Ilia Malinin wows crowd with historic backflip, helps US win team gold
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Ilia Malinin, known as the “Quadruple God”, continued to dazzle fans by once again displaying his warrior spirit with his final performance at the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics.
Malinin performed a historic backflip to help Team USA capture gold in the team event. The move was declared illegal in 1976 after authorities cited safety concerns. Before Malinin, fellow American Terry Kubicka was the last skater to legally participate in the Games.
Malinin will compete in Friday’s men’s free skate and will be the favorite for gold. He may attempt his first Olympic quad axel.
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Ilia Malinin of the United States competes in the men’s figure skating short program at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy, on Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Malinin admitted to taking a measured approach to what is considered the sport’s most difficult jump.
“I’m hoping I’ll feel well 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 can feel confident going into this and not see it as something I’m going to risk.”
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The International Skating Union (ISU) lifted the backflip ban in June 2024, paving the way for the return of the backflip to skating’s biggest stage.
Ilia Malinin performs a trick in the men’s figure skating short program at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy, on Tuesday, February 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
“Somersault-type jumps are too flashy and it no longer makes sense today to include them as illegal moves,” an ISU meeting agenda at the time said.
Ilia Malinin is in the middle of the rink during the men’s figure skating short program at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy, on Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)
Although the backflip does not have a fixed point value for skaters, Malinin admitted that he enjoyed performing the maneuver last season.
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“It gets the audience applauding, it feels really intriguing, and I really love doing it,” he said.
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