Shocking Upset: Malinin Falters in Men’s Figure Skating Final
In a stunning reversal at the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics, Ilia Malinin finished in eighth place Friday night after falling twice during the men’s free skate, allowing Kazakhstan’s Mikhail Shaidorov to claim gold in a shocking upset that stunned the figure skating world.
Malinin, widely considered the favorite and known as the “Quad God” for his ability to land multiple quadruple jumps, had secured the lead following the short program but completely unraveled during the evening’s men’s figure skating final. The American skater struggled to land several planned elements, including botching a quad loop and quad salchow during the competition.
Mental Breakdown, Not Technical Failure
Analysts noted that Malinin’s collapse appeared to be mental rather than technical. Commentators observed the 22-year-old landing on his heel during a quad lutz and rushing prematurely into the air on planned jumps—uncharacteristic mistakes for one of men’s figure skating’s most technically gifted performers.
“It was all mental. This place was absolutely stung,” one analyst observed, as the crowd watched in disbelief and Malinin visibly struggled with the emotional toll of the poor performance.
Shaidorov Capitalizes on Upset
Mikhail Shaidorov’s gold medal win marks a stunning result in men’s ice skating, as the Kazakhstani skater benefited from Malinin’s unraveling during the men’s free skate. The result shakes up Olympic men’s figure skating standings heading into future competitions.
Malinin needed 166.75 points to secure a podium finish in the men’s figure skating standings, but fell short by a significant margin. The result marks one of the most shocking upsets in Olympic figure skating history and raises questions about whether the pressure of competing at the world’s biggest stage proved too much for the reigning quad jumping champion.
Malinin’s Historic Skills
Despite Friday’s disappointment, Malinin remains the only skater to have legally landed the backflip in elite figure skating competition since the International Skating Union reclassified it as a choreographic element ahead of the 2024-25 season. His technical arsenal and quad abilities have made him one of the most exciting performers on the men’s figure skating circuit.
The men’s figure skating competition at the 2026 Winter Olympics will be remembered for one of the biggest Olympic upsets in the sport’s modern history, as Malinin’s fall from grace demonstrated that even the most talented athletes can struggle under Olympic pressure.
