Few athletes can relate to what Ilia Malinin is going through.
Simone Biles stands as a rare exception — and she’s not letting her fellow Team USA Olympian face it alone.
The most decorated gymnast in history offered a shoulder to lean on for the ice-skating wunderkind, following his stunning eighth-place finish in the free skate at the 2026 Winter Olympics.
Biles, in Milan for the Games, told “Today” on Tuesday that she’s spoken to Malinin both in person and online, sending support rooted in shared experience.
“I know exactly what he’s going through, and I know most athletes might not be able to relate,” Biles said.
“It’s really, really hard to watch, but he’s still an absolute legend, so I see him coming out on top after this, and we’re all just cheering for him.”
Nicknamed the “Quad God,” Malinin entered his first Olympic Games as an overwhelming favorite to capture the men’s single skating gold last Friday — but he fell twice and missed the podium entirely in a devastating twist.
Malinin, 21, fought back tears on the ice before admitting that his focus may have been blurred by the insurmountable pressure of entering his first Olympics with skyscraping expectations.
His mental state seemingly deteriorated even further in the following days, as he began reposting increasingly concerning videos on his TikTok account.
Fans and fellow athletes — including Tom Brady, Stephen Curry, and Biles — rallied together for an outpouring of support for the young American skater, something he said meant the world to him.
“Looking back at it, I got so much love, so much support. Had so many people reach out to me,” Malinin said. “I’m honestly just so honored for that and feel like it just made my day.”
Biles went on to return to competition at the 2024 Paris Games, where she captured three gold medals (team, all-around, vault), along with one silver (floor exercise).
While Malinin faltered in the individual competition, snapping his more than two-year unbeaten streak, he helped lead USA to a gold medal in the team competition.
He’s set to return to the ice at next month’s World Championships in Prague, where he’ll defend his back-to-back world titles.
