On the same day Ilia Malinin promised another “version” of his Olympic story would be revealed, he is also expected to perform one last time on Olympic ice.
But what will he do?
The performance will come as part of the fan favorite event known as the Exhibition Gala, a final figure skating performance with no medals, no scores and no pressure.
Considered one of figure skating’s “most cherished traditions,” the gala will take place on Saturday, with Ilia and several other notable skaters from the 2026 Games taking the ice one last time.
“For one unforgettable evening, many of the world’s finest skaters will return to perform for a packed house and before a worldwide broadcast audience,” the International Skating Union announced Friday.
As for what Malinin will do on the ice, the answer remains unclear, but the ISU noted he is “ready to deliver something special.”
“Pure emotion. Full power. No holding back. This is SHOWTIME,” the union wrote in a social media post. “And we’re ready for every second of it.”
According to ISU, the gala is an event with no scores and no medals at stake, just “pure artistic freedom.”
“The exhibition gala is an opportunity for skaters to go out and perform a program that is not judged. All of the rules and regulations that apply in competition do not apply in the exhibition gala, so you can go skate for as long or as little as you want, to whatever music you want, to whatever costume you want, and it’s even more free than it is in competition because a lot of skaters will do something super random and funny and fun,” Olympian Mariah Bell said.
Alysa Liu, who is also among the performers, has already foreshadowed her skate, saying she will “have a new program to ‘Stateside’ by PinkPantheress and Zara Larsson, the remix.”
“And I’ll have a new dress and I’m going to perform once again on the big stage,” she said.
The moment will mark one last chance for many skaters to leave it all on the ice at the Olympics — and for Malinin, it could be huge.
The American skating sensation suffered one of the biggest upsets of the Milan Cortina Games when he went from gold medal position to off the podium entirely in an uncharacteristic free skate that saw him fall numerous times.
Since then, Malinin has been vocal about the pressure he felt and the toll it took.
“I’ve been through a lot,” Malinin said. “Being the Olympic gold hopeful is really just a lot to deal with, especially for my age.”
The 21-year-old teased on social media that more on his story would be released on Feb. 21, though it remains unclear what exactly that entails.
He posted a video 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.”
“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.”
So what will he do in an Olympic performance with nothing to lose? Time will tell.
When is the Exhibition Gala?
The event takes place from 1-3:30 p.m. CT Saturday at the Milano Ice Skating Arena.
Where to watch it?
The event can be streamed live below:
WATCH LIVE: Figure Skating Exhibition Gala
Who is performing?
According to Bell, the organizing committee decides who skates in the gala, though any medalist from earlier in the Games is automatically invited.
“There are additional skaters, maybe up to like the top five or six that can be invited,” Bell said. “Also, any standout performers that maybe didn’t have the best competition but are really loved by people and have a really great performance quality can be invited to perform. Additionally, anyone who represents the host country that that event is being held in.”
Here’s the full list of skaters:
MEN
Mikhail Shaidorov (KAZ)Yuma Kagiyama (JPN)Shun Sato (JPN)Junhwan Cha (KOR)Adam Siao Him Fa (FRA)Ilia Malinin (USA)Daniel Grassl (ITA)
PAIRS
Riku Miura / Ryuichi Kihara (JPN)Anastasiia Metelkina / Luka Berulava (GEO)Minerva Fabienne Hase / Nikita Volodin (GER)Maria Pavlova / Alexei Sviatchenko (HUN)Sara Conti / Niccolò Macii (ITA)
ICE DANCE
Guillaume Cizeron / Laurence Fournier Beaudry (FRA)Madison Chock / Evan Bates (USA)Piper Gilles / Paul Poirier (CAN)Charlène Guignard / Marco Fabbri (ITA)Allison Reed / Saulius Ambrulevičius (LTU)Olivia Smart / Tim Dieck (ESP)
WOMEN
Alysa Liu (USA)Kaori Sakamoto (JPN)Ami Nakai (JPN)Amber Glenn (USA)Adeliia Petrosian (AIN)Niina Petrokina (EST)Haein Lee (KOR)
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