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Malinin's Olympic Gold Dream Shattered in Shock Upset
14 Feb
Summary
- Ilia Malinin finished eighth after being the gold medal favorite.
- Malinin attempted a quadruple axel but only completed one rotation.
- Mikhail Shaidorov of Kazakhstan won the gold medal.
Team USA's figure skating favorite, Ilia Malinin, experienced a stunning downfall at the 2026 Winter Olympics, finishing in eighth place in the men's free skate. Malinin had held the top position after the short program, making him the clear gold medal favorite.
However, his free skate on Friday, February 13, was plagued by errors. Malinin fell twice and missed several key jumps, including a failed quadruple axel attempt that only saw one rotation completed. Commentators noted the difficulty of his technical program, but the sheer number of mistakes prevented any chance of a medal.
Mikhail Shaidorov of Kazakhstan seized the unexpected opportunity to win the gold medal. Yuma Kagiyama and Shun Sato, both from Japan, secured the silver and bronze medals, respectively. Malinin expressed his surprise, stating he felt prepared but perhaps overconfident going into the competition.
