Ilia Malinin Returns To Olympic Ice With Nothing To Hide

NEED TO KNOW

• Ilia Malinin returned to Olympic ice on Feb. 21 for the annual figure skating exhibition gala
• He was met with a wave of thunderous applause after finishing his skate
• The skater had previously shared that his program would center on mental health

Just over a week after his bid for an individual Olympic gold medal came up short, Ilia Malinin returned to Olympic ice for the annual figure skating exhibition gala.

The 21-year-old delivered an emotionally charged performance on Saturday, Feb. 21, skating to “Fear” by NF — a routine he had earlier hinted would explore mental health. After his difficult final skate on Feb. 13, Malinin admitted he had been overwhelmed by “negative thoughts” just moments before taking the ice, which disrupted his focus and ultimately resulted in an eighth-place finish.

During the gala, Malinin skated in a sweatshirt and opened his program by physically swiping away the notification sounds embedded in the music, a symbolic gesture reflecting the impact of social media on his mental well-being. As the routine ended — highlighted by his signature backflip — he appeared visibly emotional, standing still as the arena erupted in sustained applause.

Malinin had previously shared insight into what fans could expect from the gala in an Instagram post on Feb. 16.

“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.”

The exhibition gala is a post-competition tradition that brings together medalists from all three completed figure skating disciplines, along with other standout skaters from around the world. This year’s lineup 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 at stake, skaters are encouraged to experiment, relax, and show a more personal side of their skating. Earlier in the evening, Malinin and his teammates also performed a group routine together.

In an interview with PEOPLE several days after the final, Malinin reflected on his Olympic experience, saying he felt he gained valuable perspective through defeat.

“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 individual event began with a shaky short program before she rebounded with a strong 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 embrace and move on from, because no matter what happens, we always have to get back up and do it again.”