The 2026 Winter Olympic Games in Milan were a major success, and one of the biggest names throughout — at least from the American perspective — was men's figure skater Ilia Malinin. Malinin won gold in the team event and entered the men’s singles free skate final as a massive favorite to capture a second gold medal. However, it didn’t go that way for the 21-year-old, who faced the first real adversity of his career after falling twice and finishing eighth, missing the podium entirely. It came as a complete shock to just about everyone watching. While it was a disappointing moment for Malinin,
The 2026 Winter Olympic Games in Milan were a major success, and one of the biggest names throughout — at least from the American perspective — was men's figure skater Ilia Malinin. Malinin won gold in the team event and entered the men’s singles free skate final as a massive favorite to capture a second gold medal. However, it didn’t go that way for the 21-year-old, who faced the first real adversity of his career after falling twice and finishing eighth, missing the podium entirely. It came as a complete shock to just about everyone watching. While it was a disappointing moment for Malinin,