NEED TO KNOW
- Figure skating’s “quad god” Ilia Malinin, undefeated for 2.5 years and heavily favored for Olympic gold, fell twice during Friday’s men’s final and finished eighth after failing to land his signature quadruple axel.
- Four days after his shocking performance, the 21-year-old posted on Instagram about dealing with “vile online hatred” and “insurmountable pressure,” writing that even “your happiest memories can end up tainted by the noise.”
- Despite the devastating loss, Malinin teased his return for the Olympics exhibition gala on February 21, where he’ll perform after winning team gold with the U.S.—a chance to skate without the crushing weight of medal expectations.
The quad god himself is finally speaking out.
Four days after his shocking performance at the 2026 Winter Olympics left everyone’s jaws on the floor, Ilia Malinin took to Instagram to address the mental health fallout from his devastating free skate in Milan Cortina. The 21-year-old American figure skater, who had been undefeated for two and a half years and was the overwhelming favorite for gold, fell twice during Friday’s men’s final and finished eighth overall.
“On the world’s biggest stage, those who appear the strongest may still be fighting invisible battles on the inside,” Malinin wrote in his Monday (February 16, 2026) post, accompanied by a video montage of his career highs and lows. “Even your happiest memories can end up tainted by the noise.”
Then came the gut punch: “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.”
Known as the “quad god” for his quadruple jumps, Malinin entered the free skate with a five-point lead after nailing his short program. Gold seemed like a done deal, especially since most of his competitors were struggling as well. But Malinin couldn’t land his signature quadruple axel and fell twice, leaving him visibly distraught. “I blew it,” he told NBC immediately after his score was announced. The vulnerability was shocking from someone who’d dominated the sport.
“It all builds up as these moments flash before your eyes, resulting in an inevitable crash,” Malinin continued in his Instagram post. “This is that version of the story.”
But this isn’t the end. Malinin teased “Coming February 21, 2026″—the date of the Olympic exhibition gala. While he didn’t medal individually, he won team gold with the U.S. and plans to perform on Saturday. It’ll be his chance to show what he can do without the crushing weight of expectations.
After all, even quad gods are human. And apparently, online comments can cut deeper than any fall on ice.
