A Sweatshirt And Silence As Ilia Malinin Steps Back Onto Olympic Ice
NEED TO KNOW
- Ilia Malinin stepped back onto Olympic ice on Feb. 21 for the annual figure skating exhibition gala
- He was greeted with thunderous applause after finishing his program
- The 21-year-old had previously revealed his routine would spotlight mental health
Just over a week after his pursuit of individual Olympic gold came up short, Ilia Malinin returned to the Olympic stage for the traditional figure skating exhibition gala, delivering a moment that felt both personal and powerful.
Skating to “Fear” by NF on Saturday, Feb. 21, the 21-year-old delivered a striking routine he had earlier said would focus on mental health. Following his difficult final skate on Feb. 13, Malinin admitted he had been overwhelmed by “negative thoughts” moments before taking the ice — a mental spiral that disrupted his concentration and ultimately resulted in an eighth-place finish.
For the gala, he wore a simple sweatshirt and began by physically brushing away the notification sounds woven into the music — a symbolic gesture highlighting the toll of social media on his well-being. As the routine concluded, punctuated by his signature backflip, Malinin stood still, visibly emotional, absorbing the roar of the crowd.
He had hinted at the theme days earlier in an Instagram post shared on Feb. 16, preparing fans for a performance rooted in vulnerability rather than spectacle.
“On the world’s biggest stage, those who appear the strongest may still be fighting invisible battles on the inside,” he wrote. “Even the happiest memories can end up tainted by the noise. Vile online hatred attacks the mind and fear lures it into the darkness, no matter how hard you try to stay sane through the endless insurmountable pressure.”
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The exhibition gala is a celebratory tradition held after competition concludes, featuring medalists from all three figure skating disciplines along with other standout athletes from around the world. This year’s event includes Malinin, Alysa Liu, Amber Glenn, Madison Chock and Evan Bates, Ellie Kam and Danny O’Shea, Mikhail Shaidorov, and Guillaume Cizeron with Laurence Fournier Beaudry.
With no judges and no medals on the line, skaters are encouraged to experiment and show a more expressive side of their artistry. Earlier in the evening, Malinin also joined his teammates for a group performance, adding to the celebratory atmosphere.
In an interview with PEOPLE several days after the final, Malinin reflected on the experience, saying he believed he gained more perspective from defeat than he would have from victory.
“I think honestly, you learn more from losing than you do winning, so I think I’m definitely gonna be able to learn a lot from this so I can come back better and stronger and really just know what I was up against,” he said. “It’s one thing to experience the Olympics for the first time, but it’s another to go again and know what’s gonna happen and really know how to prepare yourself better.”
He also spoke about supporting teammate Amber Glenn, whose competition began with a difficult short program before she rebounded with a standout free skate.
“I’ve told her that, you know, this is something that we all go through,” he said. “It’s not always a pleasant feeling, but it’s something we have to accept and move forward from, because no matter what happens, we always have to get up and do it again.”
