Ilia Malinin reached the Winter Olympics as the clear favorite, but the result was the complete opposite. The free skate competition in Milan saw him suffer two serious falls, after which he could not keep up with the pace and therefore finished eighth. While news of his loss was widely criticized by fans, he acknowledged the mental and emotional factors that contributed to the setback.

“Honestly, it’s not a pleasant feeling. The most honest way to say it is, it’s just a lot on you, just so many eyes, so much attention,” Malinin told NBC News. “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 was that I was not ready to handle that to a full extent.”

He admitted the performance wasn’t up to his standards but framed it as a learning experience.

“Of course, it didn’t go the way I wanted it to. … All I have to do is just learn from my mistakes there and push to see how I can improve in the future,” Malinin added. “I can take a different approach leading up to the next Games, hopefully.”

Ilia Malinin entered the Olympic free skate as the two-time defending world champion. He had been nearly unbeatable since 2023 and was known for his powerful and historic jumps. But in Milan, things did not go as planned.

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He started his program by successfully landing his opening quad flip. However, trouble followed as he had difficulty with his axel attempt, which affected his rhythm. Although he managed to complete a strong quad lutz, he made a mistake on the quad loop, turning it into a double instead. This reduced his technical score. Later, he attempted another quad lutz in combination, but he fell, losing the chance to complete the planned triple toe loop.

His final jumping combination was meant to be a quad salchow followed by a triple axel, one of the most difficult sequences in figure skating. Unfortunately, he fell again. Following the loss, Malinin stood quietly at center ice and shook his head in disappointment. He raised his arms to acknowledge the audience, but his emotions were visible. As he skated away, he looked like he was trying to hold back tears.

His free skate score of 156.33 placed him 15th in that segment. His total score of 264.49 dropped him to eighth place overall, which was surprising for a skater of his level. Despite his disappointment, Malinin showed great sportsmanship by congratulating the winner. However, the toll of expectations wasn’t the only narrative he presented for the loss.

Ilia Malinin blames online hatred as the reason behind his loss

Ilia Malinin publicly addressed his unexpected loss at the 2026 Winter Olympics. Soon after, he shared an emotional message on Instagram, opening up about the mental challenges he has been facing. In his statement, Malinin opened up about the hidden struggles athletes often deal with.

“On the world’s biggest stage, those who appear the strongest may still be fighting invisible battles on the inside,” he said. “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.”

He continued by explaining how these experiences affected him personally before competing: “It all builds up as these moments flash before your eyes, resulting in an inevitable crash. This is that version of the story.”

His post included videos of his past victories, followed by a powerful image of him standing on the ice with his hands on his head after the Olympic event.

The video ended with the date February 21, 2026, hinting at his upcoming appearance at the exhibition gala. Despite his disappointment, Malinin continues to move forward.