After his mother’s unexpected absence from the arena for a deeply personal reason, American sensation “Quad God” Ilia Malinin admitted she may have been spared the heartbreak of watching one of the toughest nights of his career unfold at the 2026 Winter Olympics.
Millions tuned in to see the 21-year-old compete in the men’s figure skating final in Milan. But one person was notably not watching — his mother and coach, former Olympian Tatiana Malinina.
Before the Games began, Malinin revealed in an interview on Today that his mom would likely avoid watching him compete altogether. Known for getting “super nervous” during his events, she traditionally does not watch in person or even on television. Instead, she waits for his father, Roman Skorniakov — who was by his side in Milan — to call her after the competition is over.
“She won’t watch in person. She won’t watch over TV,” Malinin explained ahead of the Games. “She waits for my dad to give her the phone call that it’s finished.”
On Friday, Feb. 13, that call likely carried devastating news.
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Coming into the free skate final in first place after a commanding short program, Malinin was widely expected to contend for gold. He had already helped Team USA capture gold in the team event and was aiming to add an individual medal to his Olympic debut.
Instead, the night took a shocking turn.
Malinin opened strong with a clean quadruple flip but failed to complete his signature quadruple axel, popping it into a single. Other planned quads unraveled, and he fell twice during the four-minute program. Though he fought to finish — even adding a backflip at the end — the damage was done.
He scored 156.33 in the free skate and 264.49 overall, placing eighth and out of medal contention.
“I blew it,” he told NBC moments after stepping off the ice, struggling to hold back tears. “Honestly, that was the first thing that came to my mind. I have no words.”
The skater, who made history in 2024 by becoming the first to land all six types of quadruple jumps in a single program, acknowledged that the Olympic stage may have overwhelmed him.
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“It’s not like any other competition,” he said, admitting the pressure and nerves got the best of him. “There were so many negative thoughts that flooded in there and I just did not handle it.”
For Malinin, the Olympics are more than just another event. Both of his parents competed as Olympians for Uzbekistan, and they now coach him together. He has often spoken about how much their guidance means to him.
“They’re such an inspiration to me,” he said last year. “They’re always here, always supporting me.”
This time, however, his mother chose to stay away — shielding herself from the intensity she knew would come with Milan.
In hindsight, that decision may have spared her from watching her son endure one of the most painful performances of his young career.
Still, Malinin remains an Olympic gold medalist thanks to the team event and one of the most technically gifted skaters in history. At just 21, he has already redefined what is possible in men’s figure skating.
And while this final did not end the way he had dreamed, one thing is certain: the “Quad God” will rise again — and somewhere, likely days later, his mother will finally gather the courage to watch.