"Ilia Malinin posted a video on social media Monday juxtaposing images of his many triumphs with a black-and-white image of the U.S. figure skater with his head buried in his hands, and a caption hinting at an "inevitable crash" amid the pressure of the Olympics while teasing that a "version of the story" is coming on Saturday. That is when Malinin is expected to skate in the traditional exhibition gala to wrap up the Olympic figure skating program."
""On the world's biggest stage, those who appear the strongest may still be fighting invisible battles on the inside," wrote the 21-year-old Malinin. "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.""
"Malinin, who helped the U.S. clinch the team gold medal early in the Winter Games, was the heavy favorite to add another gold in the individual event. But he fell twice and struggled throughout his free skate on Friday, ending up in eighth. He acknowledged afterward that the pressure of the Olympics had worn him down, saying: "I didn't really know how to handle it.""
Ilia Malinin posted a social-media video contrasting his triumphs with a black-and-white image of himself with his head buried in his hands, captioning it with references to an "inevitable crash" under Olympic pressure and hinting at a "version of the story" on Saturday. Malinin helped the United States secure team gold early in the Winter Games and entered the individual event as the heavy favorite, but he fell twice in the free skate and finished eighth. He said the Olympic pressure had worn him down and described "vile online hatred" and invisible internal battles. Malinin had been unbeaten in 14 events and is expected to pursue a third consecutive world title next month in Prague.
Read at ESPN.com
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