Get ready to be amazed because history was just made on the ice! Ilia Malinin, the American figure skating phenom, has shattered records and redefined what’s possible in the sport. At the 2025 ISU Grand Prix Final in Nagoya, Japan, Malinin didn’t just win his third consecutive title—he became the first skater ever to land seven quadruple jumps in a single program. Yes, you read that right. Seven quads. And this is the part most people miss: one of those quads was the elusive quad Axel, a jump so difficult that Malinin remains the only skater in history to land it in competition. But here’s where it gets controversial: while his free skate score of 238.24 was jaw-dropping, his uncharacteristically lower short program score kept him from breaking the overall world record by less than a point. His total of 332.29 was nearly 30 points ahead of Japan’s Kagiyama Yuma, who delivered a personal best in the short program and a season’s best free skate to secure silver. Sato Shun rounded out the podium with a personal best free skate, proving Japan’s dominance in the sport. Malinin’s achievement raises a bold question: Are we witnessing the peak of figure skating, or is this just the beginning of a new era? Let’s debate—do you think anyone will surpass seven quads anytime soon? Share your thoughts below!
