Ilia Malinin skates with message, ‘Is this what you wanted?’ at Olympics gala

MILAN — This time there was only Malinin magic.

It was only an exhibition, mind you, not competition with medals and legacy at stake. But Ilia Malinin delivered. Like only a showman on ice skates can.

Two quads.

A backflip.

Balletic artistry, with street cred.

When the four-minute routine ended, the crowd rewarded Malinin with thunderous cheers at the ice skating exhibition gala.

‘This message and this program and song is something that really spoke to me. It really represented how I’ve been feeling the last year leading up to these Olympics,’ Malinin said. ‘There’s been so much pressure, so much doubt and everything around me, the noise with the media….It’s been so overwhelming.’

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During the gala on ice, there was a touch of sadness, seeing Malinin’s immense talent and artistry only days after an eighth-place finish on the free skate doomed him in the men’s individual competition.

‘With what happened, I’m still very, very grateful to be here and I want to show to the world we’re also human beings,’ he said.

During his performance at the exhibition, he oozed with confidence. The self-proclaimed ‘Quad God’ vaulted into the air for his signature quad spins. Not once, but twice, followed by the magical backflip.

He was dressed for the moment too. In a dark hoodie. In dark pants that looked painted white on the front and back.

Shaking his mane of sandy blond hair as he glided across the ice. Truly, it was a moment to behold and reminder of how much skill this 21-year-old American has — and what we might see in 2030, the next time he skates on the Olympic stage.