Ilia Malinin explained why he risked performing a backflip amid the controversy surrounding Surya Bonaly after landing the historic maneuver at the ongoing Milan-Cortina Olympics. Bonaly was the first to land the maneuver on one blade, a move that was then banned in competition, but the Frenchwoman executed it anyway and brought the audience to its feet.
Malinin had a lot at stake as he aimed to help Team USA secure the gold medal, but he faltered in his final free skate program and missed out on the individual title.
Ilia Malinin Explains Why He Performs a Backflip on the Global Stage
Malinin, popularly known as ‘Quad God’, who executed the first-ever fully rotated quadruple axel, took the Olympic stage as the reigning Olympic and world champion. He has been nothing but a source of pride for the nation, following in his parents’ athletic footsteps. At 21, he made his first Olympic team after missing the 2022 edition by a narrow margin. His first Games campaign started off dominantly, as his performances helped his team win gold.
Malinin delivered one of his strongest performances to top the men’s short program, but lost momentum in the free skate, finishing 15th in the segment and eighth overall. Despite that, he solidified his place in history by landing the first legal backflip at the Olympics in 50 years, since Terry Kubicka performed the maneuver in 1976.
Shedding light on his Olympic exploits, Malinin explained why he continues to attempt the backflip despite the risks involved.
“A lot of the regular audience cannot really understand the difference between a triple and a quad jump because it happens so fast, and both of them can look pretty easy for the naked eye for someone who has no experience in skating,” he said.
“But a backflip is something that everyone is very familiar with the concept, the idea, or even if they have done it before, whether it be on a trampoline, off the ice, or double. It’s something that’s just very relatable for everyone, so realising that people see that and they go, ‘wow,'” Malinin added.
The 21-year-old received support from the greatest American, Simone Biles, after he admitted that the weight of expectations impacted his performance. Malinin has been one of the few athletes to openly discuss Olympic pressure as the cause of his downfall. He admitted to being overwhelmed and losing control while under pressure to win the gold medal.
In an Instagram post, he juxtaposed moments of his heartbreak with his winning shots, sharing that the invisible battles athletes fight within often go overlooked beneath their strong exterior. He also revealed the online backlash and the fear that taints his happy memories, preventing him from handling Olympic pressure smoothly.
