Ilia Malinin Slams Olympic Experience That Led to His Eighth-Place Finish
Oct 29, 2026 | 2:35 AM EDT Feb 13, 2026; Milan, Italy; Ilia Malinin of the United States of America reacts after competing in the men’s singles free program during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Milano Ice Skating Arena. Mandatory Credit: James Lang-Imagn Images Ilia Malinin arrived at the 2026 Winter Olympics believing he could conquer anything on the ice. Instead, Milan left him questioning who was really in control of his career. Months after his shocking eighth-place finish, the American figure skating star now says external forces – federation demands, people around him – not the competition itself, broke him at the Olympics. Speaking to Mikaela Shiffrin on the What’s the Point? podcast, Malinin opened up about the pressure surrounding his Olympic debut and his decision to stop letting others dictate his journey. “This is controversial, but it’s just the fact that…