Ilia Malinin eyes three Winter Olympic Games as Milano-Cortina looms
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Gold medallist Ilia Malinin of the United States celebrating after winning the Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final senior men's singles event in Aichi, Nagoya, on Dec 6. It was his third consecutive Grand Prix Final title.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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LOS ANGELES – Ilia Malinin says he hopes to compete at three Winter Olympic Games, starting in Italy in February, as the three-time US men’s figure skating champion continues the rapid rise that has made him the favourite for the gold medal at the upcoming Milano-Cortina Games in 2026.
Asked how long he plans to stay in the sport, the 21-year-old said his goal is to skate through the 2026, 2030 and 2034 Olympic cycles, while acknowledging the physical demands of the difficult jumps that have helped define his career.
“There are three Olympic cycles that I still want to skate,” he told reporters ahead of the US Figure Skating Championships, which kick off on Jan 4 in St Louis.
“Hopefully in those years I’ll become the fullest skater I can be.”
Earlier in December, Malinin won his third consecutive Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final in record-setting fashion in Japan, becoming the first skater to land seven quad jumps in one programme.
The Virginia native is also the only skater ever to land a quad axel in international competition and employs thrilling backflips to push the boundaries of the sport.
“I don’t know how much my body will handle it after all the jumps I’ve been doing so far, but that’s a goal for me to at least skate for another three Olympic cycles,” he said, adding that he is “playing everything by ear” based on his health and motivation.
Malinin said his approach to longevity is increasingly guided by managing his training load.
“I know my body,” the American claimed. “I can say, this is enough jumps already and not overdo myself.”
He added that he is feeling “really good” heading into the nationals, though he is still adjusting after switching to new skates – a change that can affect timing and feel on take-offs and landings.
With Milano-Cortina looming, he said he is not looking to gamble on tricky changes to his programmes right now, particularly while breaking in new equipment.
“Being an Olympic year, I really don’t want to take any unnecessary risks, especially with having new skates right now,” he said, adding that he wants to be “100 per cent for the Olympics”.
Malinin believes the surge of attention that comes with an Olympic season is already being felt, and he sees part of his role as helping the sport reach a wider audience.
“I definitely see the popularity rising,” he said, adding that being recognised in everyday settings like grocery stores makes him feel he is doing his job as a skater to make the sport more popular.
“After the Olympics, there’s going to be a lot more to come,” he said. “I really want to grow the sport to the heights that it has been at and maybe even higher.” REUTERS
