21-Year-Old Skater Aims to Captivate Audiences at Winter Olympics

Ilia Malinin, a rising figure skating star, helped lead the U.S. to a team gold medal and is now vying for individual glory.

Published on Feb. 9, 2026

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Ilia Malinin, a 21-year-old college student from Vienna, Virginia, is making waves in the figure skating world with his innovative and gravity-defying moves. After helping the U.S. win a team gold medal at the Winter Olympics, Malinin is now set to compete in the men's individual event, where he is expected to showcase his unique skills and captivate audiences.

Why it matters

Malinin's emergence as a top figure skater represents a shift in the sport, as he is pushing the boundaries of what is physically possible on the ice. His success could inspire a new generation of figure skaters and reignite interest in the sport among fans.

The details

Malinin has been honing his skills for years, often turning up the music at his local rink and improvising with a series of flips, twists, and jumps that have never been seen before in figure skating. His ability to execute these complex maneuvers has caught the attention of experts like Scott Hamilton, the 1984 Olympic champion, who described Malinin as coming "from 50 years in the future to show us how far the sport has come."

  • On Sunday, Malinin helped the United States win a team gold medal at the Winter Olympics.
  • On Tuesday, Malinin will compete in the men's individual event at the Winter Olympics.

The players

Ilia Malinin

A 21-year-old college student from Vienna, Virginia, who is considered one of the most dominant figure skaters in the world.

Scott Hamilton

The 1984 Olympic champion and longtime skating analyst, who has praised Malinin's innovative and gravity-defying moves.

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What they’re saying

“You're like, 'Whoa, what is this?' He does these ninja flips and rotational things, things that didn't exist before. He's so different than anything we've ever seen. It's like he's come from 50 years in the future to show us how far the sport has come.”

— Scott Hamilton, 1984 Olympic champion and skating analyst (The New York Times)

What’s next

Malinin's performance in the men's individual event at the Winter Olympics will be closely watched, as he looks to build on his team gold medal and cement his status as one of the sport's rising stars.

The takeaway

Ilia Malinin's innovative and boundary-pushing figure skating skills have the potential to captivate audiences and inspire a new generation of skaters, signaling a shift in the sport's evolution and the emergence of a new era of athletic excellence.