The 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo are poised to showcase a figure skating landscape dramatically reshaped by athletic ambition and technical innovation. For years, the sport has been incrementally pushing boundaries, but the arrival of skaters like Ilia Malinin has triggered what many are calling a revolution, forcing a reevaluation of what’s possible on the ice.
At the heart of this shift is the quad jump – any jump with four rotations in the air. Once considered the pinnacle of men’s figure skating, it’s now becoming increasingly expected. As Timothy Goebel, the first skater to land three quads in a single program and a 2002 Olympic bronze medalist, explained, “For me, in 2002, it was no quad, no medal, full stop.” Now, he observes, “No quad, no top ten!” The standard has risen exponentially, a testament to the dedication and athleticism of a new generation.
But the quad isn’t just about quantity. it’s about complexity. The most challenging of these jumps is the quad axel, distinguished by its forward takeoff and requiring a staggering four-and-a-half rotations. For decades, it was deemed unattainable. Alexei Mishin, a renowned Russian figure skating coach, famously predicted no skater would ever land one in his lifetime. That prediction was shattered in 2022 by Ilia Malinin, then just 17 years old.
Malinin’s achievement wasn’t merely a landing; it was a statement. He had already embraced the moniker “Quad God” online, and successfully executing the quad axel cemented that title. While he didn’t make the 2022 Olympic team, his subsequent victories – including two world titles – have positioned him as the overwhelming favorite for gold in Milan. He even helped lead the U.S. To gold in the team event at the 2026 Winter Olympics, demonstrating the impact of his skill.
The physical demands of these jumps are immense. Goebel described the experience as having “your legs on fire” and “your lungs screaming at you,” emphasizing the need for both ingrained muscle memory and unwavering mental fortitude. It’s a brutal test of athleticism, requiring perfect alignment of shoulders, hips, knees, and feet, and a concentrated burst of power to complete the rotations and land cleanly.
The pursuit of these increasingly difficult jumps isn’t solely reliant on raw physical talent anymore. Younger skaters, like Patrick Blackwell, the 2026 U.S. Junior Men’s National Champion, are leveraging data analytics to refine their technique. Blackwell explained that skaters now use technology to measure height, rotational speed, and identify patterns in their jumps, allowing for targeted improvements. This represents a significant shift from the training methods of previous generations.
The impact of the “quad era” extends beyond the men’s program. While it initially redefined men’s figure skating, it’s now increasingly influencing the women’s competition as well. The pressure to incorporate quads into routines is growing, pushing female skaters to attempt jumps previously considered beyond their reach.
However, Goebel cautions against an endless escalation of difficulty. While celebrating the progress, he acknowledges a potential limit to human capability. “I think that’s the exciting part about sport and about the whole Olympic movement,” he said, “But I think we’re close to that bound of like, tapping out the human ability.”
The Milano Cortina Games promise to be a showcase of this new era, a testament to the relentless pursuit of athletic excellence and the power of innovation. The quad, once a daring gamble, is now a necessity, and the skaters who master it will undoubtedly be the ones standing atop the podium.
