‘All class’: Fans applaud Ilia Malinin for congratulating Mikhail Shaidorov after Olympic setback

American figure skating star Ilia Malinin may have fallen short of Olympic gold at the Winter Olympics 2026, but he earned widespread praise for his sportsmanship after the event. Malinin entered Friday’s (January 13) men’s free skate as the favorite and short program leader, holding a lead of more than five points. However, a disastrous free skate saw him tumble from first place to eighth overall, scoring 156.33 in the free skate and finishing with a total of 264.49. It marked his first loss since November 2023.

Despite the heartbreak, Malinin did not let disappointment overshadow the moment. Shortly after learning he had missed the podium, cameras captured the 21-year-old walking over to Kazakhstan’s Mikhail Shaidorov to personally congratulate him on winning Olympic gold, a historic victory that delivered Kazakhstan its first Winter Olympic gold in 32 years.

The gesture was quickly praised by fans online, who flooded social media with messages praising Malinin’s composure and character.


“Despite that worst moment of his career, Ilia Malinin with the total class in congratulating Mikhail Shaidorov for being the Olympic champion.”


Another wrote, “All class from the quad god Ilia Malinin congratulating Kazakhstan Mikhail Shaidorov”


Also Read: Who is Mikhail Shaidorov? Meet Kazakhstan’s first Winter Olympic champion in 32 years

A third post summed up the sentiment on why he was so loved: “pulling yourself together after the worst skate of your career to go congratulate someone on the best skate of their career is classy af, Ilia Malinin they will never make me hate you”


Malinin later acknowledged his disappointment in a brief interview with NBC’s Andrea Joyce, saying, “I blew it.”

The US skater, who attends George Mason University and is majoring in exploratory studies in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, was visibly heartbroken but composed, a short moment that, for many viewers, defined the night as much as the result itself.