Ilia Malinin performed the first legal back flip in Olympic figure skating in 50 years
After sending the Milan-Cortina crowd into a frenzy with his back flip in the figure skating team event, all eyes will be on US skater Ilia Malinin as he strives for individual Winter Olympic gold.
He made mistakes in the team event but was still the only participant to record more than 200 points, securing USA team gold by a single point ahead of Japan on Sunday.
That sums up the 21-year-old, the biggest star of his sport, who is set for global fame at Milan-Cortina 2026.
"It's his Olympics to lose," Olympic figure skating gold medallist Robin Cousins told BBC Sport. "After watching him over the last five years - he has grown. The talent was always there; he is otherworldly in that respect.
