Ilia Malinin, the 21-year-old American figure skater known as the “Quad God,” faced a disappointing eighth-place finish in the men’s singles event at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics despite being a favorite for gold. After leading the short program, Malinin struggled in the free skate, scoring 156.33 and falling multiple times, far below his usual performance. Mikhail Shaidorov of Kazakhstan won gold, while Malinin expressed shock at his performance, stating, “I blew it.” Nevertheless, he previously secured gold in the team event and remains a promising athlete with a bright future ahead.
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