sports
February 1, 2026
Ilia Malinin on the pursuit of perfection
February 1, 2026 / 10:00 AM EST / CBS News
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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