Ilia Malinin Poised for Olympic Glory in Milan
MILAN (AP) — Ilia Malinin, widely regarded as the premier figure skater of his generation, stands on the brink of Olympic immortality as he prepares for the men's free skate at the Milan Cortina Games. The American phenom, known as the "Quad God," carries a significant five-point advantage over rivals Yuma Kagiyama of Japan and France's Adam Siao Him Fa following a stellar short program performance.
A Dominant Streak and Unprecedented Lead
Malinin's lead, substantial by any measure, appears nearly insurmountable given his unparalleled track record. The 21-year-old has remained undefeated for over two years, amassing an impressive streak of 14 consecutive victories in full competitions. This remarkable run includes four consecutive U.S. championships, back-to-back world titles, and numerous world records. Most notably, he holds the highest free skate score ever recorded at 238.24 points, achieved during a 30-point triumph at the Grand Prix Final in December.
Kagiyama, the last skater to defeat Malinin, placed second in that event, while Siao Him Fa finished fifth. Despite his commanding position, Malinin remains grounded, emphasizing the distinction between favoritism and execution under pressure.
"Being the favorite is one thing," Malinin remarked after his short program, "but actually getting it done and doing it under pressure and having the skate of your life to earn that medal is another thing. I don't want to get too ahead of myself and say that it's guaranteed that I'm getting that gold medal. Because, of course, I still have to put in the work."
Strategic Preparation and Competitive Edge
In a strategic move, Malinin opted for an early practice session at U.S. Figure Skating's alternate training facility in Bergamo, located just outside Milan, rather than participating in the standard warm-up routine. This decision mirrors his approach for the short program, designed to minimize prolonged waiting periods at the arena. Meanwhile, his competitors, including Kagiyama and Siao Him Fa, took to the ice at the Milano Ice Skating Area approximately ninety minutes before the free skate, though Malinin's performance was scheduled several hours later.
The extended format of the free skate further amplifies Malinin's advantage, featuring seven jumping passes compared to only three in the short program. His planned routine includes a record-tying seven quadruple jumps, starkly contrasting with the four quads each scheduled by Kagiyama and Siao Him Fa.
Scott Hamilton, the 1984 Olympic champion, contextualized Malinin's dominance by drawing a sports analogy. "It's not so much the point total, it's the difference between the placements," Hamilton explained. "Say it's football. You win by seven points, that's a touchdown; that's good. If you win by 10 points, that's a two-possession victory. You kind of dominated, right? He is winning competitions by 50 points or more. That's like, seven touchdowns."
Historic Quad Axel Attempt and Olympic Pressure
The primary intrigue may not revolve around whether Malinin secures victory, but rather if he can successfully land the first quad axel in Olympic history. As the son of Olympic skaters Tatiana Malinina and Roman Skorniakov, Malinin possesses unwavering confidence and remains the sole individual to have executed this jump in competition. The quad axel's extreme difficulty stems from its forward-facing takeoff, unlike other primary jumps that begin backward, adding an extra half revolution to the maneuver.
"I'm hoping that I'll feel good enough to do it," Malinin acknowledged. "But of course I always 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."
Malinin already boasts a gold medal from the team event, where he rebounded from a surprising second-place finish to Kagiyama in the short program by outperforming Japanese star Shun Sato in the free skate, securing the American team's title defense. Reflecting on his Olympic debut, Malinin admitted initial nerves affected his performance, but he regained his characteristic fearlessness and spunk by the individual short program.
"Now I feel like I've taken over that fight that I had in the team event," Malinin stated, "so now I can really just focus solely on that free program, and let everything happen naturally."
