MILAN — Under the pressure of Olympic expectation, Ilia Malinin delivered exactly what champions are made of: control, composure, and jaw-dropping difficulty.
The 21-year-old American phenom electrified the arena Tuesday night with a near-flawless short program, earning a massive 108.16 and opening a commanding lead over Japan’s Yuma Kagiyama (103.07). It was a powerful rebound from the 98.00 he posted in the team short program — a score that had left him chasing rather than leading.
This time, there was no hesitation.
Nicknamed the “Quad God,” Malinin lived up to the billing. He launched a soaring quad flip and quad lutz with precision and authority, pairing technical firepower with charisma that filled the rink. He even punctuated the performance with a cartwheel and a backflip over the Olympic logo at center ice, drawing roars from the crowd. As he waited for his score, coach Rafael Arutyunyan confidently flashed a No. 1 to the camera. Moments later, the scoreboard confirmed it.
But Malinin was quick to temper the favorite talk.
“Being the favorite is one thing,” he said afterward. “Actually getting it done under pressure and having the skate of your life — that’s another thing.”
Earlier in the week, Malinin admitted that the weight of the Olympic moment initially caught him off guard. Skating on Olympic ice for the first time felt bigger than expected. Yet that experience proved valuable. Competing in both segments of the team event helped him settle in, understand the atmosphere, and adjust his mindset.
“I took a different approach today,” he explained. “Nice and calm. Nice and slow. Just relax. Push the autopilot button and let it cruise.”
The result was a performance that looked effortless but carried enormous difficulty. From warmups — where he shadowboxed the camera and drew one of the loudest reactions of the night — to his final pose, Malinin skated like someone fully aware of the moment and ready to own it.
And yet, perhaps the most intimidating detail is what he didn’t include.
Malinin opted not to attempt the quad axel — the most difficult jump in figure skating and one he alone has landed successfully in competition. Instead, he played it strategically, leaving the door open for something even bigger in Friday’s free skate.
“I’m hoping I’ll feel good enough to do it,” he said of the quad axel. “But I always want to prioritize health and safety. I want to be in the right mindset and feel confident going into it.”
If he maintains this momentum, Malinin could become the third American man this century to win Olympic gold, joining Nathan Chen (2022) and Evan Lysacek (2010). But as he made clear Tuesday night, nothing is guaranteed until it’s done.
The lead is his. The pressure is real. And with his most dangerous weapon still in reserve, the Olympic finale promises something unforgettable.
