Ilia Malinin returned to the Olympic ice for another performance but this time, he literally did something exceptional!
Malinin used the opportunity to turn past disappointments into positive memories.
Team USA figure skater performed a routine set to the song Fear, a raw song about mental health struggles and the feeling of losing control by American rapper NF, which he had previewed on social media earlier, as per The Guardian.
More than 40 Olympic figure skaters who took part in traditional Saturday night exhibition gala which both concludes the Olympic figure skating program and celebrates the sports as a whole.
Despite being a top favourite for the men’s gold medal, the 21-year-old Malinin faltered during the free skate, ultimately finishing off the podium.
In his emotional performance, Malinin, nicknamed the “Quad God,” dressed casually in a grey hoodie and worn jeans, showed the stress and anxiety caused by social media, using gestures like scrolling on a phone and hiding under his hoodies while also displaying his advanced skating skill like quadruple jump and backflip.
He then ended with a dramatic gesture of putting on headphones that silenced the audience.
Alysa Liu, on the other hand, performed a joyful routine to Stateside by Zara Larsson and PinkPantheress.
