Ilia Malinin hints at 'inevitable crash' amid Olympic pressure and online hate in social media post

MILAN (AP) — Ilia Malinin posted a video on social media Monday juxtaposing images of his many triumphs with a black-and-white image of the U.S. figure skater with his head buried in his hands, and a caption hinting at an “inevitable crash” amid the pressure of the Olympics while teasing that a “version of the story” is coming on Saturday.

That is when Malinin is expected to skate in the traditional exhibition gala to wrap up the Olympic figure skating program.

Malinin, who helped the U.S. win the team gold medal early in the Winter Games, was the heavy favorite to add another gold in the individual event. But he fell twice and struggled throughout his free skate on Friday, ending up in eighth.

He acknowledged afterward that the pressure of the Olympics had worn him down, saying: “I didn't really know how to handle it.”

Malinin alluded again to the weight he felt while competing in Milan in the caption to his social media video.

“On the world’s biggest stage, those who appear the strongest may still be fighting invisible battles on the inside,” wrote the 21-year-old Malinin. “Even your happiest memories can end up tainted by the noise. Vile online hatred attacks the mind and fear lures it into the darkness, no matter how hard you try to stay sane through the endless insurmountable pressure. It all builds up as these moments flash before your eyes, resulting in an inevitable crash.”

Malinin, who is expected to chase a third consecutive world title next month in Prague, had been unbeaten in 14 events over more than two years. Yet while Malinin always seemed to exude a preternatural calm that belied his age, the son of Olympic skaters Tatiana Malinina and Roman Skorniakov had admitted early in the Winter Games that he was feeling the pressure.

The first time came after an uneven short program in the team event, when he finished behind Yuma Kagiyama of Japan — the eventual individual silver medalist. Malinin referenced the strain of the Olympics again after the Americans had won the team gold medal.

But he seemed to be the loose, confident Malinin that his fans had come to know after winning the individual short program. He even playfully faked that he was about to do a risky backflip on the carpeted runway during his free skate introduction.

The program got off to a good start with a quad lutz, but the problems began when he bailed out of his quad axel. He ended up falling twice later in the program, and the resulting score was his worst since the U.S. International Classic in September 2022.

Malinin was magnanimous afterward, hugging and congratulating surprise gold medalist Mikhail Shaidorov of Kazakhstan. He then answered a barrage of questions from reporters with poise and maturity that few would have had in such a situation.

“The nerves just went, so overwhelming,” he said, “and especially going into that starting pose, I just felt like all the traumatic moments of my life really just started flooding my head. So many negative thoughts that flooded into there and I could not handle it.”

“All I know is that it wasn’t my best skate,” Malinin added later, “and it was definitely something I wasn’t expecting. And it’s done, so I can’t go back and change it, even though I would love to.”

AP Winter Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics

Ilia Malinin of the United States competes during the men's free skate program in figure skating at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Friday, Feb. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)

Ilia Malinin of the United States falls during the men's free skate program in figure skating at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Friday, Feb. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)

Ilia Malinin of the United States reacts after competing while Mikhail Shaidorov of Kazakhstan is seen on left while waiting for scores during the men's free skate program in figure skating at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Friday, Feb. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

Ilia Malinin of the United States does a back flip while competing during the men's free skate program in figure skating at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Friday, Feb. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)

Ilia Malinin of the United States reacts at the end of his program after competing during the men's free skate program in figure skating at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Friday, Feb. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)

MILAN (AP) — Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara thought their chances of Olympic gold had gone by the wayside when the Japanese skaters made an uncharacteristic slip-up during their short program at the Milan Cortina Games.

Turns out they were just making it more dramatic.

The two-time defending world champions rebounded Monday night with a world-record free skate under the current scoring system, lifting them from fifth place all the way to the top step of the podium and their country's first Olympic medal in the pairs event.

Miura and Kihara dropped to their knees in a tearful embrace when they realized they had won gold.

“My main message to them today was be the best in the world. Don't worry about yesterday,” said their longtime coach, Bruno Marcotte. “I told them that it wasn't over. Before they went out on the ice, I just said, ‘Be yourself.’”

They were the best version of it.

Miura and Kihara scored 158.13 points for the free skate and a career-best 231.24 overall, earning a gold medal to go with the silver they helped the Japanese team win last week. Anastasiia Metelkina and Luka Berulava earned the first medal for Georgia at a Winter Games with their silver, and Minerva Fabienne Hase and Nikita Volodin of Germany took bronze.

“It's an amazing moment for my country,” Berulava said. “I'm in shock.”

Hase and Volodin, who led after the short program, made several mistakes in their free skate and slid to third. But rather than dwell on failing to win the gold medal, Hase chose to look at the positives: “We won an Olympic medal. It doesn't suck,” she said.

“It's a medal at the Olympics. I don't think it matters the color,” Hase added. “A bronze medal in our first Olympics is amazing.”

The chaotic short program on Sunday night had left some of the best in the world skating early and out of contention.

Deanna Stellato-Dudek and Maxime Deschamps, the 2024 world champions from Canada, cost themselves about 10 points when she inexplicably fell while getting down from a lift. Stellato-Dudek also took a hard fall during their warmup for the free skate on Monday night, sliding into one of the padded barriers and then flexing her shoulder when she got back up.

The 42-year-old Stellato-Dudek, who was born in the Chicago area, was undoubtedly envisioning a much different Olympic debut. The Canadian pair wound up with 192.61 points, putting them 11th among the 16 teams that made the free skate.

“Just to be out here on and skating on the ice was a privilege and really amazing,” Deschamps said.

Emily Chan and Spencer Akira Howe, a private first class in the U.S. Army, took the lead by becoming the first team to break the 200-point barrier. Sara Conti and Niccolo Macii of Italy quickly knocked them from their perch despite a messy free skate.

But the podium contenders were just starting to take the ice.

Sui Wenjing and Han Cong, the defending Olympic champions, bounced back from Sui's fall on their opening triple loop in their short program that left them in sixth place. They still had problems in their free skate, turning a triple salchow into a double, but their score of 208.64 points put in them in first place with five pairs left to go; they finished fifth.

It wasn't a bad showing by Sui and Han, given they only began a comeback last June following a two-year retirement.

“For me, this is my last Olympics,” Han said afterward.

Miura and Kihara were next up — and they produced a score that proved impossible to beat.

They were flawless on a triple toe-double axel-double axel sequence to start their program, set to music from the “Gladiator” films, while Miura landed with grace and elegance on their throw triple loop. And as other teams struggled with their salchows, Miura and Kihara's were clean, with their throw triple loop putting an exclamation mark on the program.

Kihara was emotionless after their short program, but he erupted with a roar when their free skate score was announced.

Then he quietly dropped to his knees and hugged Miura when he learned they had won gold.

AP Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics

Anastasiia Metelkina and Luka Berulava of Georgia compete during the pairs figure skating long program at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Monday, Feb. 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)

Anastasiia Metelkina and Luka Berulava of Georgia compete during the pairs figure skating long program at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Monday, Feb. 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)

Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara of Japan compete during the pairs figure skating long program at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Monday, Feb. 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)

Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara of Japan compete during the pairs figure skating long program at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Monday, Feb. 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)

Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara of Japan react to their scores after competing during the pairs figure skating long program at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Monday, Feb. 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)