Previously banned backflip is “the easiest” in the star’s program

The entire arena stands up and bouquets of flowers fly in from both the short and long sides as Ilia Malinin finishes his men’s singles short program.

He has the audience wrapped around his little finger and enjoys every second on the ice.

There is no doubt who the main attraction of the competition is and for Andreas Nordebäck it is not difficult to understand why.

– It’s crazy. There is no one who can surpass him if he drives well. On a good day he is unstoppable, says the 21-year-old from Solna and continues:

– I’ve never seen anyone physically fit enough to jump. He is resilient, slim – like a stick in the air. No air comes through. He is like a spear.

What has become? Something of a trademark for the American, who has probably flashed past every single Instagram and Tiktok feed lately, Nordebäck, on the other hand, may not be so impressed by:

Ilia Malinin’s backflip.

– A “backflip” is probably the simplest thing he does in his program. There are some people who can do it, but no one else can do what he generally does, he says.

Malinin is not the first either. Far away.

As part of the Olympic Games in Innsbruck in 1978, we saw a backflip by the American Terry Kubicka. However, after the Games in Austria, the dramatic maneuver was banned by the International Skating Union (ISU) as it deemed it too dangerous.

But 20 years later it was back. At the 1998 Olympics in Nagano, France’s Surya Bonaly knew that a backfault would earn her points – but she did it anyway. Unlike Kubicka, she landed on one skate instead of both and received a standing ovation, but “only” finished tenth.

The Volt has since then was dubbed “Bonaly” – and has been fully permitted since the start of the 2024-2025 season. In Milan, Malinin similarly charmed the crowd both in the team event, putting on a skate as he landed just like Surya Bonaly, and in the individual short program, but with both feet on the ice.

“It was cool,” admits Andreas Nordebäck when we talk about the performance in the team competition.

However, the backflip itself doesn’t score any points. So why?

Partly because Malinin can’t resist the audience’s affirmation, and partly to get more people than those already initiated to open their eyes to figure skating.

When I do that, everyone screams with joy and completely panics

“When I do it, everyone screams with joy and completely derails,” Malinin told a gathered crowd of reporters after the short broadcast in the team competition, continuing:

– I think it’s something that makes the sport popular again. A backflip is something that many people know the basics of what it’s really about.

Andreas Nordebäck again:

– He acts a bit like a “show-off”. It complements the program, the music and gives feeling. It will be a special memory. Then he also gets higher program components.

He went himself didn’t advance in the short program and finished 27th in his Olympic debut. Nordebäck says he has never attempted a backflip on ice.

– “I try to get to the top first, then I can show off a bit,” he says with a smile and points out that it is not entirely safe to do a “backflip”.

– If it had gone wrong, it would have been completely unnecessary. There is nothing that gives points and you would get injured unnecessarily.

21-year-old Ilia Malinin from Virginia has already won team gold with the USA in Milan, and there are signs that he will soon have the most prestigious individual award as well.

It’s not called “for nothing”The Quad God“.

– He does quadruples like the rest of us do triples. He does a whole program on the quadriceps – also with quality. They are perfect. If he drives perfectly, it’s “game over,” says Andreas Nordebäck.

The men’s singles free program begins on Friday at 7:00 p.m.

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