- American sensation Ilia Malinin, 21, delivers a masterclass in the men’s free skate to secure a second consecutive team gold for the United States at the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics.
- In a ‘nail-biting’ tie-breaker, Malinin scored 200.03 to narrowly defeat Japan’s Shun Sato, who posted a career-best 194.86, leaving the final team standings at a razor-thin 69-68.
- The ‘Quad God’ made history as the first skater to land a legalized backflip on Olympic ice, a ‘daring’ move that sent the arena into a total frenzy.
- Fans have branded the star a ‘living work of art,’ with some cheekily claiming his ‘dancing hair’ and ‘smouldering’ looks were enough to melt the very ice he skated on.
He is the man who makes the impossible look like child’s play, and last night in Milan, Ilia Malinin proved exactly why he is the undisputed king of the ice.
In what has been described as a ‘harrowing’ and high-stakes battle for Olympic glory, the 21-year-old superstar stepped onto the centre of the rink with the weight of a nation on his shoulders. With the United States and Japan locked in a dead heat at 59 points apiece, the entire tournament came down to one final, ‘soul-searing’ performance.
Malinin didn’t just deliver; he electrified.
Launching into his routine to the haunting strains of ‘A Voice,’ the Virginia native landed five quadruple jumps with the precision of a ‘surgical strike.’ While he opted for a ‘safer’ triple Axel over his signature quad Axel, his technical prowess was enough to leave the judges spellbound and the crowd trembling.
THE ‘QUAD GOD’ BY THE NUMBERS
200.03: The winning score that secured the gold.
5: The number of quadruple jumps landed in the free skate.
1: The number of history-making backflips that left the world gasping.
The victory was a ‘sweet redemption’ for the young star. Just 24 hours earlier, Malinin had suffered a ‘shocking’ upset in the short program, finishing second to Japan’s Yuma Kagiyama (rather than his Sunday rival, Sato) after a ‘shaky’ landing. But in true champion style, he remained ‘gracious in defeat,’ refocusing his ‘furious’ energy for the final showdown against Shun Sato.
Sato, 22, put up a ‘valiant’ fight, delivering a near-flawless performance to The Firebird that pushed the Americans to the very edge. However, even a career-best score wasn’t enough to douse the fire of Malinin, whose artistry has been described as ‘otherworldly.’
Social media has been flooded with ‘glowing’ tributes for the Olympic champion. “If ever there was a living work of art, he is it,” one fan gushed on X. “He is the music, the music is him. Even his hair dances and lands perfectly!” Others were more direct about the heartthrob’s appeal, noting he was “so hot he should make the ice melt.”
As the final results flashed on the screen—confirming a 69-68 victory for the U.S.—Malinin was mobbed by teammates Amber Glenn and Madison Chock, who were seen in ‘floods of tears’ as the national anthem began to play. It was a lavish celebration of ‘grit and grace’ that will be talked about for generations.
With the individual men’s event looming later this week, the ‘Quad God’ has officially put the world on notice. If this was him at ‘50 per cent capacity,’ the rest of the field should be very, very afraid.
What do you think? Was Ilia’s backflip the greatest moment in Olympic history? Is he the greatest skater we’ve ever seen? Let us know in the comments below!
