MILAN — Ilia Malinin, the American figure skater widely dubbed the “Quad God,” finished eighth in the men’s free skate competition at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan on Friday, a result he immediately characterized as a complete failure. The 21-year-old entered the free skate with a lead of more than five points, but a disastrous performance, including two falls and multiple downgraded jumps, shattered his hopes for a gold medal.
Malinin’s struggles were immediate and stark. He fell twice during his routine, and was forced to bail on two planned quadruple jumps. His attempt at a quadruple Axel, a jump he has successfully landed in competition previously, resulted in a single rotation. A quadruple loop was downgraded to a double, and he also fell on a quadruple Lutz. The cumulative effect of these errors resulted in a free skate score of 156.33, leaving him with a total score of 264.49 and an eighth-place finish.
“I blew it,” Malinin said bluntly after his performance, as reported by NBC Sports. “There’s no way that just happened. I was preparing the whole season, I felt so confident with my programs, so confident with everything.” He added, “I was not expecting that. I felt so ready getting on that ice. Maybe I was too confident it was going to go well.”
The stunning collapse came after Malinin had not lost a competition since November 2023, and hadn’t finished outside the top three since March 2022. The result marks a significant upset in the men’s figure skating event, and a dramatic reversal of fortune for the American skater who had been widely favored to win.
Mikhail Shaidorov of Kazakhstan claimed the gold medal with a score of 291.58. Yuma Kagiyama of Japan secured the silver with 280.06, and Shun Sato of Japan took the bronze with 274.90. The result represents Kazakhstan’s first Olympic gold medal in men’s figure skating.
Malinin attributed his performance, in part, to the pressure of the Olympic atmosphere. “I think it was definitely mental,” he told NBC. “Finally experiencing that Olympic atmosphere, it’s crazy. It’s really different.” He acknowledged that his confidence may have been misplaced, leading to a lack of focus during his routine.
The U.S. Figure skating team has not commented on Malinin’s performance beyond his own statements. No further statements regarding team strategy or support have been released as of Saturday morning.
