Olympic determine skater Ilia Malinin secured one among Staff USA’s first gold medals on the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy, when she carried out a history-making backflip on the ice. However he isn’t the primary Olympian in his bloodline.
Ilia—also called the “Quad God”—is the son of Tatiana Malinina and Roman Skorniakov, his mom and father, who additionally function his coaches. Each Tatiana and Roman have been additionally Olympic determine skaters, who represented Uzbekistan at earlier Olympics. Together with Ilia, Roman and Tatiana additionally share a daughter named Elli “Liza” Beatrice, who additionally competes as a junior determine skater. Ilia was born in Fairfax, Virginia.
Forward of the 2026 Olympics, Tatiana and Roman, who coach for SkateQuest in Reston, Virginia, gained Finest Coach Award on the ISU Determine Skating Awards in March 2025. “We didn’t count on this. There have been so many nominees on the lengthy checklist and we bought into the ultimate,” Tatiana mentioned on the awards ceremony. “It was an enormous shock for us to win. All coaches are working arduous and they’re all nice. To win amongst all these nice coaches is a good greater victory for us.” Be taught extra about Ilia’s dad and mom beneath.
Who’s Ilia Malinin’s mother Tatiana?
Tatiana began determine skating at 6 years previous, in line with Golden Skate. She was the primary determine skater from Uzbekistan to win a global title, taking house two Grand Prix championship wins, in addition to 10 different titles for the nation. She positioned eighth on the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan. She tried to compete on the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake Metropolis, Utah, however was pressured to withdraw because of sickness. She’s additionally a graduate of the Siberian Academy of Bodily Tradition.
In an interview on USA As we speak’s “Milan Magic” podcast in 2026, Ilia revealed that his nice grandmother bought her wedding ceremony ring to purchase his mom’s first ice skates.“Numerous the instances my dad and mom inform me that I ought to at all times be glad about all the things, as a result of, in fact, understanding them, their story, they grew up in a really arduous life,” he mentioned. He continued, “My mother’s grandmother, she needed to promote her wedding ceremony ring to get my mother her first pair of skates, and that simply made my coronary heart soften, as a result of I’m taking a look at myself now and I’m like, I’m so spoiled, I must be extraordinarily grateful for all the things I’ve — however I’m so grateful for my dad and mom, as a result of with out them, I might not be the place I’m in the present day.”
Ilia additionally informed reporters on the 2026 Winter Olympics why he took a masculine model of his mom’s final title as an alternative of his father’s. “No person knew pronounce my dad’s final title,” he mentioned. “In order that’s why we went with my mother’s final title.”
Who’s Ilia Malinin’s dad Roman Skorniakov?
Roman began determine skating at 4 years previous and likewise graduated fromthe Siberian Academy of Bodily Tradition, like Tatiana. Additionally like his spouse, Roman additionally competed at each the 1998 and 2002 Winter Olympics, the place he completed in nineteenth place every time. Each Tatiana and Roman have been coached by Russian determine skating coach Igot Ksenofontov till his demise in 1999. After which, they coached one another.
Roman and Tatiana married in 2002. Two years earlier than their wedding ceremony, they moved to Dale Metropolis, Virginia, simply half an hour from the place Ilia grew up in Fairfax. “I like America very a lot. It was troublesome to return to America, however simple to remain,” Tatiana informed Golden Skate. “I used to coach six days every week, twice a day for an hour and a half, however throughout the season I don’t practice as a lot.”
Across the time of their transfer, Tatiana and Roman began teaching youthful determine skaters as they transitioned out of their careers. “I really like teaching. It’s much more enjoyable than skating for me now,” Tatiana mentioned. Each Tatiana and Roman retired in 2002, two years earlier than they welcomed Ilia in 2004. The couple at the moment coach with SkateQuest in Reston, Virginia.
