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.
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 Can You Watch Ilia Malinin Compete in the 2026 Olympics?
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.
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