US Olympian Ilia Malinin Teases Quad Axel Attempt in Final Skate

The American figure skating star has yet to land the hardest quadruple jump in competition at the Milan Cortina Olympics.

Published on Feb. 12, 2026

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Ilia Malinin, the American figure skating star, has been teasing fans at the Milan Cortina Olympics by submitting program plans that include attempts at the quad axel, a 4 1/2-revolution jump that no one else has landed in competition. However, through his team event and short program performances, Malinin has opted for the safer triple axel instead. With a comfortable lead heading into the free skate, Malinin may be saving the quad axel attempt for his grand finale on Friday night.

Why it matters

The quad axel is considered the most difficult quadruple jump in figure skating, and Malinin is the only skater who has successfully landed it in competition. His ability to incorporate this jump could give him a significant scoring advantage over his competitors, but it also carries inherent risk. Malinin's decision on whether to attempt the quad axel in his final Olympic performance will be closely watched by fans and experts alike.

The details

Malinin's program plan for the free skate on Friday night includes a record-tying seven quadruple jumps, with the quad axel potentially being one of them. The quad axel is so difficult because it starts facing forward, giving it an extra half revolution compared to other quad jumps. Even elite skaters struggle with the triple axel, let alone the quad version. Malinin was the first to land the quad axel in competition, doing so at the 2022 U.S. International Figure Skating Classic when he was just 17 years old.

  • Malinin landed the quad axel for the first time in September 2022 at the U.S. International Figure Skating Classic.
  • Malinin won the world championships in 2022 and 2023, landing the quad axel along with each of the other five quad jumps.
  • The Milan Cortina Olympics are taking place in February 2026.

The players

Ilia Malinin

An American figure skater competing at the Milan Cortina Olympics, known as the 'Quad God' for his ability to land the most difficult quadruple jumps, including the quad axel which he was the first to successfully land in competition.

Yuma Kagiyama

A Japanese figure skater competing against Malinin at the Milan Cortina Olympics, with a planned four quadruple jumps in his free skate.

Adam Siao Him Fa

A French figure skater competing against Malinin at the Milan Cortina Olympics, also with a planned four quadruple jumps in his free skate.

Scott Hamilton

A 1984 Olympic champion figure skater who admitted he never thought he would see anyone land a quadruple axel in his lifetime.

Kristi Yamaguchi

A 1994 Olympic champion figure skater 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 figure skater

“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, 1994 Olympic champion figure skater

“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 figure skater

What’s next

The judge in Malinin's case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow him to attempt the quad axel in his final Olympic performance on Friday.

The takeaway

Malinin's ability to land the quad axel, a jump once thought impossible, has captivated the figure skating world. While the technical difficulty could give him a scoring advantage, his decision on whether to attempt it in his final Olympic performance will be closely watched, as he balances the risk with the desire to put on a clean, solid performance.