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Ilia Malinin had a clear path to the gold medal on Friday night – but that’s why nothing is decided on paper.
The 21-year-old American skating phenom, nicknamed the “Quad God” for his incredible jumping ability, failed to medal after being the heavy favorite to win gold, finishing in eighth place.
Malinin connected on a quad-flip to start but then settled for a single axel. He then performed a double loop instead of a quadruple loop, which wasn’t exactly what he was hoping for.
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Ilia Malinin of the United States reacts after competing in the men’s singles skating event on day seven of the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games at the Ice Rink in Milan, Italy, February 13, 2026. (Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
From there, everything went downhill. Malinin then fell during a quad lutz attempt, then on another jump shortly after.
While on the bench, Malinin said that if he had been in Beijing four years ago, he would not have skated as badly. Malinin was 17 when he was cut from the veteran roster, and it’s clear it was a mental battle.
“I didn’t expect this,” Malinin said. “I honestly can’t understand what just happened.”
“I ruined everything.”
This is a revolutionary story. Please check again for updates.
