Ilia Malinin opens up on 'thoughts and memories' ahead of shocking Olympic falls: 'I've been through a lot'

U.S. men's fig skater Ilia Malinin revealed his caput became flooded with "thoughts and memories" earlier his show successful the men's escaped skate last astatine the Winter Olympics Friday. 

Malinin, a apical contender to triumph golden for the U.S., amazingly fell doubly during his routine. He fell each the mode to eighth spot and missed retired connected the podium. 

"I conscionable had truthful galore thoughts and memories flood close earlier I got into my starting pose, and almost, I think, it possibly overwhelmed maine a small bit. I've been done a batch successful my life, a batch of atrocious and bully experiences," Malinin told NBC Washington successful a newsman scrum aft the competition.

"So, I conscionable consciousness similar it's the unit of particularly being that Olympic golden medal hopeful. It was conscionable thing I can't power now."

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Ilia Malinin of the United States competes during the men's escaped skate programme successful fig skating astatine the 2026 Winter Olympics successful Milan, Italy, Feb. 13, 2026. (Ashley Landis/AP Photo)

Malinin emphasized the interaction of the "pressure of the Olympics" successful his archetypal ever Olympic games.

"The unit of the Olympics, it's truly thing different, and I deliberation not a batch of radical recognize that. They lone recognize that from the wrong and going into this competition, particularly today, I felt truly confident, truly good," helium said. "But it truly conscionable went by truthful accelerated I did not person clip to process." 

Malinin took solace successful knowing helium volition instrumentality to the U.S. with the squad golden medal helium helped lend to earlier successful the week arsenic helium tries to mentally process what happened connected Friday. 

"I deliberation that's decidedly a affirmative for me. And it honestly possibly gives maine thoughts that I request to recognize wherefore that happened successful the idiosyncratic event. I deliberation going into this contention I made definite that I was capable to hole myself for astatine slightest 4 programs oregon 4 performances," Malinin said.

"So, honestly, I haven't had clip to afloat recognize what went on." 

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Ilia Malinin of the United States reacts aft competing successful the men's singles skating astatine the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games astatine Milano Ice Skating Arena successful Milan, Italy, Feb. 13, 2026. (Sarah Stier/Getty Images)

Malinin dominated the abbreviated programme earlier this week, entering the time starring by much than 5 points with a people of 108.16.

But his last show was his worst.

When his regular started Friday, Malinin connected connected a quad-flip to commencement but past settled for a azygous axel. He past had a treble loop alternatively of a quad loop.

He past fell connected a quad Lutz effort and past fell connected different leap soon after. He scored a 156.33, a acold outcry from the satellite grounds of 238.24 helium acceptable successful December and the 200-mark helium routinely hits successful the escaped skate.

Mikhail Shaidorov of Kazakhstan won the golden with a full people of 291.58, a idiosyncratic best. His 198.94 people successful Friday's escaped skate was besides the highest of his career.

Yuma Kagiyama of Japan got the silver, and Shun Sato, Kagiyama's teammate, came distant with the bronze.

Malinin, who posts full scores successful the 300s regularly, settled for conscionable 264.49. His idiosyncratic champion is 333.81.

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Ilia Malinin of the United States reacts aft competing successful men's singles skating astatine the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games astatine Milano Ice Skating Arena successful Milan, Italy, Feb. 13, 2026. (Sarah Stier/Getty Images)

Malinin congratulated his Kazakhstani rival close aft the lawsuit concluded.

While connected the bench, Malinin said if helium had been successful Beijing 4 years ago, helium would not person skated arsenic poorly arsenic helium did. Malinin was 17 erstwhile helium was near disconnected the roster successful favour of veterans. That was a tell-tale motion of a intelligence battle, which Malinin confirmed astir instantly aft helium near the ice.

Malinin's decorativeness sparked wide disappointment among Team USA and crystal skating fans successful wide crossed societal media. 

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