Simone Biles draws on Olympic setback to support Ilia Malinin after 'Quad God's' gold bid unravels

American skating phenom Ilia Malinin, who has besides been dubbed the "Quad God" for his bonzer leaping ability, failed to medal aft being the dense favourite to triumph gold, finishing successful eighth spot successful past week’s men’s escaped skate final.

Simone Biles, the astir decorated U.S. Olympic gymnast, knows firsthand what it’s similar to vie nether unit connected the satellite stage. Biles revealed that she contacted the chap American Olympian successful the aftermath of his unexpected effect connected the ice.

"I’ve decidedly had a accidental to bump into him," the 28-year-old told the "Today" show. "I’ve sent him messages connected Instagram arsenic well, obviously, it’s each been backstage due to the fact that I cognize what he’s going done and I cognize astir athletes mightiness not beryllium capable to relate, and it’s really, truly hard to watch." 

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Gymnast Simone Biles of the United States during an interrogation astatine the Figure Skating, Men's Singles Skating-Free Skating contention astatine the Milano Ice Skating Arena astatine the Milano Cortina Winter Olympic Games 2026 connected Feb. 13th, 2026 successful Milan, Italy. (Tim Clayton/Getty Images)

Malinin dominated the abbreviated programme earlier successful the contention and entered past Friday starring by much than 5 points with a people of 108.16. But his show successful the last was the polar opposite. Malinin was blunt astir his show erstwhile speaking to NBC afterward, saying simply, "I blew it." It was a wide intelligence hurdle from commencement to finish.

Biles draws from her acquisition astatine the Tokyo Olympics, wherever her tally was chopped abbreviated by the "twisties." She said the ordeal equipped her to stock proposal with Malinin connected however to recover. 

ILIA MALININ HINTS AT INTENSE OLYMPIC PRESSURE DAYS AFTER UNEXPECTED RESULT

Biles remains hopeful astir Malinin’s vocation prospects going guardant and described the fig skater arsenic an "absolute legend."

"I spot him coming retired connected apical aft this," Biles said. "We’re each conscionable cheering for him." 

American gymnast Simone Biles is looks connected during the men’s singles escaped programme during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games astatine Milano Ice Skating Arena connected Feb. 13, 2026 successful Milan, Italy. (James Lang/Imagn Images)

Malinin besides told the outlet helium felt the value of expectations up of his eventual eighth-place finish.

"Honestly, it’s not a pleasant feeling," helium said, erstwhile asked astir being nether a microscope astatine the Winter Games. "The astir honorable mode to accidental it is conscionable a batch connected you, truthful galore eyes, truthful overmuch attraction not lone from people, oregon fans, media, it’s conscionable truthful overmuch and it truly tin get to you if you’re not acceptable to afloat clasp it." 

Ilia Malinin of the United States reacts aft competing successful the men's singles skating connected time 7 of the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics astatine Milano Ice Skating Arena successful Milan, Italy, connected Feb. 13, 2026. (Sarah Stier/Getty Images)

Malinin added, "I deliberation that mightiness beryllium 1 of the mistakes I made going into that escaped skate was I was not acceptable to grip that to a afloat extent, truthful I deliberation looking backmost astatine that, present I’ll beryllium capable to benignant of recognize however that feels truthful I’ll beryllium capable to instrumentality a afloat attack starring up to the adjacent games hopefully." 

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Malinin connected connected a quad flip to commencement but past settled for a azygous axel past week. He followed with a treble loop alternatively of a quad loop. Malinin fell connected a quad Lutz effort and past connected different leap soon after. He scored 156.33.

Mikhail Shaidorov of Kazakhstan won the golden with a full people of 291.58. His 198.94 people successful past Friday's escaped skate last was besides the highest of his career. Yuma Kagiyama of Japan won the silver, and Shun Sato, Kagiyama's teammate, took the bronze.

Fox News' Ryan Morik contributed to this report.

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