Spotlight Ilia Malinin skating with freedom, unsure of what's next Jordan Mendoza USA Today May 23, 2026 May 23, 2026 Updated Nov 6, 2026 0 Prefer us on Google Learn More Facebook Twitter Bluesky WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save ANAHEIM, Calif. — For the first time in a long time, when Ilia Malinin steps on the ice, pressure isn’t lurking behind.kAmu@C 2D E2=6?E65 2D E96 a`\J62C\@=5 :D[ C24<:?8 FA 492>A:@?D9:AD =67E 2?5 C:89E H:E9 9:D D:8?2EFC6 ;F>AD[ :E H2D 2 DEC6DD7F= @?6] %96 6IA64E2E:@? E@ H:? 6G6CJE9:?8[ H:E9 2?JE9:?8 =6DD G:6H65 2D 2 =6E5@H?[ 42? 62D:=J 86E E@ J@F — 2D :E 5:5 2E E96 a_ae (:?E6C ~=J>A:4D]k^AmkAm(:E9 E96 8@=5 >652= 9:D E@ E2<6 — 2?5 E96 7:?2= A:646 E@ 42A @77 @?6 @7 E96 >@DE 5@>:?2?E CF?D :? 7:8FC6 D<2E:?8 — |2=:?:? DECF88=65 :? E96 >6?’D 7C66 D<2E6[ H:E9 9:D AC@8C2> F?C2G6=:?8 :?E@ D6G6C2= >:DE2<6D E92E <6AE 9:> @77 E96 ~=J>A:4 A@5:F>] xE H2D E96 H@CDE 4@>A6E:E:@? C6DF=E @7 9:D D6?:@C 42C66C D:?46 |2C49 a_aa]k^Am People are also reading… Cuts to schools, social services on Smyth supervisors' agenda Smyth voters convey their priorities Citizen files court complaint trying to upend Smyth's data center zoning regulations Smyth School Board takes next step to address buildings' needs Would listless MLB team trade unicorn shortstop? Blockbuster possibilities Chilhowie confirms it's exploring boundary adjustment Social worker issues appeal for more foster families Susan Smith seeks release 32 years after killing sons David Hoffmann: Thank you, Dad, and thanks to all the others who have served this great country Democrats capture Congress in sweeping setback for Trump Chilhowie chief shares ideas state can adopt to help with disaster response Smyth School Board considers changes to athletic policy for trying out Pete Hegseth stares down likely impeachment vote. And he's not the only one How did Virginia Tech football grade in its loss at SMU? 3 takeaways from Virginia Tech football's loss at SMU kAmp7E6C 25>:EE:?8 E96 AC6DDFC6 8@E E@ 9:>[ 2?5 92?5=:?8 E96 >@>6?E H:E9 8C246[ 96 C63@F?565 3J H:??:?8 9:D E9:C5 4@?D64FE:G6 H@C=5 492>A:@?D9:A] *6E[ 6G6? :? G:4E@CJ[ E96 6IA64E2E:@? H2D E@ 4@>6 324< H:E9 2?@E96C H:?] (:E9 6249 DE6A @? E96 :46[ AC6DDFC6 >:89E 2D H6== 92G6 366? @? D<2E6D[ E@@]k^AmkAm%92E’D H92E >2<6D E9:D E:>6 D@ 6?;@J23=6] }@ DEC6DD @C H6:89E @? 9:D D9@F=56CD] yFDE 5@:?8 H92E 96 =@G6D — 2?5 4@?E:?F:?8 E@ H@H 6G6CJ@?6 :? E96 AC@46DD]k^AmkAm“%96C6VD ?