Alisa Liu once again had the opportunity to cherish skating on the same Olympic ice where she won two gold medals. Ilya Marin had the opportunity to replace bad memories with much better ones.
The two Americans were among more than 40 Olympic figure skaters who took part in the traditional exhibition gala Saturday night, which not only concludes the program but also serves as a celebration of the sport as a whole.
Malin, who performed to American rapper NF’s Fear, copied the routine in a social media post earlier this week, referring to the “inevitable crash” that occurs when people are under immense pressure.
The 21-year-old helped the U.S. win gold in the team event, and after doing particularly well in the short program, he became the favorite to win gold in the men’s event as well. But Marinin struggled mightily in last Friday’s free skate, missing out on the podium at all, and later admitted that the heavy expectations had brought him down.
“Fear” is a raw song about mental health struggles and the feeling of losing control. During her Saturday routine, Marin, wearing a gray hoodie and scuffed jeans, pretended to scroll through her phone. He winced under an imaginary flashbulb, crouched down and pulled his hood over his head, brushing off the cacophony of social media criticism.
He also showcased his undoubted talent. He completed one quadruple jump, then landed on one foot for his trademark backflip, and the crowd erupted into a standing roar, appreciating his skill as well as recognizing the weight he was carrying. With a powerful ending, he pretended to put on his headphones and immediately fell silent.
As per tradition, the gold medalists advanced to the end of the program. Mikhail Shaidlov of Kazakhstan, who won the gold medal in the men’s competition, performed a lighthearted performance dressed up as a Kung Fu panda.
Mr. Liu went last. The 20-year-old Californian, who took a break from the sport due to burnout from skating after the 2022 Beijing Games, made a remarkable comeback by winning team and individual gold medals. On Saturday, she performed a fun routine stateside with Zara Larsson and Pink Panther Res.
The opening act was former Italian figure skater Carolina Kostner, who won a bronze medal at the 2014 Winter Olympics. She performed a duet with 3D projections intended to depict the athletes’ journey from their first steps in the sport to the point where “the talent finds its place and merges with the skater” and ultimately “brings the best out of it.”
Amber Glenn, who helped the United States defend its Olympic team gold medal, performed Lady Gaga’s That’s Life. Those lyrics couldn’t be more fitting for the reigning three-time U.S. champion, who bounced back from a critical mistake in the short program that cost him an individual medal with the best free skate of his career.