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Ilia Malinin had a clear path to the gold medal on Friday night – but that’s why nothing is played on paper.
The 21-year-old American skating phenom, who has been nicknamed the “Quad God” for his amazing leaping 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 had a double loop instead of a quad loop, which was not exactly what he had hoped for.
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Ilia Malinin of the United States reacts after competing in the men’s singles skating on day seven of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games at Milano Ice Skating Arena in Milan, Italy, on Feb. 13, 2026. (Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
It was all downhill from there. Malinin then fell on a quad lutz attempt and then fell 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 poorly as he did. Malinin was 17 when he was left off the roster for veterans, and it’s clear that it was a mental battle.
“I was not expecting that,” Malinin said. “Honestly, I can’t process what just happened.”
‘I blew it.”
This is a breaking story. Please check back for updates.