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Ilya Marinin, known as the “God of the Quad,” continued to dazzle fans with his warrior spirit once again in his latest performance at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympic Games.
Marinin performed a historic backflip to help Team USA win gold in the team event. The move was banned in 1976, with authorities citing safety concerns. Before Marinin, fellow American Terry Kubicka was the last skater to legally land at the Olympics.
Marinin will compete in Friday’s men’s free skate as the favorite for gold. He could attempt his first quadruple axel at the Olympics.
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Ilia Marin of the United States competes in the men’s figure skating short program at the 2026 Winter Olympics on Tuesday, February 10, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Marinin admitted that he took a cautious approach to the jump, which is widely considered the most difficult in the sport.
“I hope to feel well enough (on Friday),” he told reporters on Tuesday. “But, of course, I always prioritize health and safety, so I want to put myself in the right mindset to be able to go into it with real confidence and not jeopardize that.”
Who is Ilya Marinin? The “Quad God” may already be one of the greatest figure skaters of all time
The International Skating Union (ISU) will lift the ban on somersaults in June 2024, paving the way for the sport to return to skating’s biggest stages.
Ilya Marinin performs a trick during the men’s figure skating short program at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy, Tuesday, February 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
The ISU meeting agenda at the time stated that “a somersault-type jump is so spectacular that it is no longer logical to include it as an illegal move today.”
Ilia Marin stands in the center of the rink during the men’s figure skating short program at the 2026 Winter Olympics on Tuesday, February 10, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)
There’s no set point for backflips for skaters, but Marinin admitted last season that he enjoys the move.
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“You get the audience’s applause, it’s a very suspenseful feeling, and I really like doing that,” he said.
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