World champion Ilia Malinin, the Quad God, showed his mortality on Friday.<\/p>\n
Robyn Doolittle<\/p>\n
World champion Ilia Malinin, the Quad God, showed his mortality tonight.<\/p>\n
The American skating phenom had a complete collapse in his free program, falling twice and popping multiple jumps \u2013 including singling a planned quadruple axel.<\/p>\n
As his music finished, the 21-year-old held his face in his hands, appearing distraught and stunned. Malinin, who finished the short program in first with a comfortable five-point lead over Japan\u2019s Yuma Kagiyama, ended up in a shocking eighth.<\/p>\n
It was the end of two-year plus, 14-competition winning streak for Malinin.<\/p>\n
Speaking to reporters after the event, Malinin said that as soon as he hit his starting position, he began to feel overwhelmed.<\/p>\n
\u201cAll of this pressure, all of the media and just being the Olympic<\/a>-gold hopeful was just a lot \u2013 too much to handle,\u201d Malinin said. \u201cIt\u2019s not a pleasant feeling and honestly \u2013 still \u2013 I\u2019m trying to understand what happened specifically. But I know that it\u2019s always \u2013 it\u2019s done. I can\u2019t change the outcome.\u201d<\/p>\n Open this photo in gallery:<\/a><\/p>\n Malinin said after the pressure and attention had become ‘too much to handle.’WANG ZHAO\/AFP\/Getty Images<\/p>\n Incredibly, Kazakhstan\u2019s Mikhail Shaidorov emerged as the Olympic champion on a night when many of the top contenders struggled to stay on their feet. Shaidorov entered the free program in fifth about 15 points behind Malinin, but produced a stunning routine worth a final score 291.58. Japan\u2019s Kagiyama and Sato Shun took silver and bronze.<\/p>\n For the figure skating community and Kazakhstan, Shaidorov\u2019s gold medal is especially meaningful, as just eight years ago, Denis Ten \u2013 who won the country\u2019s first figure skating medal, a bronze, in 2014 \u2013 was stabbed to death during a car robbery.<\/p>\n Remarkably, Canada\u2019s Stephen Gogolev produced the second-highest free program score of the night with a combined season\u2019s best score of 273.78 \u2013 just 1.12 points off the bronze medal.<\/p>\n Open this photo in gallery:<\/a><\/p>\n Stephen Gogolev placed 5th, Canada’s highest men’s figure skating finish at the Olympics since Patrick Chan won silver in 2014.Francisco Seco\/The Associated Press<\/p>\n The 21-year-old Torontonian, who was 10th heading into this final skate, finished in fifth. It was Canada\u2019s best showing in the men\u2019s event since Patrick Chan won silver at the 2014 Sochi Games.<\/p>\n \u201cI think it\u2019s definitely a special moment that I will cherish for the rest of my life. I\u2019m overjoyed with emotions right now,\u201d Gogolev said afterwards.<\/p>\n Friday night\u2019s outcome is one of the most shocking collapses in figure skating history.<\/p>\n Malinin is not just a generational talent, he is regarded as an athlete who is changing the entire sport.<\/p>\n Watch: A beginner\u2019s guide to spotting figure skating jumps<\/a><\/p>\n For years, no one thought a quadruple axel was physically possible, but at just 17 years old, Malinin made history by becoming the first skater to land the jump in competition. It\u2019s a feat he\u2019s repeated a number of times in international competition since \u2013 including at the last two world championships, which he won handily, and at last December\u2019s Grand Prix final, where Malinin became the first skater in history to land seven quads in one program.<\/p>\n Heading into these Olympics, Malinin has faced constant questions about whether he plans to make history by performing the quad axel at the Games.<\/p>\n He left it out of his program in the team event \u2013 where Team USA won gold \u2013 and in Tuesday\u2019s short program. Afterwards, he told reporters that he would not attempt the jump unless it felt right.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m hoping that I\u2019ll feel good enough to do it,\u201d Malinin said. \u201cBut of course I always prioritize health and safety. So I really want to put myself in the right mindset where I\u2019ll feel really confident to go into it.\u201d<\/p>\n Open this photo in gallery:<\/a><\/p>\n Malinin broke down on the ice after the skate, and said he’s still trying to understand what happened.Joosep Martinson\/Getty Images<\/p>\n On Friday, Malinin started strong with a quadruple flip, but seemed tight in the steps setting up the axel. Malinin popped out of the jump, producing only a single. Things deteriorated afterwards.<\/p>\n The crowd repeatedly gasped as Malinin struggled through each element. Towards the end, even though it was clear that he had fallen completely out of podium contention, the arena erupted in cheers as the crowd acknowledged the superstar athlete\u2019s incredible competitive run.<\/p>\n In the end, Malinin\u2019s free skate ranked 15th on the night. But he still comes away from his first Games an Olympic champion after winning the team event.<\/p>\n \u201cSomething felt off. I don\u2019t know what it was specifically. I\u2019m still trying to understand,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n