"Gymnastics legend Simone Biles attended the Winter Games with her husband, Jonathan Owens, and she was in the arena on Feb. 13, when the self-proclaimed "Quad God" finished in an unexpected eighth place in the men's singles event. Biles reached out to Malinin afterward, and she even crashed his Access Hollywood interview to share some wisdom on Feb. 17. The GOAT & The Quad God"
"Biles was concerned for him when she watched the competition live. Based on her experience at the delayed 2020 Tokyo Olympics, when she suffered from "the twisties" and had to pull out of several events, she could empathize with what he was going through. "I was really worried about how his mental health was going to be," she told Olympics.com on Feb. 17."
Ilia Malinin entered the 2026 Milano Cortina Olympics as a heavy favorite but finished eighth in the men's singles figure skating event. Malinin later described the result as "an inevitable crash" caused by insurmountable pressure. Simone Biles attended the Games, watched his performance live, and reached out to him afterward, drawing on her own Olympic experience with the twisties. Biles expressed concern for his mental health, sent supportive messages, and advised that outsiders rarely understand athletes' internal struggles. She encouraged Malinin to determine what he wants and needs, refocus, and return to competition.
Read at Bustle
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