Ilia Malinin on Finding Freedom From Pressure After the Olympics

Olympic Champion and three-time World Champion Ilia Malinin, the figure skater known globally as "Quad God," joins Mikaela to talk about what happens when extraordinary becomes expected.
Born to elite skating parents who tried to steer him away from the sport, Malinin found his own path to the ice—and rapidly redefined its limits, becoming the first to land a quad axel in competition and completing a program with seven quads.
But beneath the technical brilliance lies a story of intense pressure, Olympic disappointment, and deliberate reinvention. Malinin opens up about the 2026 Milano Cortina Games: the media demands that treat skaters as "puppets," the ice conditions that changed daily, and the emotional aftermath of competing under crushing external expectations.
His response? A complete mindset shift post-Olympics, including a new self-christened identity as "Chaos God" and a life framework called "Vision 2030."
Through it all, Malinin discusses finding freedom in creativity, the difference between mental and physical strength in skating, and why his cats might understand him better than the sports media. The conversation spans manifestation, perfectionism, and the radical act of remembering who you are when the world only sees what you can do.
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