Ilia Malinin made a triumphant return to form at the figure skating world championships, leading after the short program on Thursday at the O2 Arena in Prague. Following a disappointing performance at this year’s Winter Olympics, Malinin's new haircut accompanied a stellar display, showcasing that the Olympic setback was firmly behind him.

The defending two-time world champion scored a personal-best 111.29, giving him a commanding lead of over nine points heading into the free skate on Saturday. His performance featured an impressive opening with a quad flip and a combination of a quad lutz and a triple toe loop. Although he is the only skater to have landed a quad axel in competition, he opted to perform a triple version of this signature jump in this event.

Adam Siao Him Fa from France followed Malinin with a strong performance, scoring 101.85 points that included a perfect quad toe loop in combination with a triple toe loop and a quad salchow.

Surprising many, Aleksandr Selevko of Estonia claimed third place with a personal best score of 96.49.

As the championship progresses, all eyes will be on Malinin to see if he can maintain his lead and reclaim his title.