The Quad God Who Makes Figure Skating Look Too Easy

When Ilia Malinin steps onto the ice, the question isn't whether he'll win—it's by how many points he'll demolish the competition. At just 21 years old, the American figure skater has achieved something that seemed impossible for decades: landing the quadruple axel, a jump so difficult that even Yuzuru Hanyu, arguably the greatest skater of all time, couldn't master it.

The paradox is striking. Figure skating thrives on tension—humans defying physics on razor-thin blades, where millimeters separate triumph from disaster. Yet Malinin has become so dominant that he's removed the suspense from his own sport. When he skates cleanly, the only real drama is who gets second place.

The Jump That Changed Everything

For 44 years after Canadian Vern Taylor first landed a triple axel in 1978, the quadruple version remained figure skating's holy grail. The axel's forward-facing takeoff and extra half-revolution make it the most technically demanding jump in the sport. While skaters gradually added rotations to other jumps, the quad axel seemed to push beyond human limits.

Then, in September 2022, a 17-year-old Malinin landed the first quadruple axel in competitive history at Skate America. The moment didn't just break a record—it shattered the sport's understanding of what was possible.

Since that breakthrough, Malinin has lost just one major competition in three years. His dominance isn't marginal; it's overwhelming. At the 2025 World Championships, he outscored the silver medalist by more than 31 points—a margin that would be considered a blowout in any sport.

The Science Behind the Magic

What makes Malinin capable of achieving what no one else can? Scientists studying his technique have found that he jumps higher vertically on his quad axel compared to other skaters' triple axels. But the technical explanation only goes so far.

"Generational athletes—Serena Williams, Michael Phelps, LeBron James, and Malinin—are the greatest because they can do things that we can't fully explain," notes skating analyst Jackie Wong. The physics can describe the mechanics, but not the magic.

The current scoring system rewards risk-taking, with the most difficult elements earning the highest points. Malinin's quad axel—worth more than any other jump in men's skating—allows him to build insurmountable leads. But unlike skaters who attempt difficult jumps and fail, Malinin executes them with startling consistency.

Wong compares Malinin's dominance to Simone Biles in gymnastics—athletes who don't just win, but perform elements that literally no one else can do, turning competitions into coronations rather than contests.

America's Figure Skating Renaissance

Malinin's potential gold medal in Milan would mark something historic: the first time since 1988 that the United States has won consecutive Olympic gold medals in men's figure skating. After Brian Boitano's victory, American men endured a drought broken only by Evan Lysacek's upset win in 2010.

Nathan Chen's dominant 2022 performance, landing five quad jumps, reset expectations for American skating. Now Malinin threatens to make even Chen's achievement look modest. "Ilia watching Nathan makes Ilia possible, and then the next generation watching Ilia makes them possible," explains Justin Dillon, US Figure Skating's chief of high performance.

This isn't just about individual success—it represents a systematic shift in American skating development. Dillon, who began scouting junior talent in 2016, looks for kids as young as eight or nine who show rapid rotation ability. The strategy recognizes that quad jumpers are made, not born, through early identification and specialized training.

The Artistry Question

Figure skating has long grappled with the tension between athleticism and artistry. As quad jumps become more valuable, critics worry that the sport prioritizes technical difficulty over artistic expression. But Malinin, inspired by Hanyu, seems determined to excel at both.

Choreographer Sandra Bezic sees potential for Malinin to develop into a complete artist, not just a technical marvel. "He's such a charismatic performer. He cares about his connection to the audience," she observes. But artistic maturity takes time and life experience—something a 21-year-old, however talented, is still developing.

The Burden of Perfection

Malinin's dominance raises an uncomfortable question for figure skating: What happens when one athlete becomes so superior that competition becomes predictable? Sports need uncertainty to maintain drama and audience engagement.

Yet this same dominance could inspire the next generation. Young skaters watching Malinin might expand their own sense of what's possible, potentially leading to innovations that could challenge even his supremacy.

The quad revolution shows no signs of slowing. Junior competitions now feature skaters attempting jumps that were cutting-edge just years ago. The techniques, training methods, and expectations have all evolved in response to athletes like Chen and Malinin pushing boundaries.