Winter Olympics Makes ‘Unheard Of’ Decision On Ilia Malinin’s Future
Ilia Malinin has announced a decision on his future in figure skating following his unfortunate crash out of the 2026 Winter Olympics.
The favorite to win gold in the men’s free skating competition ended up finishing in eighth place on Friday. Malinin had two disappointing falls during his performance. He simply needed to keep things clean in order to reach the podium, but he was unable to do so.
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“I blew it,” Malinin said moments after leaving the ice, per ESPN. “That’s honestly the first thing that came to my mind.”
He added: “I just felt like all the … traumatic moments of my life really just started flooding my head, and there were just so many negative thoughts that just flooded into there. And I just did not handle it.”
Feb 13, 2026; Milan, Italy; Ilia Malinin of the United States of America competes in the men’s singles free program during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Milano Ice Skating Arena. Mandatory Credit: James Lang-Imagn Images© James Lang-Imagn Images
(© James Lang-Imagn Images)
But while Malinin crashed out of the 2026 Winter Games in Milano Cortina, he’s not going to be sidelined for long.
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The iconic Winter Olympics figure skater has announced his decision on his future in the figure skating world.
Malinin commits to future events
Malinin has decided to skate in the popular skating gala, the last of the Olympic figure skating events, on Saturday, according to USA TODAY.
The U.S. figure skating star has also chosen to compete at the 2026 world championships next month in Prague, where he will defend his world title, according to a report from USA TODAY.
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“It is almost unheard of for an eighth-place skater in any of the four Olympic disciplines to be invited to skate in the closing gala, a show-style exhibition in which skaters are not judged and are simply performing for the audience. Usually only the Olympic medalists perform, with the occasional fourth-place finisher or skater from the host nation included,” USA TODAY added.
“Malinin, 21, has won the last four U.S. championships and the past two world championships, and will be favored to win a third in Prague despite not winning a medal in Milan.”
It’s good to see him getting back out there.
This story was originally published by The Spun on Feb 15, 2026, where it first appeared in the Olympics section. Add The Spun as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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