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All eyes are on American Ilia Malinin as men's figure skating gets underway at the 2026 Olympics. The 21-year-old first-time Olympian is already making waves for groundbreaking achievements in figure skating.
Most notably, Malinin is the only skater in history to achieve a quadruple axel in competition. That feat, earning him the nickname "Quad God," is a fraction of everything Malinin has accomplished.
Given the Olympics offer the largest stage for professional figure skating, there's no doubt that Malinin will showcase this move when he takes to the ice for the free skate on February 13. There's even a chance he'll display his quad axel during the short program today.
What is a quad axel though? How will casual fans understand the greatness they'll have the opportunity to witness?
Here's a full explanation of Malinin's iconic move, and what makes it so difficult.
An axel is the most difficult jump in figure skating. It has the highest point value of any of the six figure skating jumps. It is the only jump where the skater launches forward and lands backwards. Thus, the jump requires an extra half turn that other jumps do not.
A quadruple axel is the pinnacle of the jump, requiring four-and-a-half rotations in order to complete. It's so difficult, in fact, that it was once considered impossible to perform.
Malinin made history with the first-ever quad axel in competition during the U.S. International Figure Skating Classic in Lake Placid on September 14, 2022.
The highest score Malinin has ever received for the jump netted him over 15 points (12.5 base value plus grade of execution). For comparison, the base value of a triple axel is eight point.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Explaining Ilian Malinin's quad axel; what makes it special?
Continue reading...
Most notably, Malinin is the only skater in history to achieve a quadruple axel in competition. That feat, earning him the nickname "Quad God," is a fraction of everything Malinin has accomplished.
Given the Olympics offer the largest stage for professional figure skating, there's no doubt that Malinin will showcase this move when he takes to the ice for the free skate on February 13. There's even a chance he'll display his quad axel during the short program today.
What is a quad axel though? How will casual fans understand the greatness they'll have the opportunity to witness?
Here's a full explanation of Malinin's iconic move, and what makes it so difficult.
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What is an axel?
An axel is the most difficult jump in figure skating. It has the highest point value of any of the six figure skating jumps. It is the only jump where the skater launches forward and lands backwards. Thus, the jump requires an extra half turn that other jumps do not.
A quadruple axel is the pinnacle of the jump, requiring four-and-a-half rotations in order to complete. It's so difficult, in fact, that it was once considered impossible to perform.
When did Malinin first complete the trick?
Malinin made history with the first-ever quad axel in competition during the U.S. International Figure Skating Classic in Lake Placid on September 14, 2022.
The highest score Malinin has ever received for the jump netted him over 15 points (12.5 base value plus grade of execution). For comparison, the base value of a triple axel is eight point.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Explaining Ilian Malinin's quad axel; what makes it special?
Continue reading...
