Competing for the first time at the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, Ilia Marin (El Ru A Mar La Nin) is the front-runner for gold on the U.S. men’s figure skating team.
He is known as the “God of the Quad” for his uncanny ability to pull off the most difficult jump in skating history, the quadruple axel, which involves spinning 4.5 times in the air before landing backwards. Marinin is already the first skater to land a quad axel in any competition, and if he successfully lands a quad axel at the 2026 Winter Olympics, he will become the first skater in Olympic history.
To compete against the world’s top figure skaters, Mullin has to bring an arsenal of quad jumps, including the quad axel, quad lutz, quad flip, quad salchow, and quad toe loop, which he frequently performs in linked combinations. Marinin and his teammates take on the world to make history.
Introducing the U.S. Men’s Figure Skating Olympic Team
Malin, 21, the reigning world figure skating champion and the only person in figure skating history to successfully land a quad axel in an international competition, is about to compete in her first Olympics.
Marinin will be joined by veteran skaters Andrew Tolgashev and Maxim Naumov. Tolgashev, 24, is a 2025 and 2026 U.S. national silver medalist and multiple Grand Prix medalist. Novoff, 24, is the 2026 U.S. National Bronze Medalist and three-time U.S. Pewter Medalist.
With gold medal potential, the United States is fielding one of the strongest Olympic teams in history.
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Quad Axel: Landing the most complex jump in ice skating
There are six different jump forms in figure skating: the toe loop, flip, Lutz, Salchow, loop, and axel. The difference between jumps is in the way they take off and how they land.
Quadruple jumps are the most difficult of all jumps. Jumps require tremendous power, precision, and stability to withstand extreme landing forces that can be up to eight times the skater’s body weight.
This involves kicking off the front outside edge of the skate, achieving tremendous rotational speed in a tight aerial position by pulling the arms and legs tightly against the body, completing four and a half revolutions in the air, and landing backwards on the opposite foot.
In September 2022, Marin performed the quad axel for the first time in competition at the US International Figure Skating Classic in Lake Placid, New York. According to an analysis by Ice Skating International, jumps typically last just 0.79 seconds. So when you watch him compete in the Olympics, don’t blink.
figure skating physics
Skaters who are leaner and weigh less perform better than larger competitors when performing quadruple jumps. Athletes with leaner body types are able to propel higher, rotate faster, and have better body control.
According to the American College of Sports Medicine, when a 150-pound skater spins at extremely high speeds during a quadruple jump, he or she can experience about 180 pounds of centrifugal force that pulls the arms away from the body. Space between your arms and body will slow your rotation and can prevent you from landing the jump in the correct position.
ice skates with edges
Both professional and amateur skaters use ice skates for the same purpose. As the blade slides across the ice, it melts a thin layer, allowing the skater to glide smoothly. The boots can be custom-fitted, giving you ultimate control. As speeds approach 20 mph, more control is required.
Olympic skating venue
The Milan Ice Skating Arena, an important venue close to Milan city centre, hosts events in figure skating, ice hockey and short track skating. San Siro Stadium will be the venue for the 2026 Olympic Opening Ceremony.
Milan ice skating arena rink size
Figure skating ice rinks are usually unmarked so that skaters can compete without distractions. Ice thickness is between 3/4 inch and 1.5 inches. The ice temperature ranges from 22 degrees to 26 degrees, allowing athletes to perform on a hard, smooth surface.
Where and how to watch Olympic men’s figure skating
The first men’s skating competition at the 2026 Milan Winter Olympics will be held starting Saturday, February 7, according to NBCOlympics.com. All Olympic figure skating competitions will be streamed live on Peacock and broadcast on NBCOlympics.com. Live coverage and delayed recordings of figure skating will be broadcast on NBC and USA Network television channels.
- Men’s short program: Saturday, February 7th, 1:45pm – 3:15pm ET
- for men free skate: Sunday, February 8th, 3:55pm – 5:00pm ET
- American men’s short program: February 10th 12:30pm – 2:10pm ET
- NBC men’s short program: February 10th 1:30pm – 5pm ET
- American men’s free skating: February 13th 1:00pm – 2:50pm ET
- NBC Men’s Free Skate: February 13th, 3:00pm – 5:00pm ET
For a complete list of TV schedules and times for all figure skating events, visit NBCOlympics.com at NBCOlympics.com.
Christine Brennan and Tom Shad/USA TODAY Contributor
