Simone Biles headline: Ilia Malinin admits he was not 'ready to handle' Olympic pressure

Ilia Malinin, one of figure skating's most celebrated young athletes, acknowledged Tuesday that the intense spotlight at the Milan Cortina Winter Games played a role in a surprise stumble in the men's individual competition. The 21-year-old, who arrived in Italy as a heavy favorite, said the pressure and attention contributed to a free skate marred by errors and a costly deduction.

Malinin describes the moment the pressure hit

Malinin said he had been confident going into the day of his free skate, but the atmosphere at the Olympic venue proved overwhelming once he stepped onto the ice. "Honestly, it's not a pleasant feeling. The most honest way to say it is it's just a lot on you, just so many eyes, so much attention, " he said, adding that if an athlete is not ready to embrace that scrutiny it can affect performance. "I think that might be one of the mistakes I made going into that free skate was I was not ready to handle that to a full extent. "

The free skate in Milan brought unexpected trouble: Malinin's program was mistake-filled and he was deducted 72 points, producing a free skate score of 156. 33. That mark was a clear departure from his form earlier in the season, when his free skate tallies included 209. 78, 238. 24, 228. 97 and 215. 78. Even in the team event at the Olympics he posted a 200. 03 free skate that helped lift his country to gold.

Next steps: gala, worlds and a longer-term approach

Despite the setback in the individual event, Malinin's Olympic week is not yet finished. He is scheduled to perform at the closing exhibition gala on Saturday, February 21 (ET), an appearance that will allow him to skate in a less pressured, celebratory environment. His agent has also indicated he still expects to compete at the world championships in Prague next month, an event he has won the past two years.

Malinin framed the Olympic outcome as a learning moment and signaled adjustments ahead of the 2030 Games should he continue to pursue that path. "All I have to do is just learn from my mistakes there and push to see how I can improve in the future, " he said. "I can take a different approach leading up to the next Games, hopefully. "

At only 21, Malinin has already pushed the sport's technical boundaries. He has been recognized for landing the quadruple axel in competition and for programs that can include an unprecedented number of quadruple jumps. That high-risk, high-reward arsenal made him a favored contender in Milan but also heightened the degree of difficulty—and the margin for error—on the Olympic stage.

Community reaction and perspective

Back on campus and among fans, reactions were a mix of shock and staunch support. Members of his university community gathered to watch the competition and, while stunned by the outcome, emphasized pride in what Malinin has accomplished at a young age. Many observers noted that the athlete still has time to regroup and that the team gold he helped secure earlier in the Games remains a major achievement.

Malinin's candid comments about pressure underscore a recurring theme in elite sport: the mental and emotional load that accompanies expectation. For now, he intends to regroup, perform in the gala and shift focus to the upcoming world championships, using the Milan experience as a road map for how to better manage the unique intensity of the Olympic spotlight in the future.