Malinin crushed any lingering doubts about his artistry on March 23 at the 2024 International Skating Union (ISU) World Figure Skating Championships in Montreal, Canada. There, the 19-year-old Vienna resident and reigning U.S. men’s champion not only captured gold but shattered world records with the highest free skate score in figure skating history. To the music from the HBO television series Succession, Malinin stunned viewers by landing six quadruple jumps, including a quad Axel, in a program that was every bit as artistically dazzling as it was technical and athletic.
When we last interviewed him in late 2022, the George C. Marshall High School senior had just made headlines by being the first person ever to land figure skating’s most difficult jump, the quadruple Axel, in competition. Now a student at George Mason University, Malinin still lives with his family in Vienna and trains under his parents, former Olympic skaters Roman Skorniakov and Tatiana Malinina, at SkateQuest in Reston. When he’s not competing or at shows, he travels for additional instruction from renowned coach Rafael Arutunian and choreographer Shae-Lynn Bourne. We recently caught up with Malinin during his off-season to talk about his accomplishments and what to expect next.
Winning Spins
Malinin describes the emotional moment he collapsed on the ice after his record-breaking free skate program in Montreal. “It was a combination of happiness and relief,” he says. “I was surprised that I pulled off such a clean skate, especially with the amount of pressure I was experiencing going into the competition. All the top skaters were at their peak, and I knew winning would be difficult. I had to trust all the training I’ve done to gain that muscle memory. When I finished, I let everything loose. It was an enormous relief.”
Malinin was soon on the phone with his mother, who had been too nervous to attend. “I was surprised to hear her crying so hard with tears of joy, and I felt so grateful for her support, as both my coach and my mother. The reaction was pretty similar with my dad.” Coming off the ice, Malinin was seen exchanging a high-five with his father, who then wrapped his arms around his 5-foot-9-inch son and lifted him off his feet.
It took a few weeks for reality to sink in. “It seemed like a dream, and I didn’t really feel like I was the world champion until the show in Virginia,” says Malinin, referring to an April event he conceptualized called Gold on Ice, hosted at the Ion Arena in Leesburg. “The show was kind of a hometown celebration for my world victory.”
Bringing it Home
Returning from the championships, Malinin’s agent, Ari Zakarian, says they had just about two weeks to pull Gold on Ice together. “Ilia wanted to show his community his appreciation for their support,” says Zakarian, who lives in Las Vegas. Working with Ion management, they quickly assembled a star-studded cast of skaters, many of whom were champions fresh off the world podium, and fast-tracked publicity and ticket sales. “It went really well,” says Malinin. “Usually planning and media stuff for shows takes months, so I was surprised we gained such a large audience with so little time.”
Attendees were treated to a few surprises. On microphone from the ice, Malinin introduced his 9-year-old sister, Liza Malinina, in her public debut, where she skated to the song “Everybody Wants to Be a Cat.”
“I thought it could be a cool way to get her used to skating in front of a crowd,” says Malinin. Whether Liza will follow her brother’s footsteps remains to be seen. “All I can say is that she is a much better skater than I was at 9 years old.”
Malinin also gave the audience a peek at his personality with a number he helped choreograph, set to the song “Hope” by American rapper NF. Comfortably dressed in a baggy sweatshirt and jeans, Malinin delivered one powerful jump and spin after another and seemed to meld with the lyrics: “What’s my definition of success? Creating something no one else can.”
“It gave me a chance to really express myself,” says Malinin. “I had been listening to that song since it came out, and the more times I skate it, the more I really feel myself in it.”
Zakarian agrees. “That number shows a completely different Ilia — a teenager, still young, who wants to impress people with crazy tricks and powerful skating. … It suits him, and it’s by far my favorite number.”
After the show, Malinin and the other skaters gathered in the lobby and signed programs for fans. “I couldn’t believe how long the line was, and that really meant a lot to me,” says Malinin.
