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Ilia Malinin, known as the “Quad God”, continued to dazzle fans as he again showed his full warrior spirit during his latest appearance at the 2026 Cortina Olympics in Milan.
Malinin landed a historic backhand to help Team USA win gold in the team event. The move was banned in 1976, with officials citing safety concerns. Before Malinin, American Terry Kubicka was the last skater to land it legally at the Games.
Malinin will line up in Friday’s men’s free skate and will line up as gold favorite. He was able to attempt the first Olympic quadruple axel.
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Ilia Malinin of the United States competes during the men’s short skating program at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy, Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Malinin acknowledged taking a measured approach to what is commonly considered the sport’s most difficult jump.
“I hope I will feel good enough to do it (on Friday),” he told reporters on Tuesday. “But of course I always prioritize health and safety, so I really want to put myself in the right mindset where I want to feel really confident going into it and not have it as something I want to risk.”
WHO IS ILIA MALININ? ‘QUAD GOD’ HAS ALREADY BEEN ONE OF THE GREATEST FIGURE SKATERS EVER
The International Skating Union (ISU) lifted the ban on somersaults in June 2024, clearing the way for the backflip to return to skating’s biggest stage.
Ilia Malinin lands a trick during the men’s short skating program at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy, Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
“Somersault jumps are very spectacular and today it is no longer logical to include them as illegal movements,” said an agenda from an ISU meeting at the time.
Ilia Malinin in the center of the rink during the men’s figure skating short program at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy, Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)
Although the backflip doesn’t have a set point value attached to it for skaters, Malinin admitted last season that he enjoys performing the maneuver.
“It gets the audience clapping, feels really exciting and I really just like doing it,” he said.
