Quad God Malinin Eyes Historic Olympic Jump/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Ilia Malinin leads heading into the Olympic free skate in Milan. The American star has yet to attempt his signature quad axel. Fans wonder if he’ll try the historic jump in his finale.
Ilia Malinin Quad Axel Olympics – Quick Looks
- Malinin leads by five points entering free skate
- Nicknamed “Quad God” for technical dominance
- Only skater to land quad axel in competition
- Program includes planned seven quads
- Free skate set for Friday in Milan
Deep Look: Will Ilia Malinin Attempt the Quad Axel in His Olympic Finale?
American figure skating sensation Ilia Malinin has been teasing fans throughout the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics.
In his submitted program layouts, Malinin repeatedly listed the quad axel — the most difficult jump in figure skating — as part of his planned routine. Yet through the team competition and his individual short program, he has opted for the safer triple axel instead.
Now, with the free skate looming, the question remains: Will the “Quad God” attempt the sport’s hardest jump in his Olympic finale?
A Five-Point Cushion
Malinin holds a five-point lead over Japan’s Yuma Kagiyama and France’s Adam Siao Him Fa entering Friday’s free skate. That advantage provides some breathing room should he attempt — and miss — the quad axel.
His submitted plan includes it as part of a potential seven-quad program, which would tie a record.
“I’m hoping that I’ll feel good enough to do it,” Malinin said, noting he prioritizes health and safety before attempting the 4 1/2-revolution jump.
Why the Quad Axel Is So Difficult
The axel is already unique among figure skating’s six primary jumps because it begins facing forward, requiring an extra half revolution. A triple axel carries a base value of 8.0 points. The quad version is worth 12.5 before judges add execution bonuses.
The jump spins at roughly 340 revolutions per minute — about the speed of a ceiling fan on high.
For decades, the quad axel was considered impossible.
“I never thought I’d see anybody do a quadruple axel,” said Scott Hamilton, the 1984 Olympic champion.
Malinin changed that narrative in September 2022 when he landed the quad axel at the U.S. International Figure Skating Classic — becoming the first skater to do so in sanctioned competition. He was just 17 years old.
A History of Raising the Bar
The son of former Olympians Tatiana Malinina and Roman Skorniakov, Malinin has made a career out of pushing boundaries.
At last year’s world championships in Boston, he landed the quad axel along with the other five quad jumps to secure his second straight world title by one of the largest margins in history.
Even without the quad axel, his programs are already more technically ambitious than those of his rivals. Kagiyama and Siao Him Fa each have four quads planned for the free skate — well short of Malinin’s potential seven.
Olympic champion Brian Boitano has urged caution, emphasizing the importance of delivering a clean Olympic performance over chasing difficulty for its own sake.
The Showman Factor
Malinin thrives under pressure and enjoys elevating expectations. He recently incorporated a backflip into his choreography after the International Skating Union lifted its ban. He also created a signature move known as the “raspberry twist,” a nod to the Russian origin of his surname.
His short program score of 108.16 earlier this week was just shy of his season-best mark, signaling he may be peaking at the right time.
Now, with one skate left at the Olympics, Malinin faces a defining choice.
Does he play it safe and secure gold? Or does he attempt the hardest jump in figure skating history — and cement his legacy as the sport’s ultimate risk-taker?
Friday night in Milan may provide the answer.
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