Adam Rippon Isn't Quite The Best, But He Is The Most Fun

Figure skater Adam Rippon, the undisputed breakout American star of these Olympic games, finally got to show off his long-awaited short-form performance today in Pyeongchang. It’s modern, it’s fun, it’s soundtracked by, in Rippon’s own words, “a trashy club mix,” and it does not disappoint. Here’s a version of it from U.S. nationals:

Rippon does not skate an especially challenging program, neglecting to do any risky quad jumps, but his stellar 87.95 today in Pyeongchang was the top score of anyone who had skated before him, thanks to near-perfect execution. He’s still not a medal favorite, but he was the absolute best he could be.

And even if he doesn’t take home gold, no skater at this competition has been more of a joy to watch than Rippon. And God, does he know it:

We get Rippon one more time at the Olympics, at the men’s free skate tomorrow. No matter what happens, it’s been awesome, and we’ll definitely see him back on TV—in some capacity—very soon.