**The Allure of Figure Skating: Ilia Malinin’s Story of Courage, Innovation, and Artistry**
*IRVINE* — The allure of figure skating captivates millions—including those who wouldn’t know Axel Paulsen from Ulrich Salchow—and it is its unique ability to tell a story that transcends the Olympic Games every four years. More than any other sport, skating carries a cinematic quality, complete with its own soundtrack.
“That’s what makes skating unique compared to, let’s say, hockey or something that’s based on a clock,” said Shae-Lynn Bourne, a former world champion ice dancer for Canada and one of the sport’s top choreographers. “We get to express. So it’s kind of our athletic art.”
### The Rise of Ilia Malinin: The Quad God
Ilia Malinin, figure skating’s current box office sensation, first emerged earlier this decade as the sport’s next great action hero—the self-proclaimed Quad God, a teenager capable of leaping tall buildings in a single bound and performing 4 1/2 rotations in the air before landing.
In September 2022, at just 18 years old, Malinin became the first person to successfully land a quadruple Axel—the most difficult jump in skating—in competition. Two-time Olympian Johnny Weir compared the feat to the first moon landing.
“He is beyond out of this world,” said Jason Brown, a 2022 Olympian.
Malinin won his first World title in 2024 in Montreal, breaking the 2022 Olympic champion Nathan Chen’s free skate world record. At the World Championships in Boston, he successfully defended his title by becoming the first person to land all six of skating’s jumps as quads.
“Right now, he has no rivals,” said legendary Russian coach Tatiana Tarasova, who has coached more Olympic and world champions than anyone else in figure skating history. “In the past, top athletes performed one or two quadruple jumps at best. Maybe in 15 or 20 years, someone stronger than Ilia will emerge, but until now, there was no one like him.”
### A New Chapter: Malinin’s Artistic Evolution
Just a month after turning 21, Malinin stands as the face of the sport and the marquee name at the upcoming Olympic Games in Milan and the U.S. Championships in St. Louis. Yet, even as he promises to make the Milano Ice Skating Arena his personal launch pad, his most telling strength this Olympic season has been the maturity of his skating and his willingness to take emotional risks.
More than his athleticism or his Beamonesque ability to take flight, Malinin has demonstrated imagination and courage, pushing his skating into new territories. His free skate program, in particular, is an introspective journey, showcasing vulnerability and honesty—a young adult searching for his voice while embracing life’s uncertainties.
Interspersed within his free skate’s music is Malinin’s own voice. On the eve of the most important months of his life, as the world watches, he prepares to glide across Milan’s golden pond with a story to tell.
> “The only true wisdom is knowing you know nothing,” he says in his program.
> “Embrace the storm.”
“This year,” Malinin said after training at Great Park Ice in Irvine, “I really put myself on the ice as a different skater.”
### The Story Behind the Programs
Both of Malinin’s current programs—his short program titled *The Lost Crown* and his free skate named *A Voice*—reflect the influence of choreographer Shae-Lynn Bourne and coach Rafael Arutyunyan, as well as Malinin’s own broader life perspective.
“The story, what they’re skating about, being present and committed and having meaning to every move—that’s what ties everything together and lures the audience in,” Bourne said. “The judges are just the audience. If you’re captivating people, you’re captivating them. You have to tell stories. It’s like when you go to a movie. It’s four minutes—or two minutes and 50 seconds for the short program—you want to make people feel something and remember what you did on that ice.”
*The Lost Crown* is an action-packed routine with a magical quality.
“There’s a story of him possessing extra abilities as the ultimate warrior,” Bourne explained. “It starts with this mysterious, low beginning, like training in the desert, unglamorous and grueling, mirroring Ilia’s own real-life grind.”
The theme evolves into a battle—a survival of the fittest—with an explosive, upbeat finale that showcases Malinin as the “ultimate warrior.” It’s a metaphor for competing against oneself and constantly striving to be the best version of oneself.
Meanwhile, *A Voice* is a deeply personal program woven together with Malinin’s own recorded words—vulnerable, contemplative, honest, and bold.
“My husband helped guide Ilia in recording his voice for the program, deciding where to place his words for maximum impact,” Bourne shared. “It’s truly Ilia’s voice, his vision.”
### Depth Through Experience
Malinin sees his skating—and life—with a deeper perspective.
“I see things completely differently now,” he said. “Everything looks different; I relate things, find similarities. I have much deeper thinking about everything I do.”
