2026 Olympics Team Event - Strategy, Predictions & Discussion

It wouldn’t surprise me if he did try it, but let’s all remember the planned elements isn’t worth the (electronic) paper it’s written on. Remember when Aliona had planed a bunch of quad throws and twists she never had any intention of doing?
 
I can understand why they'd go for it. Let's be honest, the team event is kind of a throw away for him. The prize is the individual OGM. If he was going to try it, I'd do it in the team event. If he lands it, he goes in the record books and Malinin is all about the glory. If he doesn't, no big deal to him as the US will still medal. You don't get endorsements for the team event medals. You do for the individual event. This lets him and his parents evaluate his success during competition which isn't the same as practice. If it works, he can do it in the individual SP and rack up an insurmountable lead over the rest of the field. If it doesn't, he can decide if it's worth it in the SP or not. I'd do it if I were him. They are risk takers to be sure, but they are strategic about the risks. He's said the layout will depend on how he feels.
 
rfisher said:
I can understand why they'd go for it. Let's be honest, the team event is kind of a throw away for him. The prize is the individual OGM.
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Yes and no. Sure, the individual OGM is the ultimate prize, but given his ambition to be a global superstar, the team event gold is no throwaway either. It absolutely would feed the hype & legend status he's trying to build for himself to be viewed (along with Chock/Bates) as the saviors of the Team Event Gold for the USA.
 
I don't think it's a good idea for Ilia to go for the quad axel or quad lutz in the TE short. Especially if he hasn't changed the choreography. The entry into the axel is very cool as it is and it really works with the music. But, I would think that it makes the quad axel even harder. (Plus, it didn't work when he tried it in competition before.) And, I like the spread eagle into the flip which probably increases the GOE on that jump. Also, if I recall correctly, the lutz and the axel are the only quads that aren't worth more than twice as much the triples of the same type. I don't think the risk is worth the reward. If he uses the original layout, he is so much more likely to finish in first, and he doesn't need to change the layout to finish in first.

If he really wants to do a quad axel, do it in the long program.

Maybe they're just playing mind games with the Japanese. But, if I were the Japanese, this announcement probably would make me feel better. It's the best chance for the Japanese to get more points than the Americans in this segment.

If he really is doing this and risking points for the team, I sure hope this means he has agreed to do the long program if he doesn't do well.
 
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Well squirrel friends I think my prediction from the very very beginning was pretty much spot on. I said Ilia will do both and they’re splitting the women.

I was adamant and stayed strong, especially against a monsoon of u people lol Karen included.

In just a day or so we will know how many people owe ANL bags and bags and bags of peanut butter cups. Which I think is going to be most of you……
 
rfisher said:
So? It's his decision and his future.
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It is his decision, but it affects the entire team. If he wants to be on a team, then let him be a team player. It's one thing to say that it not only benefits him, but all of Team USA if he doesn't do the TE LP in order to rest. It would be a whole other thing for him to say, screw everyone else on the team, I know that I would almost certainly get 10 points for the team if I do my usual short program, but the TE short program is all about ME, so who cares if I blow the gold medal for all of my teammates.

If I were one of his teammates, I would not be happy about that. I'd be even more unhappy if he screwed up in the TE SP, decided not to do the long program because there was no longer a good chance at a team gold, and told them to let one of the weakest members of the team do the TE men's long. If he wants to do the quad axel, he should do it in the free if it makes sense then or do it in the individual event. If he's going to just do the short or only going to do the long if there's a good chance at gold, then he shouldn't be needlessly risky in the TE SP.
 
AngieNikodinovLove (ANL) said:
Well squirrel friends I think my prediction from the very very beginning was pretty much spot on. I said Ilia will do both and they’re splitting the women.

I was adamant and stayed strong, especially against a monsoon of u people lol Karen included.

In just a day or so we will know how many people owe ANL bags and bags and bags of peanut butter cups. Which I think is going to be most of you……
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You also proclaimed that Amber should do the SP and we know that didn't happen, so you got it 50-50 right.

Also, no one argued that, in a perfect world, we wouldn't split the Women while having the Men & Dance not split, but most of us did not think that was likely due to the schedule.
 
This thread is off the rails. Ilia should prioritize what’s most important to him and what he feels capable of, not to appease a Federation and/or potentially ‘save’ the gold medal for other athletes.

It doesn’t make him a poor sport. He’s worked hard this Olympic cycle and wearing himself out before he even gets to the individual event. The schedule sucks for the men and the dancers and no one should feel guilty if there are other athletes available to skate the free.

A planned jump content sheet is just that, too. He may go for broke or he may be conservative. But I don’t think he’s the type that would massively hold back.
 
I have no objection to Ilia splitting the TE given the schedule. What i object to is trying something that has already been unsuccessful this season to effectively prioritize himself over his teammates. As I said upthread, he can try it at Worlds, when only he bears the consequences of his decisions and doesn't affect anyone else. And post-Oly Worlds is kind of a footnote...

But yes, a planned content sheet isn't necessarily what he's going to do, as we have seen before.
 
tony said:
This thread is off the rails. Ilia should prioritize what’s most important to him and what he feels capable of, not to appease a Federation and/or potentially ‘save’ the gold medal for other athletes.

It doesn’t make him a poor sport. He’s worked hard this Olympic cycle and wearing himself out before he even gets to the individual event. The schedule sucks for the men and the dancers and no one should feel guilty if there are other athletes available to skate the free.

A planned jump content sheet is just that, too. He may go for broke or he may be conservative. But I don’t think he’s the type that would massively hold back.
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Ilia should be able to decide to do the event or not but I don't think going for 4axel for shits and giggles in the short is the play. If he is using the event as testing ground Chock and Bates should definitely not do the FD.
 
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