Fans voice concern after Malinin reposts emotional videos on TikTok amid setback in Milan
Fans have voiced concern after American figure skater Ilia Malinin reposted a series of deeply personal TikTok videos amid his unexpected result in the men’s singles event at the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games.
The 21-year-old, widely known as the “Quad God”, had entered the free skate as a leading contender for gold. However, after falling twice in his routine, he finished eighth with a total score of 264.49. His free skate score of 156.33 was well below the 200-point mark he frequently surpasses and far from the 238.24 world record he set in December. His personal best stands at 333.81.
Speaking to NBC after the event, Malinin was candid about his performance, stating, “I blew it,” and later explaining that he felt mentally overwhelmed. “I just had so many thoughts and memories flood right before I got into my starting pose, and almost, I think, it maybe overwhelmed me a little bit. I’ve been through a lot in my life, a lot of bad and good experiences,” he said.
Among the reposted TikTok messages were, “Sometimes I wish something bad would just happen to me so I don’t have to do it myself.” Another read, “Your little boy is tired mom.” He also shared posts from the account Healing Letters, including, “When I get home and step into my room and my eyes start watering because no one knows how hard I’m truly trying.” A further message stated, “Nothing hurts more than trying your best and still not being good enough.”
Mikhail Shaidorov of Kazakhstan claimed gold with 291.58 points, while Japan’s Yuma Kagiyama took silver and Shun Sato secured bronze.
