Figure Skating in the 2022 Olympics Hinged on Quad Jumps. Could 2026 Feature Quintuple Jumps?
Photo: Matthew Modoono/Northeastern University
In elite figure skating, it's all about the quads—for now, at least.
The highly difficult quadruple jumps, which require ice skaters to launch into the air, complete four full rotations in one second or less, then land gracefully on one foot, have become the new standard of excellence at the highest levels of the sport. At the Beijing Olympics, the gold and silver medalists in the women's free skate threw seven quad jumps, combined. Nathan Chen, the gold medalist in the men's free skate competition, pulled off five different ...