The Olympic men’s free skate in Milan is shaping up to be more than just another final, because if recent history is anything to go by, Ilia Malinin is preparing to turn the individual event into a technical masterclass that could redefine figure skating yet again. The American star, widely known as the “Quad God,” enters the Olympic men’s free skate riding an extraordinary streak of dominance that has stretched beyond two years and 15 consecutive competitions, and he has made it clear that the short program was only a warm-up act.
After securing gold for Team USA in the team event, Malinin admitted that he deliberately dialed down the intensity, skating at what he described as “50 percent” in order to conserve energy for the individual Olympic men’s free skate. He acknowledged uncharacteristic wobbles that he attributed to Olympic excitement, but insisted that his approach was strategic rather than uncertain. That statement alone has heightened anticipation for what he might attempt when the men’s free skate begins.
Ilia Malinin and the Quadruple Axel: Why the Olympic Men’s Free Skate Is His Stage
Ilia Malinin’s name has become synonymous with technical revolution, largely because he is the first skater to land a fully ratified quadruple Axel in competition. The quadruple Axel, a jump involving four and a half rotations in the air, had long been considered unattainable until Malinin executed it at the 2022 U.S. International Classic, fundamentally altering the sport’s technical ceiling. Since then, he has consistently included the element in major competitions, treating what was once mythical as routine.
In the build-up to the Olympic men’s free skate, Malinin has also demonstrated the capacity to land as many as seven quadruple jumps in a single free program, a feat that set a new free skate scoring benchmark at the Grand Prix Final. That performance, where he rallied from third place after the short program to defeat Japan’s Yuma Kagiyama by nearly 30 points, remains a reminder of how quickly he can swing momentum in the Olympic men’s free skate.
The men’s free skate format rewards both technical ambition and strategic layout. Skaters must include seven jump elements, three spins, a spin combination, a step sequence and a choreographic sequence, while navigating strict repetition rules and the crucial 10 percent bonus awarded to the final three jump elements executed in the second half. Malinin’s ability to stack high-value quadruple jumps into the back half of his Olympic men’s free skate gives him a scoring advantage that few can realistically match.
Yuma Kagiyama and the Threat to Ilia Malinin in the Olympic Men’s Free Skate
If there is a credible threat to Ilia Malinin in the Olympic men’s free skate, it is Yuma Kagiyama. The Japanese skater, a 2022 Olympic silver medalist, sits second after the short program and remains one of the most refined all-around competitors in the field. Kagiyama’s skating skills and program component scores often narrow gaps even when he trails in raw technical base value.
Both skaters have spoken openly about their mutual respect, with Kagiyama acknowledging that Malinin at his best is nearly unbeatable, while Malinin has described Kagiyama as an artist who pushes him to refine the expressive side of his Olympic men’s free skate. However, unless Malinin falters significantly, the American’s technical arsenal in the Olympic men’s free skate presents a gap that even Kagiyama’s polished performance may struggle to bridge.
France’s Adam Siao Him Fa, currently third after the short program, also possesses the ability to disrupt the Olympic men’s free skate podium. The Frenchman, who famously helped restore the legality of the backflip in competition, remains capable of sublime performances, although inconsistency has been a defining feature of his career. His “The Creation of Adam” free skate has divided opinion but offers both risk and reward.
What to Expect When Ilia Malinin Goes Full ‘Quad God’
When the Olympic men’s free skate begins, the expectation is that Ilia Malinin will abandon the measured approach he used earlier in the Games and unleash his full technical content. That likely means a program anchored by the quadruple Axel, multiple additional quadruple jumps, and a layout designed to exploit the second-half bonus.
The Olympic men’s free skate is as much about endurance as brilliance, because fatigue often exposes even minor technical errors. Ilia Malinin’s decision to conserve energy earlier in the competition may prove decisive if he delivers the clean, high-difficulty program that he has suggested is coming.
With the Olympic men’s free skate streaming live on Peacock and NBCOlympics.com and airing on USA Network and NBC, the stage is set for what could be another defining chapter in Ilia Malinin’s remarkable career. If he performs as he has promised, the Olympic men’s free skate will not merely crown a champion; it may once again shift the boundaries of what is considered possible on ice.
