# Rockstar Athletes Like Ilia Malinin Often Get ‘The Yips’ at the Olympics. It Can Make Them Stronger
In the high-stakes world of Olympic figure skating, even **rockstar athletes** like Ilia Malinin—the “Quad God”—can succumb to **the yips**, a sudden, inexplicable loss of fine motor skills under pressure. At the 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympics, Malinin’s stunning free skate collapse from gold-medal favorite to 8th place exemplifies this phenomenon, yet history shows such setbacks often forge **stronger champions**.[1][2]
## What Are ‘The Yips’ and Why Do They Strike at the Olympics?
**The yips** describe a performer’s mysterious inability to execute automated skills, often linked to intense anxiety. Golfers shank putts, dart throwers miss the board, and skaters like Malinin pop jumps or fall despite flawless training. Malinin entered the 2026 Olympics as a four-time U.S. champion and two-time world champion, routinely outscoring rivals by 10-40 points with historic feats like seven quad jumps in a program.[1] He dominated the team event free skate, securing U.S. gold, and led the individual short program by nearly six points over Japan’s Yuma Kagiyama.[1]
But in the decisive free skate on February 13, everything unraveled. Malinin popped his signature **quad axel**—the only one ever landed in competition—into a single axel. He followed with a solid quad lutz but faltered on a quad loop, then fell twice more, including on a quad combination, earning under one point for one and automatic deductions.[1][2] Kazakhstan’s Mikhail Shaidorov seized gold with five clean quads, his nation’s first, while Kagiyama took silver and Shun Sato bronze.[1][2]
Analysts likened it to an **unraveling under pressure**. Olympic veterans noted Malinin seemed overwhelmed, losing mental control mid-program: “He got so overwhelmed in the moment that he couldn’t feel what he was actually trained to do,” said experts, comparing it to their own Olympic meltdowns where jumps dissolved despite preparation.[4] Malinin admitted post-skate, “It’s the Olympics… the pressure and the nerves that actually happen… overwhelmed me and I just felt like I had no control.”[1]
This isn’t unique to Malinin. The Olympics amplify **yips** through global scrutiny, sky-high expectations, and the “five rings” aura. Johnny Weir, a former Olympian, described physical symptoms like shaking legs, emphasizing how the event condenses a lifetime of sacrifice into six minutes before the world.[4] Terry Lipinski, 1998 gold medalist, highlighted Malinin’s prior “protection” in lesser events, making Olympic exposure a brutal wake-up.[4]
## The Pressure Cooker: Malinin’s Perfect Storm
Malinin’s downfall stemmed from multiple factors. As the undisputed favorite, hype was immense: “He’s the best skater in history,” said rival Shaidorov.[1] He skated two full programs in six days for the team event atop individual prep, physical fatigue compounding mental strain.[1] Even his physique—twitchy muscles ideal for quads—couldn’t overcome nerves when takeoffs faltered.[1]
Kagiyama echoed, “There is this pressure from people who assumed he would probably get gold… it really proves that this is really the Olympics; things like that happen.”[1] At 21, Malinin’s first Games lacked prior Olympic seasoning; he later wished for Beijing 2022 experience.[4]
## How ‘The Yips’ Build Unbreakable Resilience
Here’s the silver lining: **the yips often catalyze growth**, turning chokes into comebacks. Malinin himself vowed to regroup: “From here it’s just regrouping and figure out what to do next,” signaling no end to his dominance.[1] Experts predict he’ll be “the greatest of all time,” undeterred by one event.[1]
Consider parallels:
– **Simone Biles** withdrew from multiple 2020 Tokyo events due to “twisties”—a gymnast’s yips equivalent—amid mental health struggles, yet returned stronger, winning three medals including team gold and dominating 2024 Paris with another team gold plus three more.[4]
– Golf’s Scottie Scheffler faltered at the 2022 Masters under pressure but channeled it into world No. 1 status and multiple majors.
– In skating, Lipinski overcame her own Olympic unraveling to win gold, while Weir pushed through shaking legs.[4]
Psychologically, **post-yips adversity** builds antifragility. Exposure to failure under maximum stress rewires the brain, enhancing focus via techniques like visualization, mindfulness, and deliberate pressure simulation. Malinin’s 2026 experience—team gold amid individual bronze—provides data for refinement. At 21, with 2030 Olympics ahead, this could sharpen his edge, much like Biles’ Tokyo hiatus elevated her legacy.[1][4]
Research in sports psychology supports this: athletes facing peak-pressure chokes often outperform peers long-term, as the “scar tissue” fosters superior coping. Malinin’s raw talent remains; nerves merely exposed a growth area.[1][4]
## Lessons for Future Rockstars
Malinin’s saga reminds us: **Olympic yips aren’t failure—they’re tuition**. Rockstar athletes like him don’t crumble; they evolve. Expect the Quad God to land that elusive individual gold next time, his Milan falls fueling a fiercer rotation speed and unshakeable poise. Figure skating advances because trailblazers like Malinin test limits, yips and all.
For aspiring Olympians, prioritize mental prep alongside physical: simulate crowds, stack pressures, embrace unraveled skates as rehearsals. The Olympics don’t break the best—they reveal who bends to build back unbreakable.
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Original source: NPR News – Rockstar athletes like Ilia Malinin often get ‘the yips’ at the Olympics. It can make them stronger
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