American 'Quad God' Ilia Malinin Aims for Hardest Jump at Olympics

Malinin has yet to attempt the quad axel, a 4 1/2-revolution jump, in competition at the Milan Cortina Olympics.

Published on Feb. 12, 2026

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American figure skater Ilia Malinin, known as the 'Quad God', has been teasing fans by submitting program plans that include the quad axel, the most difficult quadruple jump in figure skating. However, through the team event and his individual short program, Malinin has yet to attempt the quad axel, opting instead for the safer triple axel. With a comfortable lead going into the free skate, Malinin may be saving the quad axel attempt for his grand finale on Friday night.

Why it matters

Malinin's potential quad axel attempt would be historic, as no one has ever landed the jump in competition before. The quad axel is a 4 1/2-revolution jump that is considered the most difficult quadruple jump. Malinin's ability to land this jump would cement his status as one of the greatest figure skaters of his generation.

The details

Malinin's program plans for the free skate on Friday night include a record-tying seven quads, with the quad axel potentially being one of them. The quad axel has a base value of 12.5 points, significantly more than the triple axel's 8.0 points, giving Malinin a massive scoring advantage if he can land it. However, the jump is extremely risky, and Malinin has prioritized his health and safety throughout the Olympics.

  • Malinin stunned the figure skating world by landing the quad axel at the U.S. International Figure Skating Classic in September 2022, when he was just 17 years old.
  • At last year's world championships in Boston, Malinin landed the quad axel along with each of the other five quad jumps, propelling him to his second straight title with the second-largest margin of victory in its 130-year history.

The players

Ilia Malinin

An American figure skater known as the 'Quad God' for his ability to land multiple quadruple jumps, including the elusive quad axel.

Yuma Kagiyama

A Japanese figure skater who is currently in second place behind Malinin going into the free skate.

Adam Siao Him Fa

A French figure skater who is currently in third place behind Malinin and Kagiyama going into the free skate.

Scott Hamilton

A former American figure skater and 1984 Olympic champion who admitted he never thought he'd see anyone land a quadruple axel in his lifetime.

Kristi Yamaguchi

A former American figure skater and 1992 Olympic champion who has expressed amazement at Malinin's ability to land the quad axel.

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What they’re saying

“I never thought I'd see anybody do a quadruple axel. Not in my lifetime.”

— Scott Hamilton, 1984 Olympic champion (eastidahonews.com)

“Seeing what Ilia has done in the last three years has been mind-boggling. I know several of us — Brian Boitano, Scott Hamilton — we've talked, saying, 'We have never imagined we would be alive to see a quad axel performed and landed in competition,' and here comes Ilia, just whipping it off like it's nothing.”

— Kristi Yamaguchi, 1992 Olympic champion (eastidahonews.com)

“I want him to be a smart competitor. I know how much it can mean to a skater to have a clean performance in the Olympics, and I really want him to have a clean performance. Yes, technical — as technical as he wants to be. But if one of the quads he aspires to hit, he isn't feeling great that day, I want him to be solid.”

— Brian Boitano, 1988 Olympic champion (eastidahonews.com)

What’s next

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The takeaway

Ilia Malinin's potential attempt at the quad axel, the most difficult quadruple jump in figure skating, would be a historic moment at the Milan Cortina Olympics. While the jump carries significant risk, Malinin's ability to land it would cement his status as one of the greatest figure skaters of his generation.