Figure skating star Ilia Malinin has returned to the Olympic ice in Milan – and impressed on the conventional gala. His track and his present stated loads about him and the drama that had occurred earlier than. Schaidorov within the panda costume offered a humorous second.
Ilia Malinin stepped onto the ice this Saturday night in a black hoodie and darkish denims. The space on which he had skilled a drama throughout his free skate eight days earlier. Starting as the massive favourite, as a celebrity to whom everybody had already mentally awarded the gold, he fell. Literally and figuratively.
Shortly after the failed free skate on February thirteenth, which dropped him from first place to eighth, he spoke of psychological challenges. A bit later, the 21-year-old American talked intimately in regards to the disastrous mixture of immense strain on the Olympic stage, hate messages on the Internet and concern that had crept up inside him.
In the times that adopted, he returned to the determine skating enviornment in Milan as a spectator – and on this late Saturday night as an athlete. Without factors, with out placings, with out medals. The large determine skating gala, which historically takes place on the finish of the Winter Olympics, is in regards to the fascination and variety of this sport and its athletes. The medal winners and another particular athletes are all the time invited. In this case, Italian runners and Malinin have been amongst them.
Malinin: “Show the world that we are human too”
There have been a complete of 30 program gadgets, together with the looks of the German bronze medalists Minerva Hase and Nikita Volodin. At 10:02 p.m., because the final runner forward of the Olympic champions, Malinin lastly got here into the highlight. He skated to “Fear” by American rapper and songwriter NF. The title of his present program could not have been higher suited.
Malinin had beforehand carried out that night with Olympic champion Alysa Liu and the US workforce that gained gold initially of the video games. Now he was the one one in focus – and was greeted with thunderous applause.
To the sounds of music, he fought towards imaginary opponents, pushed them away, fought towards new rivals – like concern and hatred and strain. In a sure manner he danced and jumped free. With an emotional and spectacular present together with two quadruple jumps and a backflip – highly effective jumps and artistically fashionable as we all know it.
When it was performed, he narrowed his eyes and tilted his head again. There was a standing ovation from the viewers. Malinin coated his face together with his fingers. His response was very comparable – and but so totally different – eight days in the past. This time: pure aid, overwhelmed by optimistic feelings.
He then informed US media: “This message, this program and this song really spoke to me. It reflects exactly how I felt last year before these Olympics. There was so much pressure, so much doubt and everything around me, the noise in the media… It was just overwhelming.”
And additional: “Given what happened, I am still very, very grateful to be here. And I want to show the world that we are human too.”
In the panda swimsuit for “Kung Fu Fighting”
Afterwards, the Olympic champions enchanted that night: the French ice dancing couple Laurence Fournier Beaudry and Guillaume Cizeron, determine skaters Mikhail Schaidorov from Kazakhstan, the pair skaters Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara from Japan, and Alysa Liu.
Show packages are sometimes colourful, totally different, extra spectacular and generally humorous. Shaidorov, who took out his panda swimsuit, may also be remembered from this night. Despite this amusing and weird costume, the Olympic champion confirmed spectacular jumps and pirouettes to a “Kung Fu Panda” playlist: “Hero” by Hans Zimmer and John Powell, “Kung Fu Fighting” and the Tenacious D cowl of Britney Spears’ “Baby One More Time”.
The motto that the organizers had given suited Malinin completely – but additionally lots of the different 40 artists on the ice. It ought to be a tribute to the athletes and their tales, it ought to present their ardour and tales, their “courage to accept your own talent, never give up and make this challenge your life’s goal.” And: “It is also an encouragement – for the fans who will be watching the games – to never stop fighting for their dreams, whatever they may be.”
Most of the actors from this night and the Olympic determine skating competitions will quickly be seen once more: the World Championships might be held in Prague from March twenty third to twenty ninth.
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