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Jonathan Vigliotti: “Quad God.” Where does that come from?
Ilia Malinin: I landed my first quad — a quad Salchow — at 13 or 14 and wanted a new Instagram handle. Quad God was available. At first it was just a username, but people asked why I called myself that. I figured if I claimed it, I should try to earn it — land all the quads.
JV: Quad God focuses on the technical, but your routines have so much artistry. Why is that important?
IM: I was always known as the jumper, and it annoyed me. You can’t win by just jumping. You need the whole package: artistry, creativity, musicality, mental and physical strength. It takes so much to make it look effortless. The non-sports fan might not realize how complex figure skating is.
JV: Both your parents are Olympians. What was it like growing up?
IM: They actually didn’t want me to skate. They’d been through the years of sacrifice and said, “We don’t want another skater in the family.” But somehow I and my sister ended up on the ice. My mom is strict; she pushes hard, the “bad cop.” My dad is more chill. They didn’t talk much about their own skating; they focused on me now.
JV: Who is the harder coach?
IM: My mom. She pushes me to work, to not be lazy — always on top of everything. My dad is more laid-back.
JV: Were there moments when your parents urged caution and you pushed forward — like with the quad Axel?
IM: At first it was a joke: “I want to try to land the quad Axel.” They laughed it off. But then they saw I was serious and giving it 100 percent. I told them I would commit and get it done.
JV: Technically, how do you perform a quad Axel?
IM: You need power and speed to lift yourself and generate torque for four-and-a-half rotations. You do it on one leg, and on landing you absorb eight times your body weight. People say height — some numbers say about two-and-a-half feet — but perception changes when you skate. Everything is physics: force, torque, rotation, and then precision on a thin blade. One tiny mistake throws everything off.
JV: What does it feel like in the air?
IM: It’s a blur. It happens in less than a second. At first, when I landed it, I was surprised: “I just did that.” Now it’s more muscle memory; with repetition it becomes consistent.
JV: You’ve talked about quints. Is a quint Axel possible?
IM: I do believe it’s possible. It would require massive preparation, mentally and physically, and full commitment. In skating you can’t halfway go for it. You have to commit like a backflip: if you bail, you could hurt yourself badly.
JV: You took off quickly. Back to 2022: you placed second at Nationals and there was talk of the Olympics, but you didn’t go. How tough was that?
IM: It was pivotal. If things had gone differently, I might not be here pushing limits today. I don’t think I would be landing a quad Axel or trying to revolutionize the sport if not for that moment. It drove me to prove myself.
JV: And then you had big successes: national champion, two-time world champion. Is proving people wrong part of your motivation?
IM: Yes. If someone doesn’t believe in me, I like to show them they’re wrong. It’s my personality: I want to own up and prove people wrong.
JV: Why is skating so special at the Olympics?
IM: Skating reaches different audiences: some watch for athleticism, power, speed; others for choreography, artistry, creativity. It’s uniquely difficult: you must execute crazy technical elements while performing choreography, in front of thousands or in front of TV cameras, all under scoring pressure. It’s a deep, complex sport.
JV: How do you handle crowds and nerves?
IM: The crowd is two-way: the program affects them and the crowd fuels you. When you’re tired mid-program and hear the crowd cheering, it helps you push to the end. As for nerves, they’re always there. When the music starts you go into autopilot — muscle memory takes over. Experience helps a lot. A few years ago I would have said, “I wing it.” Now it’s a deeper process.
JV: You have a persona — Quad God — that set a bar. How do you balance chasing technical feats and maintaining artistry?
IM: I wanted to stop being just “the jumper.” I had to add artistry, creativity, mental and physical strength — the whole package. The nickname set a technical bar; artistry completes the performance. To win, you need both.
JV: What do you hope the Olympic experience will be like?
IM: I’ve heard athletes call the Olympics fun — traveling, competing on a huge stage, meeting athletes from other countries. I’m excited to meet people from other sports, see how they train, how they eat, and find ways to connect and learn from each other. It’s bigger than one sport; it’s a chance to build support across disciplines.
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