Ilia Malinin, the self-proclaimed “Quad God,” electrified the Milano Ice Skating Arena on February 10, 2026, catapulting himself into a commanding lead in the men’s singles figure skating competition at the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics. With a near-flawless short program score of 108.16, the 21-year-old American sensation delivered a performance that blended jaw-dropping technical mastery, showmanship, and raw emotion, leaving the crowd roaring and his rivals scrambling to keep pace.

The short program, a tense 2-minute-50-second showcase that demands precision under Olympic pressure, saw Malinin execute his elements with the calm authority of a veteran, despite this being his first individual Olympic appearance. He opened with a massive quad flip that earned an extraordinary grade of execution (GOE) of +3.77, ballooning the element’s value to 14.77 points. The arena held its breath as he transitioned into a textbook triple Axel, adding another solid 9.60 to his tally. But the highlight came in the second half: a thunderous quad Lutz-triple toe loop combination that drew gasps and cheers, scoring an unprecedented 22.03 points—the highest for any single element in the competition—thanks to a GOE of +4.76.

Malinin’s spins and footwork were equally impressive. His change-foot camel spin and combination spin both earned Level 4, while his step sequence, though slightly downgraded to Level 3, still contributed significantly to his 62.35 technical element score (TES) and 45.81 program components. No deductions marred the performance. The total—108.16—represented a stunning rebound from his 98.00 in the team event short program just days earlier, where nerves had gotten the better of him.

What made the skate unforgettable wasn’t just the jumps. Midway through, Malinin unleashed a dramatic backflip over the Olympic logo at center ice—a move banned in competition since the 1990s but permitted as an artistic flourish in recent years. He followed it with a playful cartwheel and a cocky “mean-mug” directed at the camera, gestures that ignited the Italian crowd into a frenzy. The standing ovation that followed was deafening, rivaling the energy reserved for home favorite Daniel Grassl. Coach Rafael Arutyunyan greeted the scores by holding up a bold “1” sign, a silent declaration of dominance.

Malinin’s lead stands at 5.09 points over Japan’s Yuma Kagiyama, the 2022 Olympic silver medalist who scored 103.07. Kagiyama, who had stunned the skating world by topping Malinin in the team event short program with 108.67, delivered a strong but less explosive routine here. France’s Adam Siao Him Fa rounded out the podium spots with a career-best 102.55, showcasing his signature flair and musicality.

Other notable performances included Italy’s Daniel Grassl earning solid marks in front of his home fans, while rising talents like Kazakhstan’s Mikhail Shaidorov and others fought to stay in medal contention. The field remains stacked, but Malinin’s buffer provides a psychological edge heading into the free skate on February 13.

Speaking to reporters afterward, Malinin reflected on taming the Olympic pressure that had eluded him earlier. “I think I want to call it Olympic pressure… I didn’t expect it to be so much,” he admitted. He explained his mindset shift: “I mentioned it earlier in the week, it took me a little while to understand what really happened. But now that I understand it, I took a different approach today and really just [took] things nice and calm, nice and slow. Just relax. Really just push the autopilot button. Let it cruise.”

He credited competing in the team event as crucial preparation. “I definitely think it was a good idea to do [both events in] the team, because I think the short program in the team event itself would not have been enough to get comfortable with the ice… Now I can come with a different approach.”

On the possibility of attempting his signature quad Axel—the jump only he has landed in competition—Malinin remained cautious yet hopeful. “I’m hoping that I’ll feel good enough to do it that day… But of course I always want to prioritize health and safety. So I really want to put myself in the right mindset where I’ll feel really confident to go into it and not have that as something that I’m gonna risk.”

The “Quad God” nickname, born from his unprecedented mastery of quadruple jumps, has followed Malinin since he became the first skater to land a quad Axel in competition in 2022. Born in Virginia to Russian figure skating parents (his mother Tatiana Malina and father Roman Skorniakov were both competitive skaters), Malinin grew up immersed in the sport. His breakthrough came at the 2022 U.S. International Figure Skating Classic, where the quad Axel sent shockwaves through the community. Since then, he has rewritten the record books, landing seven clean quads in a single free skate at the 2025 Grand Prix Final and winning back-to-back world titles.

This Olympic cycle has been no different. Malinin entered Milano Cortina as the overwhelming favorite, but the team event provided a reality check. In the team short program, Kagiyama outscored him significantly, placing second behind the Japanese star. Malinin redeemed himself in the team free skate, battling through a stumble to post 200.03 and clinch gold for Team USA alongside teammates like Alysa Liu, Madison Chock, and Evan Bates. That experience, he said, was invaluable.

Figure skating at the Olympics has always been about more than scores—it’s theater on ice. Malinin’s short program music, a dramatic blend of “Dies Irae” by Náttúra and “The Lost Crown,” perfectly suited his aggressive style. The jumps weren’t just technical feats; they were statements. The quad flip opener set the tone: explosive takeoff, perfect rotation, thunderous landing. The triple Axel, a staple that many skaters struggle with, looked effortless. And that quad Lutz combo? A technical marvel, with the difficult entry edge on the Lutz making it one of the highest-valued elements possible.

Comparisons to past American greats are inevitable. If Malinin claims individual gold on Friday, he would join an elite club: the third U.S. man to win Olympic singles gold this century, following Evan Lysacek (2010) and Nathan Chen (2022). Chen’s retirement left a void, but Malinin has filled it with flair and dominance. Unlike Chen’s laser-focused precision, Malinin brings swagger—backflips, cartwheels, shadowboxing in warmups that drew cheers as if he were a local hero.

The pressure cooker of the Olympics is unlike any other event. Malinin admitted the atmosphere initially overwhelmed him. “Being the favorite is one thing. Actually getting it done and doing it under pressure and having the skate of your life to earn that medal is another thing.” His ability to flip the switch—to go from tentative in the team event to dominant here—speaks to maturity beyond his years.

Kagiyama remains the biggest threat. The Japanese star, silver medalist in Beijing 2022, has consistency and artistry on his side. His 103.07 was strong, but Malinin’s technical ceiling in the free skate—with potential for four to seven quads—looms large. Siao Him Fa’s 102.55 keeps him in striking distance, while others like Grassl could surge with home-crowd energy.

The free skate promises fireworks. Malinin’s programs often feature multiple quads, including attempts at the quad Axel that could push his score into stratospheric territory. A clean performance could shatter records; even a minor error might open the door for rivals. But on this night in Milan, Malinin looked untouchable.

As the arena lights dimmed and the echoes of applause faded, one thing was clear: the Quad God had arrived at the Olympics. He tamed the ice, tamed the pressure, and positioned himself one step from immortality. The free skate awaits, and the world will be watching to see if Ilia Malinin can turn lead into gold.