Quad God' Ilia Malinin Leads Olympic Skate With 108.16

At 21 years old, Ilia Malinin just put on a figure skating masterclass that has him one performance away from Olympic gold.

The Virginia native dominated the men's short program at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan on Tuesday, landing every jump with precision and style. His score of 108.16 puts him ahead of Japan's Yuma Kagiyama (103.07) and France's Adam Siao Him Fa (102.55) heading into Friday's decisive free skate.

Malinin earned his "Quad God" nickname honestly. He opened with a flawless quad flip, immediately setting the tone for what would become an electric performance.

The crowd in Milan watched as he glided across the ice, nailing a triple axel before transitioning into a change camel spin. Then came the moment that sealed his dominance: a quad Lutz triple toe loop so perfect that Malinin gave himself a fist pump and smile mid-routine.

But the technical wizardry wasn't even the most crowd-pleasing moment. Malinin threw in a backflip that sent the arena into cheers, showing he could blend artistry with athleticism in ways that captivate audiences.

"He is the benchmark," NBC broadcaster and former Olympic medalist Johnny Weir said as Malinin awaited his scores. The numbers backed up that statement.

This isn't Malinin's first taste of Olympic glory at these Games. He already has a gold medal from last week's mixed team event, where his free skate scored 200.03 and helped secure the top spot for Team USA.

Why This Inspires

What makes Malinin's performance so compelling isn't just the technical difficulty. It's watching someone at the peak of their sport make the impossible look joyful.

Figure skating demands years of grueling training, countless falls, and the mental toughness to perform under enormous pressure. Malinin makes it look like pure fun, smiling through his jumps and feeding off the crowd's energy.

His journey represents the best of Olympic competition: young athletes pushing boundaries and redefining what's possible in their sport. At 21, he's showing the world that American figure skating has a bright future.

Friday's free skate will determine if Malinin adds individual gold to his team medal, but he's already proven he belongs at the top of the podium.