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Four years on from an Olympic snub, US figure skater Ilia Malinin has revolutionized his sport in a meteoric rise that has him poised for gold -- and stardom -- at the Milan-Cortina Winter Games.

Japan did not win an Olympic figure skating medal until 1992 but it is now among the sport's world powers, with kids dreaming of becoming the next Yuzuru Hanyu or Mao Asada.

With the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympic Games opening ceremony getting underway on February 6, AFP looks back at some of the golden stars of the ice rink.