Did Ilia Malinin Win the Gold in the Men’s Free Skate at the 2026 Winter Olympics?

Going into the 2026 Winter Olympics, many eyes were paying close attention to 21-year-old American men’s skater, Ilia Malinin. Affectionately known as “Quad God” (a nickname he actually came up with for himself), many skating experts believed the gold medal in the Men’s Free Skate was Malinin’s to lose, and for good reason. He’s the first person in a competition to land a quadruple axel (that’s 4 and ½ rotations in the air, arguably the most difficult tricks in skating). Not to mention, the Virginia native also has four US Championship gold medals and two World Championship gold medals under his belt. 

So, in Malinin’s Winter Olympics debut, did he manage to capture the gold in the Men’s Free Skate? 

Did Ilia Malinin Win the Gold Medal?

Heading into the Men’s Free Skate Final, Malinin was on top of the leaderboard. His closest competition was Japan’s Yuma Kagiyama, who was 5.09 points behind him. So Malinin had some cushion if he made a minor error or a few. 

Well, before Malinin went up, it was Kagiyama's turn. While his performance was solid, analysts noticed it wasn't his best. However, his final skate earned him a score of 176.99, which was enough to secure a silver medal.

At first, when Malinin took to the ice, he was on fire, performing largely to a melancholy track featuring his own voice over. However, things started to take a turn when he missed a few of the tricks he planned to do. It went from bad to worse when Malinin fell not once, but twice. He managed to finish the routine, but it was heartbreaking to see him in almost tears, knowing he made errors. Sadly, all the mistakes amounted to huge deductions, and Malinin not only missed gold but the podium altogether. Illa Malinin finished in 8th place.

Social Media Erupts in Tears

Social media users were crushed to see Malinin fall short of his dreams. Take a look at just a few of the comments found on X (formerly Twitter).

“I blew it.” - Ilia Malinin#Olympics

— Bradley Warren (@bradmwarren) February 13, 2026

Ilia’s sportsmanship after his devastating free skate was EVERYTHING????????????????#MilanoCortina2026

— Bailey (@visualsbybai) February 13, 2026

I’m heartbroken for him. The pressure was so enormous. I wish I could hug him. Incredible sportsmanship by Ilia after his scores were announced. Just painful! https://t.co/rjKyXPmaJv

— ✭Becca✭ (@dix_iechick) February 13, 2026

I think Ilia just learned not to be too overconfident. A little humility goes a long way.

— Ariel (@Countrychick524) February 13, 2026

Devasted for Ilia! This doesn’t undermine how much of legend he is! hopefully he can come stronger than ever and bank that Gold medal for the US

— sarahhh♡∞☼ (@sarahlightbodyy) February 13, 2026

Related: Chris Paul Abruptly Retires After 21 Seasons, Ends Hall of Fame Career