Ilia Malinin Opens Up About Olympic 'Inevitable Crash' Following Shocking Performance
American figure skater Ilia Malinin has penned a heartfelt reflection on what he describes as an "inevitable crash" after his unexpected eighth-place finish at the Winter Olympics in Milan, marking one of the biggest upsets in figure skating history.
Falls Derail Gold Medal Hopes
The 21-year-old, who entered the men's free skate on Friday as the overwhelming favourite for gold, suffered two falls during his routine. This resulted in him placing 15th out of 24 skaters in the free skate segment and eighth overall, while Kazakhstan's Mikhail Shaidorov claimed the gold medal.
Social Media Video Hints at Future Routine
On Monday, Malinin posted a video to his Instagram account that juxtaposed clips of his past triumphs on the ice with an image of him holding his head in his hands after Friday's disappointment. The video concludes with the date "21 February 2026," the scheduled day of the exhibition gala that traditionally ends the Olympic figure skating schedule, suggesting Malinin may incorporate this experience into a future routine.
Malinin's Written Message on Pressure and Hatred
Accompanying the video, Malinin shared a written message that delves into the immense pressures he faced leading up to the competition. He wrote, "On the world's biggest stage, those who appear the strongest may still be fighting invisible battles on the inside. Even your happiest memories can end up tainted by the noise. Vile online hatred attacks the mind and fear lures it into the darkness, no matter how hard you try to stay sane through the endless insurmountable pressure. It all builds up as these moments flash before your eyes, resulting in an inevitable crash. This is that version of the story."
The video's final title card featured imagery including a book titled "The Psychology of Fear," computer keyboards, and text messages, underscoring themes of mental struggle and external criticism.
Post-Competition Reactions and Team Success
Despite the setback, Malinin was gracious in defeat, quickly congratulating Shaidorov after the event. He also openly discussed how the pressure affected him, stating, "The nerves just went, so overwhelming, and especially going into that starting pose, I just felt like all the traumatic moments of my life really just started flooding my head. So many negative thoughts that flooded into there and I could not handle it." This performance resulted in his worst score since the US International Classic in September 2022.
Malinin did not leave the Olympics completely empty-handed, having secured a team gold medal with his United States teammates during the opening weekend of the Games.
