US Skater Ilia Malinin Poised for Olympic Gold at 21

Four years after getting cut from the Olympic team, Ilia Malinin is now on the verge of skating history at the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics.

The 21-year-old from Virginia has captivated audiences with his jaw-dropping athleticism. His routines feature legal backflips, one-handed cartwheels, and multiple quadruple jumps that leave crowds stunned.

Malinin leads Japan's Yuma Kagiyama by over five points heading into Friday's free skating final. He's already won gold in the team event, where he landed the first legal backflip at an Olympics in nearly 50 years.

The move was banned for safety reasons after 1976 but has been recently allowed back into competition. Malinin has performed a backflip in each of his three performances so far in Milan.

Born to figure skating parents from Uzbekistan who competed at the Olympics before moving to the United States, Malinin has been unbeaten for the past two years. He arrives in Milan as the two-time reigning world champion and three-time Grand Prix Final winner.

His technical skills set him apart from every other skater. At December's Grand Prix Final, he landed a record seven quadruple jumps in his free skate program and finished 30 points ahead of the competition.

"Sometimes it still overwhelms you," Malinin said about skating over the Olympic rings. The young champion says he's trying to stay calm and enjoy his time on the ice.

Why This Inspires

Malinin trained with Nathan Chen before the Beijing Games and calls it a major inspiration. Now he's following in Chen's footsteps, aiming to win the ninth men's singles title for the United States.

Robin Cousins, who won figure skating gold at the 1980 Olympics, told BBC Sport that watching Malinin compete will be one of those unforgettable moments. "It's his Olympics to lose," Cousins said, praising the skater's unique style.

Despite calling himself the "Quad God," Malinin remains humble about his impact on the sport. "I'm so grateful to be surrounded by so many amazing athletes, so many different artists on the ice," he said.

Experts say the young skater is still a diamond in the rough, which means his best performances may still be ahead of him. On Friday, the world will watch to see if this comeback story ends in gold.