Ilia Malinin performed a backflip that has been banned for nearly half a century to win the gold medal at the 2026 Winter Olympics, astonishing legend Novak Djokovic in the stands.

On the ice at the 2026 Winter Olympics, Ilia Malinin created one of the most iconic moments in figure skating history. The American prodigy not only helped her team win the gold medal but also performed a backflip that had been banned for nearly half a century, causing tennis legend Novak Djokovic to jump up and cover his head in admiration.
Ilia Malinin nhận lời tán dương từ vợ chồng DjokovicMalinin (small photo) receives praise and admiration from Djokovic and his wife (large photo).

The backflip, banned for 50 years, makes a comeback at the Olympics.

In the team figure skating event in Milan on February 8th, the pressure was immense on Ilia Malinin as the US and Japan were neck and neck in points. At 21 years old, the world’s number one star lived up to expectations with a breathtaking performance, combining superb technique and unwavering mental fortitude.

Malinin executed his famous quadruple jumps with incredible speed and precision. However, the real highlight came at the end of his performance when he performed a backflip and landed on only the tip of his shoe. This move had been banned from competition since 1976 due to its extremely high level of danger to athletes.

According to the International Skating Federation (ISU) regulations, the backflip will only be allowed to reappear from 2024. Although this move does not count towards technical points and is primarily for show, Malinin still made history as the first athlete to successfully perform it legally at an Olympic Games in almost 50 years, making this moment an unforgettable milestone.

Acknowledgment from legend Novak Djokovic

In the Milano Ice Skating Arena, Novak Djokovic – the owner of 24 Grand Slam titles – couldn’t keep his composure. The image of the Serbian tennis player standing up, covering his head with his hands and looking stunned after witnessing Malinin’s jump, immediately went viral on social media.
Djokovic và vợ không tin vào những gì họ chứng kiến tại Olympic 2026Djokovic and his wife couldn’t believe what they were seeing.
Sharing his thoughts after his victory, Malinin expressed his excitement at knowing he had the support of a sporting legend like Djokovic: “I saw Djokovic in the stands. To hear that he was so amazed that he clutched his head because of his backflip was an incredible honor. For me, this moment is like a once-in-a-thousand-years event.”

The nickname “Quad God” associated with Malinin is no coincidence. The 2024 and 2025 World Champion is the only athlete to have successfully performed a quadruple jump in international competitions. His choice of the most risky option to secure the gold medal demonstrated the prowess of a star pushing the boundaries of elite sports.