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Ilia Malinin’s rise as Team USA’s newest Winter Olympics star is already the stuff of figure skating folklore. At just 21, the self-styled “Quad God” delivered another historic performance at the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics, anchoring the American team to its second straight gold medal in the figure skating team event.
Yet behind Malinin’s dazzling success lies a lesser-known family story that spans continents, generations, and Olympic flags far removed from the United States.
A golden debut on Olympic ice
Malinin overcame a mid-program stumble to score 200.03 points, narrowly edging Japan’s Shun Sato in a dramatic 69–68 finish.
His routine featured five quadruple jumps, a technical feat that once again underlined why he is considered the most explosive jumper in men’s figure skating.
Japan settled for silver, while host nation Italy claimed an emotional bronze in front of a packed Milan Ice Skating Arena.
The gold medal marked a defining moment in Ilia Malinin’s Olympic debut, reinforcing his status as the centerpiece of Team USA’s figure skating ambitions in Milan Cortina.
An Olympic legacy beyond America
While Malinin proudly competes for the United States, his Olympic lineage traces back to another part of the world. Both of his parents, Tatiana Malinina and Roman Skorniakov, were elite skaters who represented Uzbekistan—not the U.S.—at the Winter Games.
Ilia Malinina finished eighth at the 1998 Nagano Olympics and later qualified for the 2002 Salt Lake City Games, only to withdraw due to illness. Skorniakov competed at both the 1998 and 2002 Olympics, finishing 19th on each occasion. Their careers laid the foundation for a family legacy that would resurface decades later, albeit under a different flag.
From Virginia roots to world dominance
The couple emigrated to the United States in 1998 and eventually settled in Dale City, Virginia. After marrying in 2000, they welcomed Ilia in December 2004, later followed by a daughter, Elli Beatrice, who is also a competitive junior figure skater.
Ironically, Malinin’s parents initially steered him toward soccer rather than skating. That changed after he landed his first quadruple jump at 13. Reflecting on that turning point, Malinin told People that his parents realized he was “surprisingly good” enough to pursue skating seriously.
Today, both parents coach him at SkateQuest in Northern Virginia, playing a direct role in shaping the two-time world champion’s career.
As Ilia Malinin now turns his attention to the men’s individual events—entering as the overwhelming favorite for gold—his journey stands as a powerful reminder that Olympic greatness often runs deeper than nationality alone.
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