“It’s a shame that Malinin skates for the United States. His parents are Russian.” Russian experts about Ilia Malinin’s quad axel
Ilia Malinin the first in history to jump a clean quadruple axel, he did it at the U.S. International Classic. Tarasova, Zhulin, Averbukh, Laishev and our other “favorite” experts from Russia commented.
But first a comment from historymaker himself
“It felt really good. When I’m practicing it, it’s pretty easy for me to figure out how to get the right timing and everything to have it be a good attempt. To do it in competition is a different story because you have nerves and pressure that can get in the way of that. So I have to treat it like I’m at home and it feels pretty good … I had an idea for trying it for a little while now. March or April was when I really started to work on the technique and try to improve it … [Yuzuru Hanyu] definitely inspired me to try it here.” Washingtonpost cyting Ilia Malinin
Comments from Russian experts full of sadness that Ilia doesn’t represent Russia and attempts to remind everyone that he has Russian roots)
Tatiana Tarasova: This, of course, is impressive. When someone does something for the first time in history, it’s always great.
Such a jump is the hardest thing. And it can be done! If you learn this element, then everything will work out.
And our skaters need to take an example from Yagudin. He has a good axel.
This is a huge advance in technique. I will not say that it is very difficult, but it is very dangerous. I think that with good skating, he will claim good places.
Of course, his name will go down in the history of figure skating. We haven’t even thought that someone would jump four and a half. Maybe a hundred years will pass, and someone will jump five and a half.
source: sport-express, rsport
Alexander Zhulin: Well done! Ilia wrote his name in history. He’s cool if he makes such jumps.
It’s a shame that Malinin skates for the United States. His parents are Russian and they have proven that their child has limitless talent.
What are the prospects for Ilia? The biggest, but it’s too early for him to compete with Chen.
In the future, Malinin will become world champion. Can Ilia surpass Yuzuru Hanyu and Nathan Chen? He’s still young. Time will tell!
source: Sport 24
Ilia Averbukh: I’m a little sad that Hanyu didn’t have time to show the quad axel at official competitions. I know that he tried to do it at the Olympics, but he failed. It would have been a beautiful story of an outstanding figure skater who broke through and took the height.
Figure skating has been ready for such a breakthrough long ago, primarily thanks to the Japanese figure skater.
Ilia is certainly a talented athlete with crazy coordination and data for the most difficult jumps. The quadruple axel was a matter of time for him.
Figure skating, like everything in our life, must move forward. And it’s moving! In fact, the 4,5 jump has long been performed in training.
I know Russian figure skater Artur Dmitriev performed it. But at the competitions, Ilia performed the quadruple axel for the first time, and I congratulate him! But I can’t say I haven’t seen these jumps before.
source: Championat
Renat Laishev: I would like to congratulate Ilia on the performance of such a beautiful quadruple axel and wish him further success in his career. Of course, absolutely, this is a new chapter in the history of figure skating.
This proves that the Soviet, Russian school of figure skating shows the whole world how cool we are.
source: Championat
Related topics: Alexander Zhulin, Ilia Averbukh, Ilia Malinin, Renat Laishev, Tatiana Tarasova
Why be angry Russian people might claim Malinin as Russian? I don’t think if he were Irish American or Italian American anyone would be nasty if they said the very same thing. I am American and I think its cool he is Russian American. I am Irish American. Why so nasty do Americans always have to be towards Russia?
Zhulin is a tedious xenophobe. Ilia Malinin was born in the United States; he is, thus, an American. (shrug)
To Alexander Zhulin: Yes, it is a shame for Russia that Ilia skates for America. He was born here and he’s an American citizen. He probably has dual citizenship because his parents are Russian natives, but that doesn’t matter. I do know that your country could definitely use a male skater who has both artistic talent and can consistently land quads in a program. I have a question. Why did Ilia’s parents compete for Uzbekistan? Is it that they weren’t good enough for Russia to send them to international competitions? It seems that Russian training failed them, or they would have competed under the Russian flag. So maybe the way they train their son isn’t necessarily the Russian way.