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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
National
Fernanda Figueroa

Malinin made history with his Olympic backflip, but some say that glory was owed to Bonaly

Milan Cortina Olympics Figure Skating - (Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

Ilia Malinin, the U.S. figure skater nicknamed the “Quad God,” became the first person to legally land a backflip on one skate in the Olympics — but he’s not the first to pull it off at the Winter Games.

The 21-year-old from Virginia delivered a crucial free skate for the winning American team, filled with his trademark quadruple jumps, and punctuated the gold medal-clinching performance with a backflip that he landed on just one blade.

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