As all eyes were on the ice during the 2026 Winter Olympic figure skating events, two performers in particular have drawn considerable attention. 

United States figure skaters Ilia Malinin and Alysa Liu have garnered a large audience and sparked much conversation after their individual performances and demeanor both on and off the ice. 

Ilia Malinin is a 21-year-old men’s figure skater and self-nicknamed the “Quad God” for his famous quadruple Axel, as he is the only skater to successfully land one in international competition. He was previously marked by viewers as a shoo-in for the gold. 

What happened at the Winter Games, however, surprised many. 

Malinin came in eighth at the men’s singles event after 72 deductions, and the figure skater was devastated. Even though Malinin still secured Gold during the Team USA skate, his mistakes were all anyone talked about. 

Speaking to NBC, Malinin reflected on his disappointing performance. 

“I blew it,” Malinin said. “I was preparing the whole season, I felt so confident in my program. … To just go out and that happens, I have no words, honestly.” 

Watching the Quad God on the ice is a tension-ridden experience. You do not even realize you are holding your breath until the performance ends.  

The traditionally accepted approach to skating with intense solemnity, which Malinin does, makes the audience feel the weight of the sport, a weight that affects the athletes more. 

One figure-skater, however, defies this weight. 

The fearless performances of Alysa Liu and her unconventional comeback story have captured everyone’s attention.

Everything about this 20-year-old figure skater is uniquely herself: her signature hair with blonde halos, “smiley-face” frenulum piercing, personally selected program music and playful choreography are really something to watch. 

During the women’s singles event, Liu skated to Donna Summer’s “MacArthur Park Suite” in a sparkling gold costume. She scored 226.79 points, her personal best, during one of the most stressful times of any professional athlete’s life. 

She has shared her mindset is what keeps her steady. Liu told Andy Cohen on “Watch What Happens Live,”

“I was not thinking about the score even after I competed,” Liu said. “I was just still kind of in that, ‘Oh, I just skated my life out right now.’”

The figure skater has made it clear she views her sport as art. She is there to have fun and share her joy with the world, and this joy sticks out to me the most.

These two United States. figure skaters showcase the realities of Olympic pressure and the significance of personal style and joy as a response.

Watching Malinin skate is sensational, yes. He is truly engaged and beyond talented, and for both the trained and untrained eye, his work looks difficult. 

Watching Liu, though, almost feels easy and carefree. It has viewers wanting to get out there on the ice and dance to PinkPanthress’s “Stateside” too. 

That level of artistry is hard to teach. When an artist is able to make their work look easy and inviting, it is arguably even more difficult. 

Viewing the difference in their performances is not necessarily about pitting the two against each other and asking who is better, but about examining these differences and recognizing what audiences value and what demands further engagement. 

It is not the self-serious, supposedly high art alone which captures viewers’ attention, but rather the passion and personality behind the performance.