USA Olympic skater Ilia Malinin postpones media session after performance

U.S. Olympic skater Ilia Malinin didn’t maintain his scheduled media session on Saturday. Based on Christine Brennan, the session was postponed.

The postponement comes a day after Malinin completed eighth within the males’s free skate. The American star was the frontrunner to win gold however fell twice throughout his efficiency, surprising followers and specialists.

Malinin’s folly was thought-about one of the sudden tales of the Winter Olympics since he dominated the competitors earlier than Friday.

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Ilia Malinin of the US competes in determine skating through the males’s free skating program on the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy, February 13, 2026. (Ashley Landis/AP Picture)

Malinin revealed that his thoughts was flooded with “ideas and recollections” earlier than his efficiency.

“I had so many ideas and recollections proper earlier than I acquired into my beginning place, and I believe it nearly overwhelmed me somewhat bit. I have been by way of quite a bit in my life, a number of unhealthy and good experiences,” Malinin informed NBC Washington after the sport on Friday.

“So I simply really feel prefer it’s the stress of being particularly eager for that Olympic gold medal. It was simply one thing that is out of my management proper now.

“The stress of the Olympics is actually one thing else, and I do not assume many individuals perceive that. They solely perceive that from inside and once I began this competitors, particularly immediately, I felt actually assured, actually good,” he stated. “However it really glided by so shortly that I did not have time to course of it.”

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Ilia Malinin of the US reacts to his disastrous routine that noticed him fall twice through the males’s singles skating competitors on the Milan Velocity ​​Skating Enviornment on the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, February 13, 2026, in Milan, Italy. (Tim Clayton/Getty Photos)

When his routine began Friday, Malinin did a quad flip to start out however then settled for a single axle. He then had a double loop as a substitute of a quad loop.

He then fell on a quad Lutz try and fell on one other leap shortly after. He scored a 156.33, a far cry from the world report of 238.24 he set in December and the 200 he routinely hits within the free skate.

Mikhail Shaidorov of Kazakhstan received the gold with a complete rating of 291.58, a private report. His rating of 198.94 in Friday’s free skate was additionally the very best of his profession.

Yuma Kagiyama of Japan took silver and Shun Sato, Kagiyama’s teammate, took bronze.

Malinin, who usually data whole scores within the 300s, settled for simply 264.49. His private greatest is 333.81.

Malinin congratulated his Kazakhstani competitor after the occasion ended.

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Ilia Malinin of the US falls through the males’s singles skating occasion on the Milano Ice Skating Enviornment on the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, February 13, 2026, in Milan, Italy. (Jamie Squire/Getty Photos)

Whereas sitting on the bench, Malinin stated that if he had been in Beijing 4 years in the past, he wouldn’t have skated as poorly as he did. Malinin was 17 when he was disregarded of the squad in favor of veterans.

Malinin’s end led to widespread disappointment amongst Staff USA and skating followers on social media.

Fox Information’ Ryan Morik contributed to this report.

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