James Lang-Imagn Images

U.S. Figure Skater Ilia Malinin Suffers Double Loss on Sunday

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Paolo Songco | Last updated Mar 29, 2026 9:35 PM ET

United States figure skating superstar Ilia Malinin is still reeling from his incredible performance in the World Figure Skating Championships this week.

The “Quad God” was out for some redemption following his shocking eighth-place finish in the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics men’s free skate. Malinin let his nerves get to him right before he took the ice, resulting in an unfortunate turn of events for the decorated ice skater.

Malinin quickly made amends in his first competition following the Winter Games. He was back to his dominant self. He turned in awe-inspiring performances in the short program and free skate, resulting in his second consecutive Worlds title.

Ilia Malinin of the United States of America acknowledges the crowd as he warms up before the men's singles short program during the Milan Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games.© James Lang-Imagn Images

The International Skating Union closed out the competition on Sunday by announcing the winners of the ISU Figure Skating Awards 2026. The best skaters and coaches were honored following a memorable season.

Unfortunately for Malinin, he suffered two losses in the Awards. The 21-year-old was nominated for Most Entertaining Program for his short program routine in the Olympics. However, it was Japan’s Yuma Kagima who was named the winner.

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Malinin’s coach, Shae-Lynn Bourne, was also recognized for her role in Malinin’s strong season. However, she, too, lost out for the Best Choreographer Award. The title went to Benoit Richaud, who famously coached 16 skaters from 13 countries during the Winter Games.

The silver lining for Malinin is that he’s not going home empty-handed. The Fairfax, Virginia, native was named the winner of the Best Costume Award for 2026.

Malinin’s outfit for his short program at the Olympics was recognized as the best costume of the season. It was created by renowned Japanese fashion designer Satomi Ito.

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Despite the double loss, Malinin will leave the Worlds with his head held high. He has ended his 2026 season on a high note as the new back-to-back World Champion, and his third overall.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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