Magazines, newspapers, and networks from around the world have clamored to feature Malinin in print and on air. “Lots of interviews,” he says, specifically noting articles in The Guardian, GQ Japan, and The New York Times, and an appearance on Good Morning America. Even so, Malinin says that in the United States, he mostly escapes recognition when out in public. “Recently I went to New York City, and for the first time, people were starting to notice me on the street.”
An Ordinary Team
Despite his fame and practice schedule, Malinin continues to live a normal life in Northern Virginia. “I finally got my driver’s license, and I’m taking classes at George Mason University,” he says. “I picked Mason because it’s really close to my home and the rink where I’m training. It would be hard to train properly if I attended school far from my parents, especially since I’m aiming for the Olympics in a few years. I’m still trying to figure out how much of a workload I can handle, so for now I’m sticking to two or three classes a semester.” He says he’s not ready to choose a major.
“This is a nice area to live. I have lots of friends here, and there’s a lot to do,” says Malinin, who still likes to skateboard and bike in his free time, as well as play basketball and tennis. “I also like to go to trampoline parks around here. It’s really fun.”
Sightseeing while traveling for shows and competitions has become a second passion for Malinin. “I’ve made friends all around the world, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to explore new places and experience different cultures,” he says, mentioning Italy, Japan, and China.
Managing the Pressure
“I like to perform in front of crowds at shows, but I also like competitions,” says Malinin. “During shows, there’s less stress, and you aren’t thinking about points. You are just focused on giving a nice performance and entertaining the audience. During competitions, you have a set goal that you are trying to achieve. That puts a lot of pressure on you, and it can take away from some of the expression. That’s kind of the difficulty of skating, to not only be technically good and artistically good, but to be able to do it all under pressure. To show your emotions with the artistry but also be in control when you are under pressure is really difficult.”
Malinin works with choreographer Bourne to perfect his skating and style. “I learned a lot from her, and my skating looks cleaner and more effortless. We are working together to figure out what style of skating really matches my personality.” Malinin says he is excited about the programs he is working on for the new season. “I’d like to keep those details classified,” he laughs.
The Competition
Surprisingly, Malinin is no longer the only skater to land a quad Axel. On March 7, 2024, 19-year-old Russian skater Vladislav Dikidzhi was filmed landing a quad Axel in practice — something that has received scarce media attention.
“He lives in Russia right now, but it was really cool to see. I was looking forward to finding out who else would be able to do it,” says Malinin. “There’s a lot of training and commitment involved, and you really have to have the right mental mindset for that jump, but I think others can and will do it, too. Of course, I’ve been doing quad Axels for a few years now, so for me, it’s come down to muscle memory. By being one of the only people in the world who can do it, I think that really shows that the difficulty level is really up there.”
Quintuple jumps are the next frontier for Malinin. “It’s definitely on my mind and is something I want to accomplish within the next few years,” he says.
“Ilia pushes the envelope to the highest technical quality of the sport, while also focusing on artistic skills and pleasing the audience,” says Zakarian. “I know Ilia is capable of quints, but he is also smart and careful, and it will happen when he’s ready.”
Now at the top, Malinin says his focus is on creating new programs, maintaining his title, and earning a spot at the next Winter Olympics, Milano Cortina 2026. “It’s definitely a career goal to go to the Olympics at least once, and I want to make it up to that podium,” says Malinin. “This world title shows that I’m capable of making it to the top, and it gives me confidence and motivation to work hard over the next few years, keeping my title leading up to the Olympics.”
His agent has no doubt that will happen. “Ilia will be a huge star, and I think his good attitude comes from his parents,” says Zakarian. “They keep him focused but aren’t overly controlling. They give him freedom and space while guiding him with their experience and knowledge. Both being Olympic skaters, he looks up to them, and it drives him to inspire others. It’s kind of a continuing legacy of that family. Ilia is the one in front of his career, and we listen to him. We all want to help Ilia become as big as he can be.”
Feature image of Ilian Malinin by Hideki Aono/hideki.aono.media
This story originally ran in our August issue. For more stories like this, subscribe to Northern Virginia Magazine.
