“When I got into the starting position, I knew that this could be the best skate of my life, or it could go terribly wrong.” Ilia Malinin’s words in 2024 weren’t just a reflection of nerves, but they were his prophecy, and it did come true (the former one). Under the lights of the 2024 World Championships, the 19-year-old American figure skating sensation stepped onto the ice and delivered a program for the ages. A quadruple Axel. A quad Lutz. A quad loop, a quad Salchow, another quad Lutz, a quad toe-triple toe, and because Malinin never settles, he finished with a triple Lutz-triple Axel combo. In four minutes, he shattered limits. And the scores?

With 227.79 points in his free skate and a total of 333.76 scores between the two programs, he erased Nathan Chen’s world record. It all happened at the Bell Centre in Montreal. But this time, something happened in his own country—something that had fans and a gymnastics legend buzzing. What did Malinin do?

Well, he was the world champion again, but this time, Ilia Malinin had done something truly unprecedented on American soil. As the final notes of “I’m Not a Vampire” faded in Boston’s TD Garden, the crowd erupted in disbelief at what they’d just witnessed. The now 20-year-old American figure skating phenom hadn’t just defended his world title, but he’d landed all six types of quadruple jumps in a single program without a single under-rotation call. The flip, the Axel, the Lutz, the loop, the toe loop, and the Salchow, each of which was executed with breathtaking precision that left people struggling to find words. “I don’t know, I’m tired,” Malinin confessed afterwards. “That was really a fight for me, and I tried to go through my all and give it all the way and not to give up till the end, and it worked out in my favor.”

When asked about his emotions after finishing, he responded with surprising nonchalance. “Yeah, I was definitely proud because I finally got that loop done the one time in the competition, but it was okay. I just kind of went through the rest, and when I finished, I was glad it’s over.” The numbers were staggering, with a total score of 318.56, leaving behind silver medalist Mikhail Shaidorov by 31 points. It was the second-largest victory margin in men’s history under the current scoring system, with only Nathan Chen’s 2018 performance being more dominant. Japan’s Yuma Kagiyama, who had been close after the short program, fell to bronze after jump errors while Malinin soared. “I don’t know, I just think that it helps me get the energy that I need,” Malinin explained about his approach. “It really just gets me into that like fun, entertained zone to really just try to impress myself and to try to just entertain everyone else.”

The achievement resonated beyond skating circles. Former Olympic gymnastics champion Dominique Moceanu joined thousands celebrating online when she commented on the NBC Olympics X post, which read, “BACK-TO-BACK FOR THE QUAD GOD! Ilia Malinin wins the #WorldFigure men’s singles title in Boston.” To which former Olympic gold medalist in gymnastics, Dominique Moceanu, commented, “ Hearty congratulations, Ilia!”

It wasn’t just Dominique Moceanu celebrating Ilia Malinin’s triumph, but thousands of fans flooded social media with praise for the Quad God.

Fans’ plaudits as Ilia Malinin becomes champion again

Ilia Malinin had barely stepped off the ice when social media exploded. Fans couldn’t contain their excitement—how could they? What they had just witnessed was pure magic! “One of a kind! Mesmerizing to watch!” one fan gushed, still in awe of Malinin’s breathtaking routine.

Another fan was overwhelmed with pride. “So proud of you, Ilia Malinin!! You are truly one of the greatest figure skaters ever!! Great to see you wrap up the night in Boston today for the 2025 @ISU_Figure World Championships!!”

The reaction was unanimous—he had just done something incredible. “Ilia is unbelievable! What a superb performance! Congratulations, Ilia—so well deserved!” It wasn’t just about the win. Malinin’s six quads, including the near-mythical Quad Axel, had the entire arena in disbelief. Fans who saw it live knew they had witnessed something special. “Ilia Malinin was great tonight! So glad I decided to fly out to Boston to catch this generational talent in person!”

And then came the simplest, yet most fitting tribute of them all: “QuadGOD!” One night. The one unforgettable performance. And a champion who just keeps rewriting history!