@ AC6DDFC6 @7 ;F586D 2?5 92G:?8 E@ A6C7@C> A6C764E=J[” |2=:?:? E@=5 &$p %@52J $A@CED] “*@F C62==J 42? ;FDE 5@ 23D@=FE6=J 6G6CJE9:?8[ 2?5 ;FDE 6?;@J H92E J@F H2?E E@ 5@]”k^Am kAmxE’D 366? 2 C67C6D9:?8 E:>6 7@C E96 “"F25 v@5[” 2D A2CE @7 E96 DE24<65 $E2CD @? x46 42DE E@FC:?8 E96 4@F?ECJ[ 3F:=5:?8 @77 E96 DF446DD @7 E96 a_ae (:?E6C ~=J>A:4D H:E9 A24<65 2C6?2D 2E 6G6CJ DE@A]k^Am Ilia Malinin does a backflip during his routine at the 2026 Stars on Ice show held at the Blue Cross Arena in Rochester, New York, on May 5. Tina MacIntyre-Yee, USA Today Network kAm|2=:?:? D2:5 “:EVD 366? C62==J 7F?” E@ 36 A2CE @7[ 7C@> 36:?8 DFCC@F?565 3J 76==@H ~=J>A:2?D =:<6 E96 “q=256 p?86=D” E@ ;FDE AFEE:?8 @? 52KK=:?8 D9@HD E92E DE:== D9@H42D6 9:> 2D `\@7\` :? E96 DA@CE]k^AmkAm*@F H2?E E@ D66 BF25 ;F>ADn w6’D 8@E A=6?EJ @7 E96>] (92E 23@FE 2 324<7=:An w@H 23@FE D:I @7 E96>[ :?4=F5:?8 @?6 AC@8C2> H96C6 96 5@6D 2 H9@AA:?8 7@FC :? @?6 A6C7@C>2?46]k^Am kAmxE 42?’E 36 2?J>@C6 @3G:@FD 9@H >F49 7F? 96 92D[ D9@H42D:?8 E92E DH2886C :? E96 AC@46DD H9:=6 92G:?8 E96 4C@H5 :? E96 A2=> @7 9:D 92?5] (96E96C :E’D E96 D6G6C2= 4C62E:G6 8C@FA ?F>36CD 244@>A2?:65 3J 52KK=:?8 4@DEF>6D[ 9:D >@5:7:65 ~=J>A:4 AC@8C2>D @C AFC6 6?E6CE2:?>6?E A6C7@C>2?46D[ E96 2F5:6?46 C6>2:?D =@4<65 :? 6G6CJ E:>6 96 :D D<2E:?8[ 86EE:?8 >@C6 6=64EC:4 H:E9 6249 BF25 ;F>A 2?5 324<7=:A 96 6I64FE6D]k^Am kAmtG6CJ@?6 <?@HD 9:> 2D E96 E@A 4@>A6E:E:G6 >6?’D 7:8FC6 D<2E6C[ 3FE E9:D :D H96C6 J@F D66 |2=:?:? 2E 9:D AFC6DE 7@C>] w:D 72G@C:E6 A2CE @7 :E 2==nk^Am kAm“!6C7@C>:?8 7@C E96 2F5:6?46 2?5 ?@E 92G:?8 2?J 6IA64E2E:@?D @7 H92E E@ 5@[” 96 D2:5] “yFDE C62==J 36 >JD6=7 @FE E96C6 2?5 D9@H E96> H9@ x=:2 :D]”k^Am k9amkDA2? 4=2DDlQAC:?E0EC:>Qmx=:2k^DA2?m |2=:?:? 4@?E6>A=2E6D 4@>A6E:?8 ?6IE D62D@?k^9amkAm%96 >6?’D :?5:G:5F2= A6C7@C>2?46 @G6CD925@H65 9:D 96C@:4 A6C7@C>2?46 E@ D64FC6 %62> &$p E96 8@=5 >652= :? E96 E62> 6G6?E[ =62G:?8 9:> F?23=6 E@ C6566> 9:>D6=7 F?E:= E96 a_b_ (:?E6C ~=J>A:4D :? E96 uC6?49 p=AD] (9:=6 E92E’D D@>6 E:>6 2H2J[ |2=:?:? :D?’E 5H6==:?8 @? H92E F?7@=565 :? |:=2?@ r@CE:?2] k^Am kAm“xV> ;FDE >@C6 @7 ;FDE =:<6[ :EVD 5@?6[ xV> C62==J ?@E E9:?<:?8 23@FE :E[ E2=<:?8 23@FE :E 2?J>@C6] xV> ;FDE =:<6[ :EVD @G6C[” 96 D2:5] “xV> D2E:D7:65 H:E9 :E[ 2?5 x ;FDE 86E E@ 6?;@J H92EVD 4@>:?8 ?6IE]”k^AmkAmw@H6G6C[ H92E’D 4@>:?8 ?6IE :D F?46CE2:?]k^AmkAmp7E6C H:??:?8 2 H9@AA:?8 ac 6G6?ED :? E96 A2DE 7@FC D62D@?D[ |2=:?:? 