Evgeni Plushenko: “Despite success in the short program, I still don’t have full confidence in Ilia Malinin’s ultimate victory.”
Two-time Olympic champion and renowned coach Evgeni Plushenko believes that American skater Ilya Malinin may not win the gold medal at the 2026 Milan Olympics.
original source: Sport Express
Two-time Olympic champion and coach Evgeni Plushenko remains uncertain about Ilia Malinin’s chances of winning gold at the 2026 Milan Winter Olympics, citing the unpredictability of figure skating and the significant risks involved in attempting a quad axel. Here’s a translation of his comments.
“Ilia Malinin skated his short program beautifully. He was the only skater to include a brilliant combination of a quad lutz and a triple toe loop in the second half of his routine. His technical execution was impeccable overall. The flip was fantastic as well, though the axel – done with a short setup – lacked a clean exit.
Despite yesterday’s success, I still don’t have full confidence in Ilia’s ultimate victory. Of course, if on Friday he performs his incredible jump content flawlessly, no one will come close to him. But if there are any errors, like in the team event, and we don’t see the quad axel—which everyone expects from Malinin – and Kagiyama delivers a flawless performance, the gold medal will go to Japan. I think Yuma would already be leading now if not for the step-out.
Ilya has the chance to make history as the first figure skater to land a quad axel at the Olympic Games. This would be a phenomenal achievement, doubling the admiration he’s already received for his breathtaking skill.
At the same time, we must understand the immense risk involved! It was an attempted quad axel that cost Yuzuru Hanyu the bronze medal at the last Olympics. Unfortunately, his dream of becoming the first to achieve it did not come true.
The main intrigue for me now is whether Ilya will attempt this unique jump in the free skate. He’s listed it three times in the past but has yet to muster the courage to showcase it to the audience.
As for the battle for bronze, it will primarily be between Adam Siao Him Fa, Daniel Grassl, and Mikhail Shaidorov. For the Italian to make it onto the podium, he will need to successfully execute the quad loop and quad lutz.
Shaidorov, representing Kazakhstan, seems to be in good form, skating confidently. He just needs to increase his speed a bit. We also cannot dismiss the second Japanese skater, Shun Sato. Though he surprisingly faltered in the short program, he has the potential to deliver an impressive free skate,” Plushenko wrote in his column for Sport-Express.
Related topics: Evgeni Plushenko, Ilia Malinin, Olympic Games
I totally agree with Carolina’s comments. The idea of trying quad axel was stupid – youngsters maximalism. Trusova did, sort of, the same mistake last Olympics in the short. But it was good to see the way he behaved after the loss: communicating normally with competitors and journalists. I do like him even more now because of this attitude;)
Conclusion:
I do not like to see a genetic Russian with such extraordinairy skills lose- even if he represents the US. He always had Russian coaches, Arutunian made him a master. But he will learn from this. The youthful recklessness has hopefully come to an end. I wish him all the best to overcome that shock, that in the end likely useful exerience without major scars on his confidence in his abilities.
PS: Especially after the fall and mistakes of Kagyama, It was not necessairy to risk the quad axel. What a big mistake of his father. I am sure, that Arutunian did not favor this decision. A simple good free, a good go for security would have been reached the goal-gold. Such a misplanning. Such a miscalculation! Amateurish. It breaks your heart. “Those who want too much end up with nothing.” A well known proverb.
Ilia Malinin and Kamila Valiewa- heartbraking for me to watch at the Olympic games 22 and 26. 2026 was the year of Malinin with his extraordinairy skills. Plushi was very good at his time, he scated in an own athmossphere too, but Ilja ist still better. One difference: The wise Professor Myshin is an old strategic fox, en experienced coach. Aratunian too, but Ilia made a mistake- he stood by his parents. The enormous pressure, the immense expectations, the force to show the quad axel (what a nonsense!), 2 great programms in one week- it was too much. He showed a lack of physical strength becuase of themental overextension in this free under these special unique conditions. He got weaker and weaker during his prgramm. This causes by mental problems, a mental overload. What a pity! I think it would have been better to stay and train by Arutunian this complete last year. The family is too much subjektivly involved in that personal matter. Simply heartbreking for me to see this meltdown. The attempt of the quad axel was the beginning of the end. How could this taken place? They-the team wanted too much. He is only 21. What a big fault in planning
Hmm, bit of a prophet