Ilia Malinin is one of the celebrated figure skaters that’s taking the stage at the 2026 Winter Olympics. He’s slated to compete in both the Men’s Figure Skating Freestyle and Men’s Figure Skating Short Program in Milan, Italy. So, what’s the story behind his “Quad God” nickname?
Malinin actually gave himself that nickname, and it stuck. Here’s what you need to know about the “Quad God” and why that’s the right name for the budding skater.
Olympic Figure Skater Ilia Malinin: Why Is He Called the ‘Quad God?’
Malinin actually gave himself the nickname when he changed his Instagram handle to “ilia_quadg0d_malinin.” He chose the name because of his ability to successfully land quadruple jumps.
Malinin has gone down in skating history as the first skater to land a quadruple Axel in competition. He’s also able to execute all six quadruple jumps and has broken records for his number of quads in a single program.
When competing on Saturday, February 7, in Milan, the “Quad God” finished second to Yuma Kagiyama of Japan by 10 points. That may sound like a disappointing showing, but he had a solid response.
“I feel really happy,” he said, according to the official NBC Olympics website. “I’m so glad to be here. You know, this Olympic moment and this Olympic experience was a once-in-a-lifetime moment for me, so just being able to go out here is what I’m just grateful for. “I’m trying to enjoy every single moment. There are a lot of unexpected things that happen in life.”
Earlier, he had opened up about the pressure of being an Olympian. “It’s a lot to handle, the pressure, all the attention, all the focus on you to become the Olympic gold hopeful,” he said, according to NBC Olympics.
He added, “A lot of the times I’ll have bad days where I think about that, and it really shuts me down, and it really puts me in, you know, not the best moods. That’s something that everyone has to go through, and they have to find their way to motivate themselves or keep them together during that pressure.”
When and How Can You Watch Ilia Malinin Compete in the 2026 Olympics? He Has a Packed Schedule
The “Quad God” is slated to compete in both the Men’s Figure Skating Freestyle and Men’s Figure Skating Short Program in Milan, Italy.
The Men’s Figure Skating Freestyle airs Sunday, February 8 at 3:55 p.m. Eastern time from the Milano Ice Skating Arena in Milan and is broadcast on the USA Network and streamed on Peacock. The only reason this event isn’t being broadcast on NBC during the day is because of Super Bowl LX coverage.
He’ll also compete in the Men’s Figure Skating Short Program on Tuesday, February 10 from 12:30 p.m. to 4:45 p.m. Eastern time at the Milano Ice Skating Arena in Milan. That will also be broadcast on the USA Network, NBC and Peacock.
So, there will be plenty of chances to catch the “Quad God” in action during the Games. Plus, at just 21 years old, chances are this won’t be his final Olympics.
Ilia Malinin: The Story Behind His ‘Quad God’ Nickname at the Olympics