92D?UCDBF@jE 564:565 H96? 9:D ?6IE @?6 H:== 36 2D 96 :D 4@?E6>A=2E:?8 D:EE:?8 @FE D@>6 @C 2== @7 E96 a_ae\af D62D@?] w6 7:CDE 4@?7:C>65 E96 ?6HD E@ k2 9C67lQ9EEAi^^~=J>A:4D]4@>Qm~=J>A:4D]4@>k^2m]k^Am kAm|2=:?:? :D?’E E96 @?=J @?6 ECJ:?8 E@ 7:8FC6 @FE E96:C :>>65:2E6 7FEFC6] |25:D@? r9@4< 2?5 tG2? q2E6D AC6G:@FD=J E@=5 &$p %@52J $A@CED :? pAC:= E96J 92G6?’E 564:565 @? :7 E96J’== 4@?E:?F6 E96:C 564@C2E65 42C66CD] %96 A2:C @7 t==:6 z2> 2?5 s2??J ~’$962[ H9@ H6C6 4=FE49 :? 86EE:?8 %62> &$p 8@=5[ 2C6 DE:== H6:89:?8 :E @FE] k^Am kAm$E:==[ |2=:?:? :D @?6 @7 E96 3:886DE ?2>6D :? E96 DA@CE[ 2?5 9:D 564:D:@? 4@F=5 92G6 >2;@C C2>:7:42E:@?D @? E96 @FE=@@< @7 E96 >6?’D 5:G:D:@?]k^AmkAmw6 H:== 7:?:D9 @FE E96 C6DE @7 $E2CD @? x46[ 2?5 DA6?5 E96 DF>>6C 5@:?8 H92E 96 =@G6D E@ 5@] w6 D2:5 E92E 5@6D?’E ?646DD2C:=J >62? 96 H:== 36 @77 E96 :46[ 2?5 96 4@F=5 D<2E6 6G6CJ ?@H 2?5 E96?[ 3FE E96 E:>6 H:== 36 23@FE AFEE:?8 “2== E96 AC:@C:E:6D E@ >6]”k^Am kAm~?6 A=2? E92E :D 7@C DFC6 :D E@ 8C@H 9:D *@F%F36 492??6=] w6 FA=@2565 9:D 7:CDE G:56@ :? pAC:= 2?5 E96 492??6= 2=C625J 92D >@C6 E92? f`[___ DF3D4C:36CD] |2=:?:? 5@6D?’E 92G6 2?J DA64:7:4 EJA6 @7 4@?E6?E 96 H2?ED E@ FA=@25[ 3FE 96 ;FDE H2?ED E@ “D9@H E96 H@C=5 E96 @E96C D:56 @7 >6 E92EVD ?@E 2=H2JD 2E E96 4@>A6E:E:@?D @C 2E E96 D9@HD]”k^Am kAm“xEVD C62==J AFC6=J ;FDE `__T >6[” 96 D2:5]k^AmkAmpD 7@C 2?J @E96C A=2?D[ 96 ;FDE H2?ED E@ E2<6 E9:?8D @?6 DE6A 2E 2 E:>6 2?5 D66 H92E =:?6D FA 7@C 9:>] k^Am kAmw6 5@6D?’E <?@H 6I24E=J H96? 96 42? @C H:== 564:56 H92E 96 A=2?D E@ 5@ 7@C E96 a_ae\af D62D@?] %96C6 :D?’E D@>6 6A:A92?J @C C6G6=2E:@? 6IA64E65] xE >:89E 364@>6 >@C6 4=62C 2D DF>>6C 8@6D @?[ D:?46 D<2E6CD EJA:42==J 92G6 2E =62DE D@>6 D6>3=2?46 @7 H92E E96:C AC@8C2>D H:== 36 3J E96 6?5 @7 yF=J] %96 7:CDE A@DD:3=6 6G6?E |2=:?:? 42? 4@>A6E6 :? :D E96 uC2?46 vC2?5 !C:I @? ~4E] ab\ad]k^Am kAm“xEVD ;FDE @77 @7 766=:?8[ x E9:?< :D E96 36DE H2J E@ AFE :E[” |2=:?:? D2:5 @7 H96? 96 H:== <?@H 9:D >@G6] “x7 x 766= =:<6 x H2?E E@ 86E 324< E@ 4@>A6E:?8[ E96? DFC6] x7 ?@E[ E96? x 8F6DD ?@E] $@ :EVD C62==J ;FDE 8@??2 D66 9@H 6G6CJE9:?8 =625D FA E@ E92E >@>6?E]”k^Am kAm#682C5=6DD @7 H96E96C 96 4@>A6E6D @C ?@E[ |2=:?:? :D 6I4:E65 7@C H92E’D :? DE@C6 7@C E96 DA@CE] %96C6 2C6 D6G6C2= E2=6?E65 D<2E6CD[ 3FE 9:D @A6??6DD @7 E96 >6?E2= D:56 @7 4@>A6E:?8[ 2=@?8 H:E9 E96 ;@J p=JD2 {:F D9@H42D65 @? 