Sawt Falasteen - Malinin enters the fray as Japan lead USA in Olympics team skating

Kaori Sakamoto delivered a stunning women's free skate to put Japan in first place after Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara earlier hit a career-best pairs free skating performance.

American champion Amber Glenn was third best in the women's free skate after the 26-year-old's errors saw her finish ten points behind Sakamoto.

"I feel guilty, I am sorry that I put this kind of pressure on Ilia," said Glenn, the oldest US women's singles skater to compete in an Olympics in 98 years.

The title will come down to Malinin who finished second behind Japan's Yuma Kagiyama in Saturday's men's short programme.

However Kagiyama is not competing in the free skate with Olympic newcomer Shun Sato, 22, representing Japan.

Japan are positioned first but are equal on 59 points with the United States, having reduced the gap from five points overnight. Hosts Italy are third on 52 points followed by Georgia with 50 and Canada on 47.

World champions Miura and Kihara had already topped Friday's short programme, and were error-free in their free skate to the "Gladiator" soundtrack performed by Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli.

The pair looked shocked with Miura falling over in amazement as their scores flashed up on the screen showing they had achieved 155.55 points -- 7.66 points better than their previous best free skate performance.

US pair Ellie Kam and Danny O'Shea achieved a personal best score which put them fourth best in the five-team final.

The United States are the defending champions having been awarded the title at the 2022 Beijing Winter Games after Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva was handed a doping ban.

Russia had won the team title but were demoted to bronze when Valieva's points were deducted. Japan took silver in Beijing.

Q.Najjar--SF-PST