MILAN — It was set to be a coronation inside Milano Ice Skating Arena. The American prodigy, the “Quad God” Ilia Malinin was going to take his place in figure skating lore and become the 2026 Winter Olympic champion.
He felt good throughout Friday, Feb. 13. He figured all he needed to was just trust the process he had gone through for the past two years of his dominant run. He has trained and practiced his whole life for this moment.
All was well — until it was time to take the ice.
Before he stepped out into a full arena, eager to celebrate an historic achievement, he knew something was wrong, and it planted the first seeds of a disastrous night.
More: Ilia Malinin has disastrous Olympics meltdown, finishes 8th: 'I blew it''