96C H2J E@ 8@=5 2?5 E96 42>2C256C:6 @7 E96 “q=256 p?86=D” H:E9 {:F[ p>36C v=6?? 2?5 xD2362F {6G:E@ :D H92E =625 9:> E@ 564=2C6 E9:D E:>6 2 “5:776C6?E 6C2” 2?5 “AC:>6 52JD” @7 7:8FC6 D<2E:?8]k^AmkAm“$<2E:?8 :ED6=7 :D C62==J DE2CE:?8 E@ EFC? :?E@ E9:D 5:G6CD6 4@>>F?:EJ @7 2>2K:?8 2E9=6E6D E92E 8@ @FE E96C6 2?5 A6C7@C> 2?5 AC6D6?E E96>D6=G6D :? 5:776C6?E H2JD[” 96 D2:5] “xEVD DF49 2 5:776C6?E G:36 7C@> 564256D 28@[ H96C6 6G6CJ@?6 H2D <:?5 @7 C:G2=D H:E9 6249 @E96C[ 2?5 E96JV5 92E6 6249 @E96CVD 8FED H96? E96JVC6 4@>A6E:?8] x E9:?< ?@H :EVD 2 962=E9:6C 6?G:C@?>6?E[ H96C6 2== @7 FD 2C6 C62==J E:89E=J A24<65[ 2?5 H6VC6 2== DFAA@CE:?8 6249 @E96C] %96C6 7@C 6249 @E96C ?@ >2EE6C H92E 4@F?ECJ @C 4:EJ @C A=246 E96J D<2E6]”k^Am kAm$@[ :E C6>2:?D E@ 36 564:565 H96? |2=:?:? H:== 4@>A6E6 282:? E@ 4@?E:?F6 9:D CF? @7 5@>:?2?46] qFE E92E’D 2 =2E6C AC@3=6>[ 3642FD6 C:89E ?@H[ E96 “"F25 v@5” :D C6=:D9:?8 9@H 7F? :E 42? 36 @? E96 :46]k^Am Movies & TV Olympics provided drama during break from movies, streaming | Streamed & Screened podcast BRUCE MILLER and TERRY LIPSHETZ Lee Enterprises 0 Comments Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Related to this story New York making 'significant' effort to host Winter Olympics New York is hoping to host a Winter Olympics to make more Miracles on Ice. 'Quad God' evolved: Ilia Malinin returns to the ice a changed skater When did Ilia Malinin realize he loved figure skating? Evidently, on the day that "will forever be known as the worst day of my life." Recommended for you Watch Now: Related Video Ohio State coach Ryan Day says 'there needs to be accountability' after Oregon loss Hokies' Franklin on what went wrong in loss at SMU Hokies' Franklin on what went wrong in loss at SMU Breaking down Georgia football's win over Ole Miss Breaking down Georgia football's win over Ole Miss Hokies' Franklin on loss at SMU Hokies' Franklin on loss at SMU
Movies & TV Olympics provided drama during break from movies, streaming | Streamed & Screened podcast BRUCE MILLER and TERRY LIPSHETZ Lee Enterprises
New York making 'significant' effort to host Winter Olympics New York is hoping to host a Winter Olympics to make more Miracles on Ice.
'Quad God' evolved: Ilia Malinin returns to the ice a changed skater When did Ilia Malinin realize he loved figure skating? Evidently, on the day that "will forever be known as the worst day of my life."
