Supporters and fellow skaters who\u2019ve watched Malinin train since childhood were stunned by the rare mistakes, but rallied around him with pride and encouragement, insisting: \u201cThis isn\u2019t the end.\u201d<\/p>\n
This page contains a video which is being blocked by your ad blocker.
In order to view the video you must disable your ad blocker.<\/p>\n
Ilia Malinin\u2019s home rink reacts to his eighth place performance<\/p>\n
There was screaming, crying and hands covering eyes and mouths at the Winter Olympics watch party hosted by SkateQuest in Reston, Virginia, on Friday.<\/p>\n
They were all in disbelief as they watched Fairfax-native Ilia Malinin\u2019s Olympic dreams crash to the ice from his home rink.<\/p>\n
Malinin\u2019s eighth place showing in the Olympic free skate final seemed impossible to everyone in the room; and to most everyone else watching around the world, he was supposed to bring home the gold.<\/p>\n
There were so many people in attendance at the watch party that a movie screen had to be set up on one of the ice rinks.<\/p>\n
When you walk into SkateQuest, a giant image of the \u201cQuad God\u201d from his 2024 World Championship welcomes you into the building.<\/p>\n
Anthony Lamirata started working at SkateQuest as Zamboni driver 18 years ago, and is now the general manager.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve known (Malinin) since he was seven years old when he started skating here,\u201d Lamirata said. \u201cI just felt so bad for him.\u201d<\/p>\n
When asked what he would say to Malinin, Lamirata\u2019s voice cracked a bit: \u201cI\u2019d just give him a hug. That\u2019s it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Emily Desjardins, who said she\u2019s skated with Malinin from time to time, said he is a lovely person.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s wonderful to skate with. He\u2019s super kind to everyone here and it makes my heart break,\u201d Desjardins said.<\/p>\n
Desjardins pointed out that the public saw his four minute-long routine, but everyone at SkateQuest sees the hard work put in day after day, year after year since he was a little boy.<\/p>\n
One of the people sitting front row that looked physically pained by Friday afternoon\u2019s results was 17-year-old Lucius Kazanecki.<\/p>\n
The 2025 Junior Grand Prix Final bronze medalist was trained by Malinin\u2018s parents.<\/p>\n
\u201cHorrible. Just horrible,\u201d Kazanecki said of the disappointing dual falls. \u201cNot what any of us expected at all. He\u2019s been thinking about this for years. \u2026 I feel horrible for him.\u201c<\/p>\n
Around the room, two teenage girls held up a sign as Malinin gave an interview, almost like they were trying to tell him everything was going to be OK.<\/p>\n
The handmade sign read, \u201cIlia. Keep calm and quad on.\u201d<\/p>\n
Dakota Flood, a teenage figure skater, couldn\u2019t have agreed with that message more.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re so incredibly proud of him,\u201d Flood said. \u201cThis isn\u2019t the end.\u201d<\/p>\n