Fans demand a redo amid ice concerns, praise Malinin’s honesty and hope to see him on 'DWTS.'
Ilia Malinin, Team USA’s 21-year-old figure skating prodigy widely dubbed the "Quad God" and a favorite for men’s Olympic gold, delivered an unexpectedly troubled free skate on Feb. 13 and finished eighth.
The result followed a series of falls and missed elements that stunned fans and left the athlete visibly shaken after a competition in which he had been widely projected to top the podium.
In a candid Instagram post (Feb. 16), Malinin addressed the emotional aftermath, describing the invisible pressures that accompanied his performance.
“On the world’s biggest stage, those who appear the strongest may still be fighting invisible battles on the inside,” he wrote. “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 closed the post with, “It all builds up as these moments flash before your eyes… resulting in an inevitable crash. This is that version of the story,” and teased a possible upcoming appearance with the line, “Coming February 21, 2026.”
Shortly after the free skate, Malinin summarized his reaction in blunt terms to
NBC, “I blew it. That's honestly the first thing that came to my mind was, ‘There's no way that just happened,’” adding that he intended to use the experience to improve. “Obviously, I should take the stuff that I learned from here and really just improve it… or use it to my knowledge to see what I can do in the future for this not to happen.”
Malinin had helped lead the United States to gold in the team figure skating event earlier in the Games, reinforcing expectations that he could convert his technical firepower – particularly his signature quadruple jumps – into an individual Olympic title. Instead, a cascade of errors in the free program cost him critical points and upended forecast models that had placed him among the top contenders.
Reaction among fans was immediate and intense. Thousands of posts and comments across social media rallied behind Malinin, praising his perspective and resilience and expressing sympathy. Many fans praised the Instagram message as “raw” and “brave,” saying it deepened their admiration for him.
A sizable faction of viewers also raised concerns about the ice conditions during the men’s free skate. Social threads and multiple fan videos highlighted several falls across competitors that day, with people arguing the rink had inconsistent preparation or resurfacing.
Maxim Naumov (USA) fell on both of his quad Salchow attempts,
Daniel Grassl (Italy) and
Adam Siao Him Fa (France) also fell during their routines.
“Looked like the ice was choppy – not the clean surface these athletes train for,” wrote one fan on TikTok.
Those critics called on event organizers to review resurfacing logs and consider a redo or other remedial action for skaters they felt were disadvantaged by the conditions. As of now, officials have not announced any formal review or plans for a redo.
Fans are now floating the idea of Malinin joining
Dancing with the Stars, with supporters arguing his charisma, youth, and vulnerability would make him a hit on the show.
“He’d be perfect for DWTS. The country is already falling in love with him,” said a fan.
Malinin’s candidness also sparked broader conversations about mental health in elite sport. Analysts and former skaters noted that high-stakes errors often have psychological as well as technical causes, and praised Malinin for bringing attention to the mental toll of Olympic-level competition.
He remains a leading figure in men’s figure skating, technically gifted and still young. His team will likely focus on regrouping, addressing technical weaknesses, and managing the media and sponsorship opportunities that have surged in the wake of his candid admission.
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