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Olympic Figure Skater Ilia Malinin Breaks Silence After Shocking 8th Place Finish: "I Blew It"
Ilia Malinin is getting candid about coming up short at the 2026 Winter Olympics.
The Team USA figure skater—who was the perceived favorite to win gold in men’s singles at the Milano Cortina Winter Games—spoke out about his shocking eighth place finish, admitting that his failure to make the podium was “not a pleasant feeling.”
“So many eyes, so much attention,” he said during an appearance on the Feb. 17 episode of Today. “It really can get to you if you’re not ready to fully embrace it, so I think that might be one of the mistakes I made going into that free skate—I was not ready to handle that, to a full extent.”
Despite the fact that he felt “really confident” heading into the competition, the 21-year-old—who earned the nickname of “Quad God” for his singular ability to land a fully rotated quadruple axel in an international competition—seemingly came to accept his results while turning his focus to what’s ahead.
“Of course it didn’t go the way I wanted it to, but we can’t look at that now,” he explained. “All I have to do is learn from my mistakes there and push to see how I can improve in the future.”
And should Ilia return to the Olympics, he’ll be better prepared for the pressure of the global stage.
Vittorio Zunino Celotto/Getty Images
“Looking back at that, I know that now I’ll be able to understand how that feels,” he shared, “so that way, I can take a different approach leading up to the next Games, hopefully.”
In the wake of his defeat, Ilia—who did earn a gold medal in the figure skating team event—reflected on having all eyes on him, including the critics whose commentary was hard to block out.
“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,” he wrote in a post on Instagram Feb. 16. “It all builds up as these moments flash before your eyes, resulting in an inevitable crash. This is that version of the story.”
But Ilia made it clear his story is still unfolding, cryptically concluding the post by writing, “Coming February 21, 2026.”
As the 2026 Olympics continue, keep reading for more unforgettable moments from this year’s Winter Games…
Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
Slip Up
U.S. figure skater Ilia Malinin, also known as "Quad God," takes an uncharacteristic fall during the men's single free skating competition, ultimately landing him in eighth place.
Robert Michael/picture alliance via Getty Images
Head in the Game
German bobsledder Laura Nolte gears up before training for the monobob, the single-person bobsleigh event for women.
Cameron Spencer/Getty Images
Victory Selfie
Following the women’s snowboard halfpipe competition, Korean snowboarder Gaon Choi poses for picture with Team USA's Chloe Kim and Mitsuki Ono of Japan taken using the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip7 Olympic Edition.
Qian Jun/MB Media/Getty Images
From One Olympian to Another
Georgian figure skater Nika Egadze snaps a photo with Simone Biles, the most-decorated gymnast in Olympic history, during the men's singles figure skating competition.
Daniel Kopatsch/VOIGT/Getty Images
You're on Candid Camera
A cameraman films U.S. skiers Breezy Johnson and Mikaela Shiffrin hugging after the second run of the women's team combined salom event.
Odd ANDERSEN/AFP via Getty Images
A Small Gift
French biathlete Lou Jeanmonnot has some fun with plushies of Milan-Cortina Olympics mascots Milo and Tina, which she received as part of winning the silver medal in the women's biathlon 15km individual event.
Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images
Thinking of Home
Skier Dmytro Shepiuk uses a sticky note to send love to his fellow Ukranians after finishing the men's super-G event.
WANG Zhao/AFP via Getty Images
Scream and Shout
Japan's Kaori Sakamoto is surprised by her score in the women's singles free skating team event.
JASPER JACOBS/BELGA MAG/Belga/AFP via Getty Images
All the Emotions
Dutch speedskater Jutta Leerdam wipes tears from her eyes after learning she set an Olympic record in the women’s 1,000-meter race.
Ian MacNicol/Getty Images
Big Air
China's Eileen Gu competes in the women's freestyle slopestyle—which earned her a silver medal.
Matthew Stockman/Getty Images
With Him Always
U.S. skater Maxim Naumov holds a photo of his late parents close after competing in the men's single skating short program.
Hector Vivas/Getty Images
Twists and Turns
A composite image shows off the many tricks seen in the women's freestyle slopestyle.
Matthew Stockman/Getty Images
Pierogi Power
Polish figure skater Ekaterina Kurakova holds up a plushie of a pierogi—widely considered to be Poland's national food—as she celebrates with her teammates during the women's single skating short program.
Tom Weller/Getty Images
It's a Bird, It's a Plane
No, it's Team Austria's ski jumper Julia Muehlbacher.
Robert Michael/picture alliance via Getty Images
Double Trouble
Selina Egle and Lara Michaela Kipp of Austria zoom by during the luge women's doubles.
Andreas Rentz/Getty Images
Say Cheese!
The winners of the figure skating team event snap a selfie with the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip7 Olympic Edition while on the podium.
Daniel Kopatsch/VOIGT/GettyImages
Never Give Up
U.S. skier Lindsey Vonn looks determined as she attends a training session days after rupturing her ACL in a crash.
Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
Ice to See You
Alysa Liu of United States performs the Biellmann spin during the women's single skating short program event.
Andrew Milligan/PA Images via Getty Images
So Close
Team Great Britain's Jennifer Dodds has a nail-biting reaction to the curling mixed doubles round robin match against South Korea.
Andrew Milligan/PA Images via Getty Images
Curl It Like It's Hot
Snoop Dogg, serving as an Olympics correspondent for NBC, tries his hand at curling at a practice.
Tim Clayton/Getty Images
In Sync
U.S. figure skaters and real-life couple Evan Bates and Madison Chock are a perfect match while performing their rhythm ice dance routine.
Federico Manoni/NurPhoto via Getty Images
On the B-rink of History
Laila Edwards, the first Black woman representing the U.S. in Olympic hockey, faces off against Czech player Sara Cajanova during the United States vs. Czech Republic game.
Hannah Peters/Getty Images
Friendship Knows No Borders
Australian snowboarder Valentino Guseli shares a hug with Team Czechia's Jakub Hrones during the men's snowboard big air qualifiers.
Javier SORIANO / AFP via Getty Images
Photo Finish
Bulgarian ski jumper Vladimir Zografski hits the brakes during a training session.
Al Bello/Getty Images
Swept Away With Joy
American curler Korey Dropkin lets out a victorious shout after his team defeats Switzerland in a mixed doubles round bobin match.
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