NEED TO KNOW

• Ilia Malinin said the day of the men’s final at the 2026 Winter Olympics, where he placed eighth, “will forever be the worst day of my life”

• The skater reflected on the pressure he faced going into his Olympic debut in Milan

• Malinin told the Associated Press he thinks “the majority of people were expecting me to be the Olympic champion”

Ilia Malinin had a devastating description of the day he finished eighth in the men’s final at the 2026 Winter Olympics.

“That day,” Malinin, 21, told the Associated Press, “will forever be the worst day of my life,” in an interview published on Wednesday, Nov. 11.

Malinin fell twice during his free skating program on Feb. 13 in Milan, Italy, and failed to complete multiple technical elements. As he came off the ice, he struggled to hold back tears.

Speaking to reporters after the disappointing performance, Malinin said he hadn’t yet “been able to process what just happened” and that he was feeling “a lot of mixed emotions.”

In his interview with the AP on Wednesday, Malinin, who’s famously known as the “Quad God,” said talked about his decision to compete in the ISU World Figure Skating Championships in March, which many Olympians skip due to their close proximity, explaining that he would have competed regardless of his finish in the men’s final.

“Even if I won the Olympics, I would have wanted to go to the World Championships, because I love the sport so much.”

“That also leads into why I wanted to skate this season. I just love the sport of figure skating so much,” he added, per the outlet.

Malinin said he believes “the majority of people were expecting me to be the Olympic champion,” but has been reminding himself that “everything happens for a reason, and you don’t know what to expect until the moment happens.”

The skater said that every moment since his Olympic performance has “made me into a whole different person,” and told the AP he’s looking forward to his next chapter.

“There’s a long four years ahead,” Malinin said, “and I’ll be able to take this season as more of a rollercoaster to enjoy the actual skating side, instead of being focused on placements and competitions, something I was not able to stay in touch with the last two years.”

Read the original article on People