American figure skater Ilia Malinin, dubbed the “Quad God,” continues to push the boundaries of the sport at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics.
The 21-year-old sensation landed a historic backflip in the men’s short program during the team event, helping Team USA secure gold despite the move not actually counting toward the score.
The move, banned since 1976 for safety reasons, was legalized by the International Skating Union in 2024 and hadn’t been seen legally at the Olympics since Terry Kubicka’s performance in 1976.
Malinin performed it for crowd excitement rather than points, calling it “suspenseful” and thrilling.
Known as the first skater to land a quadruple Axel in competition—the most difficult jump in figure skating—Malinin eyes attempting it in the upcoming men’s free skate.
“I’m hoping that I’ll feel good enough to do it (on Friday),” he told reporters Tuesday, via Deadspin. “But, of course, I always prioritize health and safety, so I really want to put myself in the right mindset where I’ll feel really confident to go into it and not have that as something that I’m going to risk.”
As the heavy favorite for individual gold, Malinin prioritizes health and confidence.
His dazzling performances, blending technical mastery with showmanship, position him as potentially one of the greatest figure skaters ever.
