Ilia Malinin on the pursuit of perfection

February 1, 2026

TL;DR

Ilia Malinin is the only skater to land a quad axel in competition and the first to land seven quads in a single event.
He is the heavy gold medal favorite for the upcoming Olympics.
Malinin's parents, both former Olympians, initially did not want him to skate but now coach him.
He uses his parents' past doubts as motivation to prove himself.
Malinin is known for his swagger, fashion sense, and skating to rap music, and has even incorporated back-flips.
He was not selected for the 2022 Olympics despite qualifying, which he sees as a pivotal moment that fueled his drive.
Malinin is undefeated since November 2023 and aims to continue revolutionizing the sport.
He describes managing nerves by entering an 'autopilot zone' once the music starts.

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