Ilia Malinin Eyes Historic Quadruple Axel
Ilia Malinin Milan Cortina 2026 quadruple axel backflip
The “Quad God” has officially arrived on the Olympic stage. Ilia Malinin cemented his legacy at the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics this week, leading Team USA to its second consecutive figure skating team gold medal on Sunday, February 8. While his technical dominance was expected, it was a moment of sheer audacity that ignited the Milano Ice Skating Arena: Malinin landed the first legal backflip in Olympic competition since 1976. The move, long banned by the International Skating Union (ISU) for safety reasons, was re-legalized in June 2024, and Malinin utilized it as a punctuation mark on a free skate that secured the American victory over Japan by a razor-thin margin of 69 to 68.
Following the team success, Malinin’s focus has shifted to the men’s individual competition, which began with a dominant performance in the short program on Tuesday night. Despite facing immense pressure as the gold-medal favorite, the 21-year-old scored a 108.16, taking a five-point lead over Japan’s Yuma Kagiyama heading into the decisive free skate scheduled for tonight, Friday, February 13, 2026. During his short program, Malinin opted for a safe but perfect triple axel, but fans and analysts are bracing for the possibility of his signature move in the finale: the quadruple axel. If successful, he would become the first skater in history to land the 4.5-rotation jump on Olympic ice—a feat many considered impossible before his ascent.
The road to tonight’s final has been one of tactical patience. In the team event, Malinin admitted to feeling “Olympic excitement” that led to a mid-program stumble, resulting in a score of 200.03—well below his world record of 228.97. However, his performance on Tuesday showed a “reset” mindset, blending his unparalleled technical ceiling with a newfound artistic maturity. “I wanted to take things a little more slowly… and honestly just push the auto-pilot button,” Malinin told reporters. While the backflip carries no set point value, it has served as a psychological weapon, charming the judges and a crowd that included spectators like tennis legend Novak Djokovic, who was seen standing in disbelief after the maneuver.
As the skating world prepares for the final showdown, the technical gap between Malinin and his rivals remains vast. While Kagiyama is known for his superior artistry and “buttery” jump quality, Malinin’s planned layout for Friday includes a staggering seven quadruple jumps. Whether or not the quad axel makes the final cut will likely depend on how he feels during the six-minute warmup. “I’m hoping that I’ll feel good enough to do it,” Malinin said, “but I always prioritize health and safety.” Regardless of the specific jump count, tonight’s performance at the Milano Ice Skating Arena is poised to be a generational milestone for the sport.
