MILAN — Ilia Malinin skated back onto the Olympic ice that had been so cruel to him. This time, there were no medals at stake. The pressure he had described as devouring him was gone.
The event Saturday night was the figure skating gala, and Malinin had a message.
On the speakers blasted the song “Fear” by the artist NF, who asks during the refrain: “Is this what you wanted?” The words repeated over and over as Malinin danced wildly around the Milano Ice Skating Arena’s rink .
Later, he called the program “an emotional piece” .
A Message Through Movement
Malinin began promoting his gala performance shortly after his collapse in the individual free skate program on Feb. 13, during which he went from a sure gold medal to an eighth-place finish by failing to land several jumps he normally hits with ease .
In the promotion, he hinted at feeling overwhelmed by the demands of the Milan Cortina Olympics, which are significantly different than those around almost any other competition .
The choice of music seemed deliberate—a reflection on the fear and pressure that consumed him just days earlier when the weight of expectation became too much to bear.
Looking Forward
While the gala performance offered a measure of catharsis, questions remain about how Malinin will process the most devastating defeat of his career. The 21-year-old “Quad God” had been unbeaten for more than two years before Friday night’s collapse .
For now, the gala provided an opportunity to skate freely—without judges, without scores, without the crushing weight of gold medal expectations. Just a skater and the ice, asking the question that had been haunting him all week.
