Who is Ilia Malinin and what is his significance in figure skating?

Ilia Malinin is a 21-year-old figure skater, known as the 'Quad God,' who made history by being the first skater to land a quadruple axel. He is a key competitor for the U.S. figure skating team.

What is Lindsey Vonn's status for the 2026 Winter Olympics?

Lindsey Vonn, at 41 years old, is competing in the 2026 Games in Alpine skiing, aiming for a medal despite a recent ACL tear and making it down the course in training runs.

Who will be broadcasting the Winter Olympics events after the Super Bowl?

Mike Tirico will anchor NBC's 'Primetime in Milan' coverage of the Winter Games, beginning after Super Bowl LX. Ahmed Fareed will then host 'Olympic Late Night' featuring snowboarding events.

Home / Sports / Skating Star Malinin's Daring Quad Axel Lands Him in Olympic Spotlight

Skating Star Malinin's Daring Quad Axel Lands Him in Olympic Spotlight

8 Feb

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Summary

Ilia Malinin is the first skater to land a quadruple axel.
Lindsey Vonn is competing in the 2026 Games at age 41.
Mike Tirico will host Primetime in Milan after calling the Super Bowl.

Skating Star Malinin's Daring Quad Axel Lands Him in Olympic Spotlight

Following Super Bowl LX, NBC will broadcast "Primetime in Milan" on Sunday, February 8, 2026. Play-by-play announcer Mike Tirico, the first U.S. broadcaster to cover both the Super Bowl and the Olympics in the same year, will anchor the coverage starting at 10:45 p.m. ET. The broadcast will feature the women's downhill Alpine skiing medal event and the team figure skating men's free skate.

Veteran Alpine skier Lindsey Vonn, at 41 years old, is making a comeback to compete in the 2026 Games. Despite a recent ACL tear, she participated in training runs. Vonn, a two-time Olympic medalist, will be joined by teammate Breezy Johnson. Italian skier Sofia Goggia is also a notable competitor.

The U.S. figure skating team, reigning champions from Beijing, currently holds first place in the team event. Star skater Ilia Malinin, 21, known as the "Quad God" for being the first to land a quadruple axel, will close out the team portion. He aims to rebound after a second-place finish in the men's short program.