To be brought up in a home where your family has an impressive legacy is not for the faint of heart when competing for yourself, family and country in front of the world, especially when you plummet from first to 15th place in the Olympics.
Ilia Malinin, also known as the “Quad God," who started as the favorite to win the gold in men’s figure skating, stumbled, forcing him to go from first to 15th to eighth place. His final skate, after losing 72 points from mistakes made on a world stage, defied what his previous skate showed, highlighting the nuance to a life like his.
On a world stage during the 2026 Winter Olympics at the Exhibition Gala in Milan, the Quad God showed he wasn’t just a god, he was a “Gen-Z” kid that could wear a hoodie to perform at the Olympics and succumb to the same emotions that mortals do.
Prior to his final skate at the Exhibition Gala, Malinin posted a teaser as to what his performance would bring on Feb. 21 on his Instagram. The video posted shows numerous clips of high points in Malinin's skating career, only to be broken up by sharp disruptions from popular rapper NF’s song, FEAR, with clips of Malinin seemingly breaking down alone.
“On the world’s biggest stage, those who appear the strongest may still be fighting invisible battles on the inside," Malinin wrote in the post's caption. "Even your 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. It all builds up as these moments flash before your eyes, resulting in an inevitable crash. This is that version of the story.”
NF, an American rapper, gained his platform after releasing raw songs of his life and his struggles with depression and anxiety. His music is powerful, with each album showing his growth as he continues through life after losing his mom to addiction, battling depression and anxiety, relapsing and the voices of doubt surrounding everything he does. His new EP, FEAR, follows NF as he goes back and forth between seeking comfort in his “mansion,” burning along with all the bad memories it held, and holding fear for what is to come next while trying to keep faith in his religion. His song, FEAR, depicts the constant back and forth he faces trying to overcome his grandma’s death, the fear of what is pending, the pain of mental illness as you’re trying to overcome it.
Mental illness. The invisible battles people face. The invisible battles that follow Malinin as he performs for his country, himself, his family. “From groundbreaking to heartbreaking” as depicted by news outlets. The raw intensity of FEAR and the intensity of Malinin’s performance working together to depict the stress of not trusting yourself, fear of failing those around you and hearing every negative thing people say about you, especially while in the public light.
“I blew it. There’s no way that happened,” Malinin said, speaking on the NBC Olympic broadcast.
After a devastating blow to the mental state of Malinin, this performance meant even more to younger audiences and the issue of mental health. The mental and physical strength of Malinin to face the world, after a devastating loss, to perform a powerful performance where he landed a backflip, which was banned from 1977 to 2024, showed viewers and himself that he was capable. Through his performance, talent and song choice, Malinin made his impact on the world, creating space for discussions about mental health, struggles with media attention and the pressure brought by the Olympics while leaving new fans in his wake.
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