Ilia Malinin completes redemption arc with third straight world figure skating championship

• US star wins third straight world title after Olympic shock

• Japanese rivals Kagiyama and Sato round out podium

Ilia Malinin claimed a third straight world figure skating championship on Saturday afternoon, completing a swift redemption a month after his shock Olympic collapse with a commanding free skate.

The 21-year-old American entered the final at Prague’s O2 Arena with a commanding lead after Thursday’s short program, where his personal-best 111.29 had put him more than nine points clear of the field. This time, there would be no unraveling.