United States skating sensation Ilia Manlin attempted to capture a gold medal on Friday but missed the podium with a disappointing eighth-place finish.
Malinin entered the final with a 5.09 lead over second place, but stumbled in his performance on Friday, with multiple mistakes. He didn’t achieve his trademark quadruple axel, landing just a single axel. He also fell while attempting a quadruple lutz and only landed a double salchow.
The “Quad God” finished with a total score of 264.49, placing him eighth among competitors. Meanwhile, Mikhail Shaidorov of Kazakhstan claimed the gold medal, Japan’s Yuma Kagiyama took silver, and Japan’s Shun Sato captured bronze.
It was a disheartening performance and finish for Malinin, who had come into the event as a significant favorite, only to falter to meet expectations. However, he showed grace, composure, and humility despite all the miscues and eighth-place finish.
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Malinin was clearly upset after his performance. However, good sportsmanship was not lost on Malinin, as he opted to congratulate Shaidorov on his gold medal performance afterward.
The loss was likely an emotional one not only for Malinin but also for his many fans. Still, many realize he’s far from defeated.
Among those showing support for her fellow American skating star was former medalist Tara Lipinski. She captured gold at the 1998 Nagano Olympics in the women’s singles figure skating event.
Taking to her official Instagram, Lipinski shared a photo of Manilin smiling with both arms raised in the air while on the ice. She sent him a powerful message after he was disappointed not to reach the podium.
“The grace, honesty and sportsmanship you showed in a moment of heartbreak reveals you are not only an elite athlete but a gracious human being,” she wrote, adding, “I can’t wait to watch you rise.”
Lipinski’s Instagram post received over 9,700 likes and more than 200 comments, with many reacting to Manilin’s heartbreaking performance and humility in the face of the tough loss.
“He’s a class act. Hope he comes back stronger than ever! ❤️💙,” one commenter wrote.
“Beautifully said, Tara. My heart is breaking for Ilia, but I know he will continue to shine as only he can. 🫶,” a commenter said.
“Phenomenal person, phenomenal skater. A true class act. We love Ilia!😍,” another commenter said.
“That was classy, to see him go over to congratulate another Olympian. 😍” an IG commenter wrote.
Lipinski’s Olympic career is long past, as she’s now a sports commentator and television star. Fans watched her on the hit reality competition show, “The Traitors,” where her friend, skating star Johnny Weir, is among her castmates, and she’s among the many Olympians now sending supportive and encouraging messages Malinin’s way.
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