U.S. skier Mikaela Shiffrin has not found much success in the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics. This has been the case as well for fellow Team USA athlete Ilia Malinin, who struggled mightily in the men’s figure skating final on Friday.
Shiffrin failed to reach the podium in her first two events at the Winter Games. She finished fourth alongside teammate Breezy Johnson in the inaugural team combined event. Shiffrin then fell all the way to 11th in the giant slalom final on Sunday.
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Shiffrin’s losing streak in the Olympics now extends to eight consecutive events. This is after the decorated American skier failed to medal in six events at the 2022 Beijing Olympics.
Team USA’s Mikaela Shiffrin reacts during second run of women’s alpine skiing giant slalomMichael Madrid-Imagn Images
(Michael Madrid-Imagn Images)
Malinin, on the other hand, made his Olympics debut this year. He got off to a hot start, helping Team USA secure a gold medal in the team event.
Malinin crashed out in the individual final, though. The “Quad God” was the heavy favorite to win the competition, but he ended up finishing eighth after falling twice in his routine. After the loss, the 21-year-old admitted that he wasn’t able to overcome all the negative thoughts that flooded into his head right before he took the ice.
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On Monday, Malinin posted a video on Instagram. It was a preview of an upcoming documentary about his journey. The figure skating sensation accompanied the post with a heartfelt message addressing his mental health.
“On the world’s biggest stage, those who appear the strongest may still be fighting invisible battles on the inside.” He wrote. “Even your happiest memories can end up tainted by the noise. Vile online hatred attacks the mind and fear lures it into the darkness, no matter how hard you try to stay sane through the endless insurmountable pressure.
“It all builds up as these moments flash before your eyes, resulting in an inevitable crash. This is that version of the story.”
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Shiffrin caught wind of Malinin’s post. The American skier shared the video on her Instagram story along with a heartfelt reaction.
“This. 🫶🏼” Shiffrin wrote.
Shiffrin has been very vocal about her own mental health struggles. She, too, is very familiar with the immense pressure that comes with being one of the best athletes in your sport. To a certain extent, Shiffrin knows exactly what Malinin is going through, and she’s shown her support with a simple message.
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Shiffrin has one more event in the Winter Olympics. She will be competing in the slalom, where she won a gold medal during the 2014 Sochi Olympics. The qualifying round is scheduled at 4 a.m. ET on Wednesday, while the final round is set for 7:30 a.m. ET.
Related: Olympics Reacts to Mikaela Shiffrin’s Statement During Winter Games
This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Feb 17, 2026, where it first appeared in the Olympics section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.