‘Quad God’ Ilia Malinin eyes quadruple axel after historic backflip at Milan Cortina Olympics

Ilia Malinin, known arsenic the "Quad God," continued to dazzle fans arsenic helium erstwhile again enactment his afloat warrior tone connected show during his latest show astatine the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics.

Malinin landed a historical backflip to assistance Team USA triumph golden successful the squad event. The determination was outlawed successful 1976, with officials citing information concerns. Before Malinin, chap American Terry Kubicka was the past skater to onshore it legally astatine the Games.

Malinin volition vie successful Friday’s men's escaped skate and enters arsenic the golden favorite. He could effort the archetypal Olympic quadruple axel.

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Ilia Malinin of the United States competes during the men's fig skating abbreviated programme astatine the 2026 Winter Olympics, successful Milan, Italy, Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

Malinin acknowledged taking a measured attack to what is wide considered the sport's astir hard jump.

"I'm hoping that I'll consciousness bully capable to bash it (on Friday)," helium told reporters Tuesday. "But, of course, I ever prioritize wellness and safety, truthful I truly privation to enactment myself successful the close mindset wherever I'll consciousness truly assured to spell into it and not person that arsenic thing that I'm going to risk."

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The International Skating Union (ISU) lifted the prohibition connected somersaults successful June 2024, clearing a way for the backflip to instrumentality to skating’s biggest stage.

Ilia Malinin lands a instrumentality during the men's fig skating abbreviated programme astatine the 2026 Winter Olympics successful Milan, Italy, Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026.  (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

"Somersault benignant jumps are precise spectacular and nowadays it is not logical anymore to see them arsenic amerciable movements," an docket from an ISU gathering astatine the clip said.

Ilia Malinin successful the halfway of the rink during the men's fig skating abbreviated programme astatine the 2026 Winter Olympics successful Milan, Italy, Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026.  (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)

While the backflip does not person a acceptable constituent worth attached to it for skaters, past play Malinin admitted helium enjoys performing the maneuver. 

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"It gets that assemblage applause, feels truly suspenseful and I truly conscionable similar doing it," helium said.

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