Though just 21 years old, Ilia Malinin has already cemented his place in figure skating history. He remains the only skater – male or female – to have successfully landed a quadruple Axel in competition, skating’s most difficult jump. This year he added an Olympic gold to his medal collection, helping Team USA defend their team event title at Milano Cortina 2026.
In Lausanne for the 2026 International Fair Play Awards ceremony, Malinin donated the costume he wore during the men’s short programme of that team event to the Olympic Museum.
“Having my programme costume become part of the Olympic Museum’s collection is something I never expected,” said Malinin. “As a child, I dreamed of competing at the Olympic Games, and I’m proud to have achieved that dream and won a gold medal. It means a great deal to donate the costume from one of my favourite programmes and know that it will be preserved and displayed at the Museum.”
For Malinin, the costume carries personal significance and also reflects the creativity involved in bringing a skating programme to life.
“I chose this item because it reflects the culture of figure skating, where artistry and creativity are just as important as the music and technical elements,” he said. “This costume is especially meaningful to me because I spent many hours thinking about its design and the impression I wanted it to create for the audience.”
