Ilia Malinin Stuns Fans Ahead of World Championships With Quad Axel Into Clean Backflip at Art on Ice

While he proved he wasn’t unbeatable at the Winter Olympic Games when he lost for the first time in over two years in the men’s individual figure skating competition, Malinin wants there to be no debate on who the best male skater in the world is heading into the upcoming World Championships.

After collapsing due to the pressure at the Olympics and even admitting that he “blew it” by having the worst performance of his career at the worst time, the back-to-back world champion is confident that he will find redemption at Worlds in only a few weeks.

At the end of March, a majority of the best figure skaters in the world will converge on Prague to determine the best figure skaters of each discipline for the year before a new season begins.

While other figure skaters who performed at the Games are resting at home or taking it easy before the second-biggest event of 2026, Malinin is showcasing combinations and moves that are making fans’ heads spin.