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Ilia Malinin, known as the “Quad God,” continued to dazzle fans as he once again put his full warrior spirit on display during his latest performance at the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics.
Malinin landed a historic backflip to help Team USA win gold in the team event. The move was outlawed in 1976, with officials citing safety concerns. Before Malinin, fellow American Terry Kubicka was the last skater to land it legally at the Games.
Malinin will compete in Friday’s men’s free skate and enters as the gold favorite. He could attempt the first Olympic quadruple axel.
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Ilia Malinin of the United States competes during the men’s figure skating short 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 widely considered the sport’s most difficult jump.
“I’m hoping that I’ll feel good enough to do it (on Friday),” he told reporters Tuesday. “But, of course, I always prioritize health and safety, so I really want to put myself in the right mindset where I’ll feel really confident to go into it and not have that as something that I’m going to risk.”
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The International Skating Union (ISU) lifted the ban on somersaults in June 2024, clearing a path for the backflip to return to skating’s biggest stage.
Ilia Malinin lands a trick during the men’s figure skating short program at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy, Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
“Somersault type jumps are very spectacular and nowadays it is not logical anymore to include them as illegal movements,” an agenda from an ISU meeting at the time said.
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)
While the backflip does not have a set point value attached to it for skaters, last season Malinin admitted he enjoys performing the maneuver.
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“It gets that audience applause, feels really suspenseful and I really just like doing it,” he said.
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