I. Malinin, a figure skater born in the USA to Russian parents and known as the 'Quad God', previously won gold in the team event at the Olympics. Expectations were high for his short program, where he was anticipated to perform the quadruple Axel jump, a feat possible only for him among the competitors, although the audience did not witness this during the performance. Malinin's program featured a backflip, which was recently removed from the prohibited list after being banned for nearly 50 years, although it does not yield additional points in scoring.

His program was technically complex and scored 5.85 points above Yuma Kagiyama, who placed second, and 5.08 points higher than Adam Siao Him Fa, who secured third place. Malinin amassed a total score of 108.16 points, reflecting not just his skill level but also the evolving nature of competitive figure skating. The high expectations set for Malinin compel viewers to stay engaged with figure skating, especially with his unique techniques and the potential breaking of records.

Overall, I. Malinin’s performance continues to raise anticipations within the figure skating community, highlighting the sport's progression and the athletes' capabilities. As he pushes the boundaries of what's possible on the ice, he not only entertains spectators but also inspires a new generation of skaters to reach for the stars.