'Quad God' Ilia Malinin falls twice, finishes eighth after shocking performance

Ilia Malinin had a wide way to the golden medal connected Friday night, but that’s wherefore thing is played connected paper.

The 21-year-old American skating phenom, nicknamed the "Quad God" for his astonishing leaping ability, failed to medal aft being the dense favourite to triumph gold, finishing successful eighth place.

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

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Ilia Malinin of the United States reacts aft competing successful the men's singles skating connected time 7 of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games astatine Milano Ice Skating Arena successful Milan, Italy, Feb. 13, 2026. (Sarah Stier/Getty Images)

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, which was not precisely what helium had hoped for. 

It was each downhill from there. Malinin 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.

Ilia Malinin of the United States reacts aft competing successful the men's singles skating connected time 7 of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games astatine Milano Ice Skating Arena successful Milan, Italy, Feb. 13, 2026. (Sarah Stier/Getty Images)

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 got disconnected the ice.

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"I was not expecting that," Malinin said. "Honestly, I can’t process what conscionable happened."

Milanin said helium was really "too assured it was going to spell well."

When asked what his archetypal thoughts were erstwhile helium came disconnected the ice, helium kept it existent simple.

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, connected Feb. 13, 2026. (Ashley Landis/AP Photo)

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"I blew it."

It won't beryllium each failures for Malinin. He earned golden successful the squad lawsuit earlier successful the Games. He is besides lone 21 years aged with 9 victories successful planetary contention successful his career, truthful helium has plentifulness of clip to rewrite his story.

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