OLYMPICS: Figure skating-Malinin prioritizing safety over attempting historic quad Axel at Olympics

MILAN – American figure skater Ilia Malinin arrived at the Milano Cortina Olympics carrying the weight of expectations to make history by landing the first quadruple Axel in Olympic competition.

The 21-year-old, the only skater to have successfully landed the four-and-a-half-revolution jump—considered the most difficult in figure skating—has so far resisted the temptation. Instead, he is prioritizing caution over showmanship, maintaining a lead of more than five points over his nearest rival, Japan's Yuma Kagiyama, heading into Friday’s men’s free skate.

Malinin said he will attempt the ultra-risky jump only if all conditions align perfectly.

"I'm hoping that I'll feel good enough to do it on Friday," he said. "But of course, I always prioritize health and safety, so I really want to put myself in the right mindset where I'll feel really confident and not take unnecessary risks."

Even without the quad Axel, Malinin’s technically demanding routines helped lift the United States to gold in the team event. On Tuesday, he landed two quadruple jumps and included a backflip, posting 108.16 points—comfortably ahead of Kagiyama (103.07) and France's Adam Siao Him Fa (102.55).

Despite being a two-time reigning world champion and the favorite for Olympic gold, Malinin remains grounded.

"Being the favorite is one thing, but actually getting it done under pressure is another," he said. "I don’t want to get too ahead of myself and assume the gold medal is guaranteed. I still have to put in the work for the long program."

No Regrets After Team Event

Malinin said he had no regrets about participating in the team event.

"I think the short program in the team event, where I finished second behind Kagiyama, wouldn’t have been enough to get comfortable with the ice," he said. "Since I had the opportunity, it made sense to try both programs on Olympic ice just to see how it feels."

The only hiccup came after skaters reported damage to their blades on the medals podium. The International Skating Union apologized on Monday and promised to correct the surface. Malinin had his skates resharpened on Tuesday, taking a few practice sessions to readjust.

"I needed a little more time to get comfortable with the skates, so I decided to take a more relaxed practice and give myself time to get used to the ice," he said.

Malinin admitted the Olympic stage’s magnitude was challenging, especially pacing himself for four performances—the short and long programs in both team and individual events.

"I just took things incrementally, nice and easy, upscaling a little more each time," he said. "I definitely feel like I’ve reached where I want to be for the individual event. Now it’s just about staying calm and refreshed."

He has not yet spoken with his mother, former Olympian Tatiana Malinina, since arriving in Milan.

"From what I’ve heard from my dad, she doesn’t want to give me extra stress. She wants me to handle it on my own because she trusts me," he said. "After the free program, I want to have a chat with her and see her reaction. I’m sure she’ll tease me about the team-event short program—but that’s a mom, and I love her for that."

-Reporting by Lori Ewing; Editing by Pritha Sarkar/Reuters