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American skating phenom Ilia Malinin, who has also been dubbed the “Quad God” for his extraordinary jumping ability, failed to medal after being the heavy favorite to win gold, finishing eighth in last week’s men’s free skate final.
Simone Biles, the most decorated U.S. Olympic gymnast, knows firsthand what it’s like to compete under pressure on the world stage. Biles revealed that she reached out to the US Olympian in the wake of his unexpected performance on the ice.
“I’ve definitely had a chance to bump into him,” the 28-year-old told the “Today” show. “I’ve also messaged him on Instagram, of course, it’s all been private because I know what he’s going through and I know most athletes maybe can’t relate and it’s really, really hard to watch.”
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Gymnast Simone Biles of the United States during an interview at the figure skating men’s singles skating-free skating competition at the Milan Ice Skating Arena at the Milan Cortina Winter Olympic Games 2026 on February 13, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Tim Clayton/Getty Images)
Malinin dominated the short program earlier in the competition and entered last Friday leading by more than five points with a score of 108.16. But his performance in the final was the opposite. Malinin was blunt about his performance when he spoke to NBC afterward, saying simply, “I blew it.” It was a definite mental hurdle from start to finish.
Biles draws on her experience at the Tokyo Olympics, where her race was interrupted by “twisties.” She said the ordeal prompted her to share advice with Malinin on how to recover.
ILIA MALININ HINTS ON INTENSE OLYMPIC PRESS DAYS AFTER UNEXPECTED RESULT
Biles remains hopeful about Malinin’s career prospects going forward, describing the figure skater as an “absolute legend.”
“I see him coming out on top after this,” Biles said. “We’re all just cheering him on.”
American gymnast Simone Biles looks on during the men’s singles free program during the Milan Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at the Milan Ice Skating Arena on February 13, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (James Lang/Imagn Images)
Malinin also shared that he felt the weight of expectations ahead of his eventual eighth-place finish.
“Honestly, it’s not a pleasant feeling,” he said when asked about being under a microscope at the Winter Games. “The most honest way to put it is just a lot on you, so many eyes, so much attention, not just from people or fans, media, it’s just so much and it can really get to you if you’re not ready to fully embrace it.”
Ilia Malinin of the United States reacts after competing in the men’s singles figure skating on day seven of the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics at the Milan Ice Skating Arena in Milan, Italy, on February 13, 2026. (Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
Malinin added: “I think maybe one of the mistakes I made going into that free skate was that I wasn’t ready to handle it to the full extent, so I think when I look back on it, now I’ll be able to understand how it feels, so hopefully I’ll be able to take a full approach to the next matches.”
Malinin connected with a quad flip to start, but then settled for a single axel last week. He followed with a double loop instead of a quad loop. Malinin fell on a quad Lutz attempt and then on another jump shortly after. He scored 156.33.
Mikhail Shaidorov of Kazakhstan won the gold with a total score of 291.58. His score of 198.94 in Friday’s freestyle final was also the highest of his career. Yuma Kagiyama of Japan won the silver and Shun Sato, Kagiyama’s teammate, took the bronze.
