Figure skating-Malinin's meltdown proof that pressure can strike even world's best

MILAN, Feb 14 : Ilia Malinin’s free‑skate collapse at the Milano Cortina Olympics was the kind of sporting shock that reverberates far beyond the rink. 

For two years, the American "Quad God" had seemed unstoppable, owning a two-plus-year unbeaten streak and seemingly stepping on the ice as one of the biggest certainties for Olympic gold the sport had seen in decades.

But on Friday night, under the glare of Olympic expectation, Malinin delivered one of the most shocking implosions in figure skating history, tumbling from a lead to a scarcely believable eighth place.

Malinin, 21, did not hide from the moment. He acknowledged what had overtaken him: nerves, pressure, and a mental flood he could not control.

"I blew it," he said bluntly. "It just felt so overwhelming."

BILES APPLAUDED MALININ IN SUPPORT

Gymnastics great Simone Biles, herself no stranger to the suffocating nerves that can strike under the Olympic spotlight, was at the Milano Ice Skating Arena, and stood and applauded Malinin in support. 

Having once stepped back from competition at the Tokyo Games after experiencing the "twisties", a sudden and dangerous disconnect between a gymnast's mind and body, Biles has openly discussed the pressures that can destabilize even the most decorated champions. 

Her willingness to speak about anxiety, therapy, and the emotional toll of elite sport has made her a symbol of mental‑health advocacy.

From his opening seconds on the ice, Malinin said something felt off. What should have been a coronation quickly became a crisis.

Malinin fell twice, popped jumps, and bailed mid‑air on his quadruple Axel — a move only he has landed in competition. 

Each mistake compounded the next, and by the time he struck his final pose, the improbability of