Ilia Malinin enters Olympic month with momentum — and rising expectations

Ilia Malinin is heading into the final weeks before the Milano Cortina Winter Games as the most talked-about men’s singles skater in the field, driven by a mix of technical ambition and a growing belief that he can deliver when the pressure is highest. Fresh Olympic preview coverage this week has cast him as a centerpiece of the U.S. medal outlook, with the quad Axel and his expanding menu of quad jumps again shaping the conversation.

Ilia Malinin’s Olympic moment is arriving fast

In interviews published Thursday, Feb. 5, 2026 (ET), a notable theme emerged: Malinin’s reputation has shifted from “phenom with a signature jump” to “favorite who has to manage the weight of being the standard.” The technical argument is familiar—his ability to land high-value quads, including the quadruple Axel, raises his scoring ceiling in a way few rivals can match.

What’s new is the emphasis on completeness. Recent commentary has highlighted how his presentation and musical interpretation are drawing more respect, not just his jump layouts. In an Olympic season, that matters: the difference between winning and finishing just off the top step often lives in the margins—levels, components, and avoiding costly errors under bright lights.

The quad Axel remains the headline, but it’s not the whole story

Malinin’s quad Axel is still the sport’s most famous “impossible” jump turned real, and it keeps opponents in a tough spot: match the base value and risk the fall, or skate clean and hope he leaves points on the table. But his edge isn’t only one element; it’s the broader risk-reward portfolio he can deploy across a program.

That approach comes with a built-in tension. High difficulty can create separation quickly, but it also increases the chances of pops, under-rotations, or stamina issues late in the free skate. In an Olympics where every warm-up feels like a final, the smartest strategy isn’t necessarily “most difficult,” but “most repeatable with the least volatility.”

Team event could set the tone for the U.S.

Figure skating competition in Milan opens with the team event, and Malinin is expected to be a central piece of the U.S. plan. The team format rewards depth and scheduling discipline—countries must balance chasing a team medal with keeping their top skaters fresh for the individual events.

For Malinin, it’s also an unusual pressure test. Olympic debuts can be tricky; the team event often functions like a live rehearsal with real consequences. A steady performance can calm nerves across the delegation, while a mistake can add noise and doubt heading into the men’s singles event.

How his season results shaped the current hype

Malinin’s recent track record has reinforced the sense that he arrives in Milan as the man to beat. He won the 2026 U.S. title in January and has continued to stack big scores, including a standout short program number that placed him among the highest U.S. Championships scores in modern men’s skating.

He is also the reigning world champion, having defended his title in March 2025 on home ice, which matters psychologically as much as it does on paper. In an Olympic year, “can he do it at the biggest event?” is the question—having already won the sport’s premier annual title helps answer it.

What to watch in Milan: pressure, pacing, and program choices

With the Games days away, the key isn’t inventing new difficulty—it’s executing the plan with the fewest surprises. The biggest swing factors are likely to be:

• whether he opts for maximum difficulty or a slightly safer layout to protect landing quality

• how he manages adrenaline early so he isn’t chasing stamina late in the free skate

• whether the short program is clean enough to set up a controlled free skate rather than a desperate one

Key takeaways (ET)

• Malinin enters Olympic month as the top U.S. men’s singles hope, with unmatched technical upside.

• His advantage is more than the quad Axel; it’s the ability to build high-value programs around multiple quads.

• The Olympic team event is a meaningful early pressure test that can shape confidence and strategy.

• The medal outcome may hinge on repeatability and pacing as much as raw difficulty.

Sources consulted: Reuters, International Skating Union, U.S. Figure Skating, Olympics.com