Ilia Malinin: America's Quad God Aims for Olympic Glory
Ilia Malinin has transformed from a promising name in figure skating into the skater everyone stops to watch. At just 21 years old, this American athlete has already achieved what many thought impossible. He landed one of the most difficult jumps the sport has ever witnessed. Now, Malinin heads to Italy with one clear dream firmly in mind: Olympic gold.
America's Eyes on the Ice
America will watch closely when Ilia Malinin steps onto the ice at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy. He already holds the titles of world champion, record breaker, and fan favorite. The only major prize missing from his impressive collection is an Olympic gold medal. Malinin believes he stands ready for this challenge.
"No matter how nervous I'll be, I can just trust everything I do, all my practice and muscle memory, and go out there and deliver," Malinin told PEOPLE magazine. His confidence stems from years of rigorous training and remarkable achievements.
The Quad God's Legendary Jump
Ilia Malinin earned his global nickname "Quad God" through his rare ability to land the hardest jumps in figure skating. His most famous move remains the quadruple axel. This jump requires four and a half spins in the air within less than one second. For many years, no skater could successfully land it in competition.
That all changed in 2022 at Lake Placid, New York. At just 17 years old, Malinin landed the quad axel at the U.S. International Figure Skating Classic. The entire skating world felt stunned by this achievement.
"It's rare in our sport for something to completely shock and awe," said two-time Olympic skater and NBC commentator Johnny Weir. "Ilia is the figure skating version of the first man on the moon."
From Quad Jumps to Olympic Dreams
Figure skating runs deep in Ilia Malinin's family background. His parents, Tatiana Malinina and Roman Skorniakov, both competed as two-time Olympians for Uzbekistan. His grandfather, Valery Malinin, works as a skating coach in Russia. Even his younger sister, Elli Malinin, ranks as a nationally recognized junior skater.
Ilia first stepped onto the ice at age six. By 13, he landed his first quad jump. During his teenage years, he already performed multiple quads in competition. Soon afterward, he began pursuing the quad axel, considered the hardest jump of all.
Dominance at the Senior Level
At the senior competitive level, Malinin has demonstrated complete dominance. He has won four consecutive U.S. national titles along with the last two world championships. In Japan last month, he made history once more by landing seven quadruple jumps in a single program.
"I knew I was going to make history," Malinin told PEOPLE. "After landing the seventh one, I was like, 'Oh my God, I just did it.'" He now teases attempts at even more difficult jumps in future competitions.
Life Beyond the Rink
Away from the ice, Malinin maintains a surprisingly simple lifestyle. He trains six hours daily, six days each week, while taking online classes at George Mason University. During rest periods, he enjoys skateboarding, video games, and various art projects.
"I know how nerve-racking the Olympics can be, but I'm really excited," Malinin said. "I want to put my priorities into my career first and just see where that takes me." With exceptional skill, calm nerves, and history already on his side, Ilia Malinin now represents America's strongest hope for Olympic figure skating gold.
