This article was originally published on Feb. 9, and updated on Feb. 13.
Ilia Malinin, The “Quad God,” Brought Team USA To A Hard-Earned Victory
The Milano Cortina Winter Olympic Games began on Feb. 6, and the United States has already won gold in a highly competitive category: team figure skating.
Taking scores from all of the figure skating competitors for Team USA, the point values were added together to determine which nation would take home gold, silver, and bronze.
With events on Feb. 6, Feb. 7, and Feb. 8, it was several days of tension for Team USA as its members achieved greatness, but also overcame significant obstacles.
Most notably, 21-year-old Ilia Malinin — who has become known as the “Quad God” for his reputation as the only figure skater to ever land a quad axel in competition — had all the pressure on his shoulders as Team USA entered its final segment tied with Team Japan.
(For coverage of the “Quad God’s” Feb. 13 set in the Men’s Free Skate, see the final section of this article…)
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Watch Team USA’s Figure Skating Victory
Tied 59 to 59, Team USA and Team Japan were tied for 1st as they entered the final segment of the Figure Skating Team Event. This meant the pressure was on for the “Quad God.”
The final segment of the team event was the Men Single Skating – Free Skate on Feb. 8, and the big question was whether Ilia Malinin would be able to redeem himself after scoring 2nd place in the men’s Short Program the day before.
There, Malinin did not complete a triple axel and then failed to achieve full rotation on a quad lutz, earning 2nd place.
Notably, Malinin was entering the Olympics with 14 consecutive victories under his belt.
Regardless of his 2nd place finish in his first segment, Malinin remained strong, performing with his signature panache — even successfully landing a backflip.
This backflip would be repeated, and to great effect, in his tie-breaking men’s Free Skate appearance. To the shock of many, Malinin did not attempt his famed quad axel, and he wound up not needing it to bring Team USA to victory.
Even slipping during his run, he quickly redid a quad lutz in an effort to regain the points lost… an effort which proved successful.
Here’s a breakdown of the scores Team USA’s figure skaters earned to bring home the gold:
- Women Single Skating – Short Program: Alysa Liu scored in 2nd place, earning 9 team points;
- Ice Dance – Rhythm Dance: Madison Chock and Evan Bates scored in 1st place, earning 10 team points;
- Pair Skating – Short Program: Ellie Kam and Danny O’Shea scored in 5th place, earning 6 team points;
- Men Single Skating – Short Program: Ilia Malinin scored in 2nd place, earning 9 team points;
- Ice Dance – Free Dance: Madison Chock and Evan Bates scored in 1st place, earning 10 team points;
- Pair Skating – Free Skate: Ellie Kam and Danny O’Shea scored in 4th place, earning 7 team points;
- Women Single Skating – Free Skate: Amber Glenn scored in 3rd place, earning 8 team points; and
- Men Single Skating – Free Skate: Ilia Malinin scored in 1st place, earning 10 team points.
Altogether, Team USA scored 69 team points in the Figure Skating Team Event, securing gold by a single point.
Breaking that tie, Malinin is quoted by ESPN as saying, “We came here to do one job, and we achieved it.”
Silver was awarded to Japan, which earned 68 team points.
Bronze was awarded to Team Italy, which earned 60 team points.
The next event that Malinin will be competing in will be at 12:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 10, as he competes in the Men’s Single Skating -Short Program, which will be followed by the Men’s Single Skating – Free Skate on Friday, Feb. 13.
Watch Ilia Malinin’s free skate at the 2026 Olympics, which brought Team USA to its gold medal victory, here:
Watch Ilia Malinin’s first 2026 Olympic event, which saw him place in 2nd, here.
Watch Madison Chock and Evan Bates score 1st place in the Ice Dance – Free Skate, here:
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Ilia Malinin, The “Quad God,” Suffers Stunning Loss In Men’s Free Skate
On Friday, Feb. 13, Ilia Malinin was poised to win the gold, but it’s hard to be the “Quad God.”
Continuing with his pace from his first three skates of the 2026 Olympic Games, Malinin chose not to attempt his renowned quad axel.
However, he failed to achieve two quad lutzes, pulling off double and single axels.
Eventually, he even stumbled on the ice. The frustration was on his face as his skate ended, with tears falling.
“If they had sent me to Beijing, I wouldn’t have skated like that,” Malinin could be heard stating at the kiss and cry zone. Back in 2022, Malinin qualified to go to the Beijing Olympics, but was not selected, with the Team USA committee opting for a more seasoned skater.
Ultimately, Malinin finished in 8th place on Feb. 13, and embraced Kazakhstan’s figure skater Mikhail Shaidorov, who won gold — the first ever medal earned by Kazakhstan in figure skating.
Watch the “Quad God’s” disappointing — yet still skilled — Olympic free skate, here.
See him comment on his skate performance, here:
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