If the 2026 Winter Olympics have one breakout star so far, America’s own Ilia Malinin is almost certainly it. The 21-year-old figure skater—who has earned the nickname “Quad God” for being the only athlete ever to land a quadruple axel during competition—has been having quite the week: On Sunday, Malinin helped the United States secure a team gold medal, and last night he earned the top spot in the men’s singles short program.
Malinin—who started skating at about six years old—is the child prodigy of Olympic figure skaters Tatiana Malinina and Roman Skorniakov. At the Milano Cortina Winter Games, he has captured the hearts of spectators around the globe, thanks to his distinctive music choices, glitzy wardrobe, and impressive backflips. But before he set off for Italy, he stopped by the Vogue offices for an appearance on The Run-Through.
Speaking to my colleague Arden Fanning Andrews and me, Malinin offered a glimpse into his Olympic training, saying, “I just think about how I want to perform my best. I try not to give myself unnecessary pressure—I take it as I would prepare for any other competition.” That means, for instance, abstaining from caffeine—though he does allow himself to partake in a cheeky pre-skate chocolate bar. (Hershey’s, in case you are wondering.)
Malinin also discussed what goes into perfecting his skillful routines: practice, practice, practice. “Once you land it for the first time, you kind of get an understanding of what you need to do to have it happen again,” he says. “What you have to try to do is repeat that kind of motion or muscle memory over and over again.”
“Most of the time, I really like to do things completely different outside the box—just being as unique as possible,” Malinin continues, alluding to his skating music (he performed to “Dies Irae” by Náttúra and “The Lost Crown” by 2WEI this week) and striking bodysuits. “In the future, I want to be able to design my own costumes and clothes in general,” he teased. Something tells us that, after the Olympics, he’ll have someone take him up on that.
Hear Vogue’s full conversation with the “Quad God” up above.