Ilia Malinin performed at the 2026 Winter Olympics on Friday, February 13, in the men’s individual competition, but he fell, literally, and didn’t get a medal.
It was an unfortunate upset for a skater who was expected to get the gold medal for Team USA and bring back a victory to the States. But, instead, Malinin had a significant fell during his program, which resulted in him ending the competition at No. 8 and not getting a medal.
Cameras were there to capture Malinin’s heartbreaking moment at the Olympics. Here’s what happened and photos of Malinin’s fall, as captured on the ice.
Ilia Malinin at the Olympics: Photos of His 2026 Olympic Journey
It’s worth noting that Malinin is still a winner. Heading into the competition, Malinin, the “Quad God,” already had a gold medal with Team USA‘s men’s figure skating team. He also became the first figure skater in decades at the Olympics to complete a backflip during the event.
But, on Friday, Malinin fell during the free shake, which ended his dream of getting not only a gold, but he also didn’t get a silver or bronze. The final results, according to Olympic research, have Kazakhstan’s Mikhail Shaidorov with gold, Japan’s Yuma Kagiyama with silver and Japan’s Shun Sato with bronze.
GettyHeading into the competition, Malinin, the “Quad God,” already had a gold medal with Team USA’s men’s figure skating team.
“I blew it,” Malinin told NBC after his performance in the free skate, according to Yahoo Sports. He finished in eighth place.
Inside the Skating Event
Getty“The last three skaters of the competition, Adam Siao Him Fa, Yuma Kagiyama and Ilia Malinin, all had falls, resulting in deductions,” The Athletic notes.
Lukas Weese of The Athletic is a live reporter at the Olympic Games. He commented on the free skating event.
“So much to dissect from this event. But what stands out to me is Mikhail Shaidorov did not fall during his free skate,” he said. “That ultimately mattered in the end, earning him the best free skate score amongst the skaters with 198.64.”
He added, “The last three skaters of the competition, Adam Siao Him Fa, Yuma Kagiyama and Ilia Malinin, all had falls, resulting in deductions. This is why Shaidorov is the Olympic gold medalist in men‘s figure skating.”
The Athletic also reported on Malinin’s comments after the fall. “Honestly, I’m just speechless,” he told reporters. “So in shock, I really didn’t know what to expect.”
He added, “It’s just I’ve been training my whole season to get to this point and skate as best as I can but it didn’t happen. It’s not in my control any more, the only thing I can really do is look into the future and see what I can do.”
Getty“Honestly, I’m just speechless,” he told reporters. “So in shock, I really didn’t know what to expect.”
Beau Dure of The Guardian added, “Shaidorov’s win should be celebrated. He skated brilliantly. He may be Malinin’s rival for years to come. But it’ll be impossible to remember this event as anything other than a catastrophe for the world’s best skater over the past three years by a wide margin.”
He continued, “No other sporting event has the drama of the Olympics. Not the World Cup, where the players all immediately turn around and return to lucrative and high-profile professional careers. Only here. When it goes well, it’s enthralling. In this case, it’s heartbreaking.”
Ilia Malinin Falls at Olympics: Photos of His Tearful Moment