Malinin expands on why Olympic meltdown was an 'inevitable crash'

Figure skater Ilia Malinin of the United States of America. James Lang-Imagn Images

Ilia Malinin expands on why shocking Olympic meltdown was an 'inevitable crash'

By Clark Dalton | Last updated Feb 16, 2026 12:00 PM ET

Even the "Quad God" can crack under immense pressure.

American figure skater Ilia Malinin posted a message to Instagram on Monday, discussing his failure to podium in the individual event at the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics. The 21-year-old skating prodigy admitted he struggled to handle the weight of high expectations.

Ilia Malinin calls Olympic meltdown "inevitable"

"On the world's biggest stage, those who appear the strongest may still be fighting invisible battles on the inside," wrote Malinin underneath a video showcasing his other highlights. "Even your happiest memories can end up tainted by the noise. 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. It all builds up as these moments flash before your eyes, resulting in an inevitable crash."

Malinin's derailment certainly came at the wrong time. Heading into the free skate portion of the individual event on Friday, he was considered a heavy favorite to win the gold medal after going unbeaten in 14 events over the past two years. However, he fell twice and finished in eighth. It still wasn't a medal-less Olympics for Malinin, as he won gold in the team event.

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A post shared by Ilia Malinin (@ilia_quadg0d_malinin)

Malinin hugged Mikhail Shaidorov of Kazakhstan, who won the gold medal, minutes after his disastrous skate. He then explained that his mistakes compounded the pressure, contributing to his collapse.

"The nerves just went so overwhelming," Malinin said, per Dave Skretta of the Associated Press, "and especially going into the starting pose, I just felt like all the traumatic moments of my life just really started flooding my head. So many negative thoughts flooded into there, and I could not handle it.

"All I know is that it wasn't my best skate," he added. "And it was definitely something I wasn't expecting. And it's done, so I can't go back and change it, even though I would love to."

Malinin will aim to rectify his skate when he competes in Prague in March. He could also erase memories of it at the 2030 French Alps Games, assuming the skater qualifies, which he likely will. By that time, he should know how to better handle his anxiety at the world's biggest multisport event.

Clark Dalton

Dalton is a 2022 journalism graduate of the University of Texas at Austin. He gained experience in sports media over the past seven years — from live broadcasting and creating short films to podcasting and producing. In college, he wrote for The Daily Texan. He loves sports and enjoys hiking, kayaking and camping.

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