Asked whether this depth came from maturity or life experience, he replied, “Everything—all of the above. Life experiences, maturity, and just the time you’ve been alive.”
And his current reality? “Getting ready to compete in the Olympics,” he grinned, “and going for that gold.”
### A Family Legacy and Early Years
Though Malinin was raised in the skating rink environment, he didn’t always see the Olympics in his future. His parents—Tatiana Malinina and Roman Skorniakov—were Olympians for Uzbekistan. Tatiana won the 1999 Grand Prix final and Four Continents event, while Roman was a seven-time national champion. They moved to the U.S. in 2000 and were coaching in Virginia when Ilia was born in Fairfax in 2002.
Skating was the family business—his grandfather Valery Malinin also skated for the Soviet Union before coaching—but young Ilia’s first love was soccer. Neymar was his favorite player.
“My parents never pressured me to skate,” Malinin said. “They wanted me to find my own passion. But I grew up at the rink, playing soccer with kids there. Eventually, I wanted to try ice skating.”
At age 12, Malinin decided to take skating seriously.
“I realized I was progressing faster than I thought, so I talked with my parents, and we decided to put in more effort.”
He continues to be coached by his parents and Rafael Arutyunyan, who also coached Olympic gold medalist Nathan Chen.
### Overcoming Setbacks and Breakthrough
Early successes included winning the 2016 U.S. juvenile title and the 2018 Asian Open Trophy advanced novice competition. However, injuries kept him from the 2020 and 2021 U.S. Championships, raising concerns about his ability to stay healthy.
“That was a concern,” Malinin admitted. “Now, I have a solid training plan and injury prevention strategy to keep progressing.”
His breakthrough came at the 2022 U.S. Championships in Nashville, skating four quads in the free skate to finish second overall. Despite expectations, Malinin was not selected for the Beijing Olympics team, a decision he found difficult to understand.
“If I had gone to those Olympics, I don’t think I’d still be skating after these Olympics,” he reflected.
As a consolation, he was sent to the 2022 World Championships where he placed ninth, then won the World Junior Championships with record-breaking scores.
### Pushing Technical Boundaries
Canada’s Kurt Browning was the first to land a quad jump in competition (a toe loop) in 1988. Chen landed five quads in his 2022 Olympic free skate, but the quadruple Axel remained elusive—until Malinin’s historic landing in September 2022 at the U.S. International Classic in Lake Placid.
“Four-point-five revolutions in the blink of an eye,” said Weir. “The craziest thing I’ve ever seen anyone do on the ice,” added Adam Rippon.
Malinin continued breaking records, including performing on-ice backflips after the International Skating Union lifted its ban, winning the 2023 U.S. title, medaling at Worlds, and landing all six quad jumps in Grand Prix Final competition.
He currently holds the top three free skate scores of all-time, including a 238.24 at the Grand Prix Final, featuring a record seven clean quads.
“To successfully land seven perfect quads in one program was a huge accomplishment,” Malinin said.
### Beyond Comparisons: A Unique Skater
Russian media have compared Malinin to Olympic champions Alexei Yagudin and Evgeni Plushenko, but coach Tarasova dismisses these comparisons.
“Plushenko, Yagudin, and Malinin are entirely different,” Tarasova said. “Alexei had a stronger emotional presence, but no one has done what Malinin is capable of technically.”
Malinin himself acknowledges there is more to achieve.
“There’s still a lot more progress in the next three Olympic cycles,” he said. “I’m playing it by ear, following my passion.”
He also hinted at attempting a quintuple jump in the future: “We’ll see what’s there after Milan.”
### The Story He Wants to Tell
Ultimately, Malinin focuses on the story he wants to share—a story of courage, uncertainty, struggle, and triumph.
“He’s evolving. Each performance feels more real and meaningful,” Bourne said. “Watching him run through the program recently gave me goosebumps—it felt truthful.”
She added, “It’s about diving into the unconscious, trusting it, and following his own voice. There’s a struggle, but also a message—he’s taking his own path, regardless of what others think. The ultimate thing is trusting that path and accepting all that comes with it—the good, the bad, the dark, the light—and embracing it all.”
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*Ilia Malinin’s journey is a testament to the power of athleticism blended with artistry—pushing boundaries on ice while telling a deeply personal story. As he prepares to take center stage in Milan, the world watches not only his jumps but the evolution of a skater redefining the sport itself.*
https://www.sgvtribune.com/2026/01/05/winter-olympics-ilia-malinin-is-ready-to-tell-his-story/
