MILAN — Ilia Malinin just did something that hasn't been done at a 21st century Winter Olympics.
The "Quad God" performed his first skate during the team event Saturday, Feb. 7 with the men's short program, and he became the first skater since 1998 to perform a backflip at the Games, and the first since it was unbanned. Malinin closed his performance with the stunning move than wowed the crowd at the Milano Ice Skating Arena. However, Malinin finished second in the event with a score of 98.00 after Japan's Yuma Kagiyama pulled off a stunning routine that received 108.67 points.
The United States still leads the team competition with 34 points after Malinin's performance, which earned the U.S. nine points. Japan's 10 points for Kagiyama's first-place finish put the country in second overall with 33 points. Host Italy is in third with 28 points.
Malinin said performing the move made him realize the magnitude of the event.
"It was fun," he said. "I mean, come on, the audience just roared, and they were just out of control. Really that just helped me feel the gratitude of the Olympic stage."
