Malinin Poised for Olympic Gold as Quad God Aims High in Milan-Cortina
Ilia Malinin, a 21-year-old American nicknamed the 'Quad God', heads to Milan-Cortina 2026 as the favorite for Olympic gold after a dominant run that included landing the first legal Olympic backflip since 1976 and remaining undefeated for years. He excels in the free skate with a high technical score centered on the quadruple axel, and his combination of fearlessness and physics-driven technique positions him to push skating into a new era, though rivals such as Japan’s Kagiyama will provide stern competition.
