Team USA figure skater Ilia Malinin is one among the most important names on the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina — but he’s got down to prove that, despite his incredible talent on the ice, he’s not so different from the fans watching at home.
“Everyone sees me at competitions and I’m just so focused, I’m really in a unique mindset where I’m just about as perfect as I could be,” Malinin, 21, exclusively told Us Weekly before the beginning of the Games. “But in point of fact, I’m not perfect. I’ll have bad days, I’ll have good days. It’s really the thing that tells people, ‘Oh, he’s really human like the remainder of us.’”
In a shocking turn of events, Malinin didn’t medal in the lads’s free skate on Friday, February 13, after falling twice in competition.
“I used to be not expecting that,” Malinin told NBC after his performance. “I felt so ready getting on that ice. Possibly I used to be too confident it was going to go well.”
Keep reading to learn more about what makes Malinin tick, each on and off the ice.
Ilia Malinin Is From a Family of Figure Skaters
Ilia Malinin’s Russian-born parents, Tatiana Malinina and Roman Skorniakov, represented Uzbekistan on the Winter Olympics twice: Nagano in 1998 and Salt Lake City in 2002.
Born in Virginia, Malinin began being trained by his parents when he was 6 years old.
Ilia’s grandfather Valery Malinin can be a figure skating coach and formerly competed for the Soviet Union.
Ilia Malinin Desires to Make Figure Skating Cool Again
Success for Ilia on the 2026 Winter Olympics is about excess of standing on top of the rostrum.
“My perfect idea for fulfillment for the Olympics is to essentially bring back an enormous majority of recognition in skating,” Ilia explained. “Just bring it back to its prime days where, many years ago, all arenas were sold out for anything related to skating. It was extremely popular. It was televised on each channel. That’s something I actually need to bring back.”
He added, “Quite a lot of people can be watching the Olympics, so I feel that’s where I can inform them about this concept.”
MILAN, ITALY – FEBRUARY 03: Ilia Malinin of Team United States takes part in a training session on day minus three of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games at Milano Ice Skating Arena on February 03, 2026 in Milan, Italy. Matthew Stockman/Getty Images
Ilia Malinin Loves His ‘Quad God’ Nickname
Ilia has been nicknamed the “Quad God,” a reference to him being the primary skater to land a quadruple axel in competition — and the benefit he routinely performs them with.
“I definitely embrace the nickname,” Ilia said. “I feel it gives me my motivation and my reasons for why I perform so well.”
Ilia became the primary skater to land the quad in competition on the 2022 CS U.S. International Classic.
On the 2025 Grand Prix Final in December, Ilia landed seven quads in a single program on his strategy to his third consecutive Grand Prix title.
“Hearing the name Quad God, you simply should be ready,” Ilia added. “For me specifically, I prefer to set standards. I at all times prefer to push myself to the limit, or push myself to my very own limits and really just attempt to see that progress.
MILAN, ITALY – FEBRUARY 01: Ilia Malinin attends the Team USA Welcome Experience on the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympics on February 01, 2026 in Milan, Italy. Joe Scarnici/Getty Images for USOPC
Ilia Malinin Is a Proud Cat Dad
When Ilia needs a break from the pressure of being one of the best figure skater on the earth, he has a straightforward strategy to alleviate the stress: spending time along with his two ragdoll cats, Mysti and Miu Miu.
“They were a present for me for winning my second World Championships,” Ilia said. “I’m pretty blissful to have them. They’ve really made my life so significantly better. It really helps my mood. Possibly I’ll have a nasty day and coming home and seeing the cats gives you something to speak your mind off [skating].”
He added, “They really comfort me, as well. I’m lucky to have that.”
Away From the Rink, Ilia Malinin Loves EDM and Video Games
While figure skating takes up most of Ilia’s life, he still finds time for his favorite hobbies.
“I’ll spend my time watching videos or movies or playing video games,” Ilia said. “That’s my greater passion I prefer to do after I’m like, ‘OK, I would like a while away from fascinated about figure skating. Let me hop on my gaming computer real quick and play just a few hours.’ That’s something that helps me.”
Ilia also enjoys “painting, drawing, reading books and making music.” When asked what genre of music he enjoys making most, he said, “probably electronic music.”