Ilia Malinin Lands First Legal Olympic Backflip in 50 Years
Ilia Malinin became the first Olympic skater in 50 years to legally land a backflip, a move recently re-allowed by the International Skating Union, thrilling audiences and Novak Djokovic.
- On Sunday, Ilia Malinin, U.S. figure skater, legally landed a backflip on one skate at the Winter Olympic Games in Milan, the first legal Olympic backflip in five decades.
- After the rule change, the International Skating Union reversed its ban on somersault-type jumps for the 2024-2025 season, allowing Malinin to debut the backflip in competition in 2024.
- Spectators and viewers reacted instantly as Ilia Malinin, U.S. figure skater, threw out a backflip that landed on one foot, prompting disbelief.
- Facing a tie with Japan, Team USA figure skating squad needed a big free skate, and Ilia Malinin's performance clinched gold despite his backflip not counting toward technical points.
- Some social media users argued Malinin's acclaim has eclipsed Surya Bonaly, who said `I appreciate more and I feel more proud of myself now, today, than years ago for when I did it`.
59 Articles
59 Articles
Ilia Malinin landed first legal backflip on the Olympic ice in 48 years. These athletes did it first
American figure skater Ilia Malinin was the first to do a legal backflip in almost half a century at the Olympics. But he wasn't the first to do it on Olympic ice.
Malinin 1st to legally land backflip at Games
U.S. figure skater Ilia Malinin was the first person to legally land a backflip on Olympic ice. He performed the move on Sunday, marking a significant moment in figure skating history.
Malinin made history with Olympic backflip, but some say the glory owed to a Black skater
It’s a move known today as “the Bonaly flip” — named for France’s Surya Bonaly. Nevertheless, it is Malinin getting showered with praise, prompting many on social media to lament the way his achievement has eclipsed that of Bonaly, who is Black, and wondering if that is due to the color of her skin.
'Bonaly flip': Olympic skating backflip sparks tributes to French trailblazer
US figure skater Ilia Malinin's gold-medal-clinching backflip at the Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina has prompted a flurry of tributes to France's Surya Bonaly, who became the first skater to land the daring flip on one skate at the Nagano Games almost three decades ago – when the move was still forbidden.
'Quad God' nailed historic backflip, but some say this Black figure skater should've won the glory
Ilia Malinin, the U.S. figure skater nicknamed the “Quad God,” became the first person to legally land a backflip on one skate in the Olympics — although one trailblazing woman pulled it off when the move was still forbidden. The 21-year-old from Virginia delivered a crucial free skate on Sunday night for the winning American team, filled with his trademark quadruple jumps and capped off the gold-medal-clinching performance with his dramatic bac…
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