, where he realized the importance of accumulating points. Despite the jump initially not being recognized by computerized scoring due to its unprecedented nature in a short program, it ultimately gave him a significant advantage and allowed him to take the lead going into the free skate.

In a tight competition, Malinin's score of 106.90 points placed him ahead of two-time world champion Shoma Uno from Japan, who landed two quadruple jumps and scored 106.02 points. Yuma Kagiyama, also from Japan, secured the third position with a score of 103.72.

Expressing satisfaction with his performance, Malinin acknowledged that there is still room for improvement. However, he commended his ability to deliver under pressure and stay composed throughout the routine. With the free skate set to take place on Saturday, Malinin will strive to maintain his lead against formidable opponents Uno and Kagiyama.

The absence of Russian skaters at the Grand Prix Finals was felt once again, as ongoing tensions with Ukraine have prevented their participation in international competitions since the 2022 Winter Olympics.

In the pairs competition, Minerva Fabienne Hase and Nikita Volodin of Germany claimed the top spot in the short program with a score of 72.56 points. They narrowly surpassed the Canadian favorites, Deanna Stellato-Dudek and Maxime Deschamps, who scored 71.22 points. Sara Conti and Niccolo Macii of Italy secured the third position with a score of 70.30.

The pairs competition remains wide open this season, as defending champions from Japan, Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara, had to withdraw due to a back injury. Additionally, American silver medalists Alexa Knierim and Brandon Frazier opted to take the season off to contemplate retirement.

The Grand Prix Finals continue with the pairs' free skate on Friday, while the women's competition begins with short programs. The ice dance competition kicks off with the rhythm dance.