Ilia Malinin reveals Tom Brady, Steph Curry contacted him after Winter Olympics loss

Feb 25, 2026 - 05:45

Ilia Malinin might not have had the 2026 Winter Olympics run he wanted, but Tom Brady, Stephen Curry, and other well-decorated athletes made sure to make sure he was in good spirits.

The Olympic figure skater helped the figure skating team win a gold medal for men’s single free skate when he scored 200.03 in the final segment, pushing Japan to second place. However, he ended up placing eighth overall in the men’s individual figure skating event, partly due to his two stumbles.

While his performance was not a complete loss, he shared that he had the support of several athletes.

“Everyone was there for me. I had so many different people reach out to me,” he told NBC’s Mike Tirico, sharing that Tom Brady, Steph Curry, Simone Biles, and Snoop Dogg reached out to him. “I’m honestly just so honored for that, and I feel like it just made my day, honestly.”

Malinin shared that his time at the games especially after his loss, he felt a mixture of “a lot of ups and downs.”

Ilia Malinin talks with Mike Tirico about his 2026 #WinterOlympics experience. pic.twitter.com/PJ6OmdL6VB
— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) February 17, 2026

“Of course, after the free skate it was a little hard at first,” he continued. “Then trying to realize what happened and how devastating it really was.”

Malinin shared that a tough time during the games was that he felt a little loss on the ice and before he knew it he couldn’t recover.

“I was not expecting it to feel that way, but definitely getting on that ice, it felt like… Usually, I feel like I’m in control and everything just lines up where it should be,” he said. “But that time, it really just felt like it was speeding ahead of me, and I didn’t have time to catch up and get back together.”

The gold Olympic medalist shared that while he did not get everything he wanted he felt that he is still pushing forward despite the disappointment.

“Everything that led up to this point felt like a waste, no purpose to continue, no faith in the world, no reason to trust myself. I let FEAR in and it ruined me. Now, time to get back up and do it again,” he shared in his heartfelt post on Instagram. “It’s done, finished, gone. New goals and challenges await. Somethings bigger and better. GIVE ME A REASON. Grateful for everything and everyone that helped and supported me throughout this time. Met new people and learned many life lessons. 1: One loss doesn’t change what you have already won. 2: You learn more from failure than success. I came in being one person and left with a changed mind. Nevertheless, I had my amazing moments and memories and did not leave empty handed. Next step, Redemption. See you in Prague.”