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The “Quad God” was supposed to make history on Friday, February 13 at Milan Cortina 2026. Instead, Ilia Malinin fell twice, finished eighth, and walked away without a medal—his first loss since 2023.
1) The Five-Point Lead Evaporated
Malinin entered the free skate with a commanding five-point advantage after his short program. Japan’s Yuma Kagiyama struggled in the routine right before him, giving the American an even wider opening. He couldn’t close the deal.
2) His Mind Flooded With “Traumatic Moments”
“All the traumatic moments of my life really just started flooding my head when I took my starting pose,” the 21-year-old told reporters at the Milano Ice Skating Arena. “There were just so many negative thoughts. I just did not handle it.”
3) The Crowd Gasped Louder With Each Fall
Two falls during his routine triggered increasingly loud gasps from spectators. Supporters roared with encouragement, trying to rally behind him. It wasn’t enough. His usual swagger disappeared, replaced by visible desperation.
4) His Father and Coach Were Stunned Silent
Roman Skorniakov, Malinin’s father and coach, sat beside him when the eighth-place score appeared on screen. Both stared in disbelief. Journalists looked at each other in stunned silence. “The eighth-place finish just didn’t look right next to his name,” witnesses said.
5) Kazakhstan’s Shaidorov Won Gold Instead
Mikhail Shaidorov claimed the most unlikely gold medal of the Games. Malinin congratulated him, though Shaidorov himself barely knew how to react to what he’d just witnessed. Sports analyst Christine Brennan called it “as big an upset in sports as we’ve probably ever seen.”
The two-time world champion’s confidence before the event masked everything. “When I looked so confident in the buildup, joking with the crowd and waving to my adoring fans, my smile masked how I truly felt,” he admitted.
There’s precedent: Nathan Chen fell multiple times at the 2018 PyeongChang Olympics and finished fifth. He returned in 2022 and won gold. Malinin has four years to do the same.
“It wasn’t my best day,” Malinin said. “But it’s done, I can’t go back and change it. From here, it’s just regrouping, figuring out what to do next.”
What to watch next: Whether Malinin can rebuild mentally and return for redemption at the 2030 Winter Olympics.
Sources: Ilia Malinin, Christine Brennan, Roman Skorniakov (named as father/coach), CNN
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