Shock in Milan: Malinin Crumbles as Shaidorov Claims Gold in 2026 Winter Olympics Men’s Figure Skating
Ilia Malinin, the overwhelming favorite and reigning world champion, suffered a dramatic collapse in the men’s long program at the 2026 Winter Olympics, finishing eighth after multiple errors. Mikhail Shaidorov of Kazakhstan surged from fifth to win the gold, while Japan’s Yuma Kagiyama and Shun Sato took silver and bronze.
How the free skate unfolded
The long program began with promise for Malinin, who landed an opening quad flip and briefly seemed on track for the title. The routine quickly unraveled: Malinin fell twice and completed only three of seven planned quadruple jumps. A highly anticipated attempt at the quadruple axel was aborted and downgraded to a single axel, a turning point that set the tone for the remainder of his skate. The audience in Milan fell into stunned silence as the favorite’s routine deteriorated.
Shaidorov’s rise from fifth to Olympic champion
Mikhail Shaidorov delivered a composed and technically strong performance, climbing from fifth place after the short program to claim gold with a total of 291. 58 points. The result marks a historic achievement for his country — its first Olympic title in men’s figure skating at these Games and a rare Winter Games gold overall.
Podium finishers and final scores
The final standings reflected a dramatic reshuffle. Shaidorov took gold with 291. 58 points. Yuma Kagiyama of Japan held on for silver with 280. 06 points despite a shaky outing of his own. Shun Sato, also of Japan, earned bronze with 274. 90 points. Malinin, who entered the long program as the favorite, finished eighth with 264. 49 points — a performance more than 69 points below his personal best competition score.
Malinin, the quad axel and Olympic pressure
Malinin, 21, has been at the center of the sport for his technical prowess and for repeatedly pushing the boundaries with quadruple jumps, including the only successful quad axel completed in competition. The quad axel — a forward takeoff requiring four-and-a-half revolutions — was widely expected to be a potential decisive element. Instead, it was popped into a single axel, costing crucial points and momentum. After the program he said, “The pressure is unreal. It's almost like I wasn't aware of where I was in the program, ” and later added, “I blew it. ” Those remarks underscored how Olympic stakes can alter even the most elite competitors’ execution.
Legacy and next steps
Malinin leaves Milan with mixed results: a place off the podium in the individual event but with a team gold already in his credentials from earlier in the Games. The collapse will be dissected by athletes and coaches as a cautionary example of how nerves and timing can influence high-difficulty content. For Shaidorov, the victory is career-defining and will shift expectations and attention heading into the next world championships and the lead-up to future Olympic cycles.
What this means for the sport
The men’s event in Milan highlighted two simultaneous truths about modern men’s figure skating: the sport’s technical ceiling continues to rise, and the margin for error at the top is vanishingly small. Skaters are attempting unprecedented elements under immense pressure, and competitions are increasingly decided by who can combine technical risk with composure. Friday’s final will be remembered as one of the most unexpected and dramatic outcomes in recent Olympic history.
