Ilia Malinin recently opened up about how watching Alysa Liu rise during the Olympic season changed the way he thinks about skating. The American pointed to her sudden surge in popularity and how quickly she connected with fans around the world.
He also spoke about adopting her mindset, highlighting how she focuses on enjoying the sport rather than chasing results.
How Alysa Liu’s Olympic Breakout Shifted Ilia Malinin’s Mindset
Malinin spoke about Liu and her sudden rise during an interview with Olympics.com, where he reflected on how quickly she became one of the biggest stars of the Games. Her performances and story drew massive attention from fans worldwide.
Her social media growth was just as striking. Liu’s Instagram following jumped from around 200,000 to millions within days of her Olympic success, eventually crossing several million as she became a global fan favorite.
“I feel like it’s really incredible for a skater to go from zero to a hundred — it’s pretty cool in the span of three weeks, she’s got like, right now she’s at eight million [Instagram] followers,” he said.
Malinin opened up about an aspect that stood out to him about Liu which was the way she carried herself through the competition and focused on enjoying every moment on the ice.
MORE: Ilia Malinin Warns Figure Skating’s Push for Spectacle Leaves Skaters Behind
It made him reflect on his own mindset, especially in high-pressure situations. Watching her skate freely and stay positive left a clear impression on him about dealing with expectations while competing at the highest level.
“Of course, I pick up her mentality of, there’s a part of it, of not really worrying about results. She always comes with a positive mindset and always says that she only wants to skate because she loves it. I think it’s really how passionate you are for it,” he added.
After the Olympics, Malinin has stayed focused on moving forward. He returned to competition at the World Championships in Prague and is also part of major skating shows, showing he is not stepping away from the sport anytime soon.
Malinin is expected to continue competing at the highest level, targeting upcoming international events while also performing in ice shows. He remains focused on refining his skills and staying consistent.
