At the Figure Skating National championships on Jan. 9, 17-year-old Ilia Malinin was having the performance of his life. He was the only contestant to deliver two clean performances, and he finished second overall behind Nathan Chen. However, his performance wasn’t enough to earn him a spot at the Olympic Games.

In lieu of a formal Olympic Trials, U.S. Figure Skating uses a selection committee to determine the Olympic team. The selection committee evaluates skaters’ performances at international events over a two-year span. Since Malinin has only competed in one international event at the senior level, he was at a severe disadvantage. 

On the men’s side, Chen, Vincent Zhou, and Jason Brown were selected to skate at the Olympics. All three have been to the Olympics before and are far more experienced than Malinin. The selection committee opted for experience over emerging talent, a decision that has sparked debate among the figure skating community.

There is no doubt that Malinin is an extraordinary skater. He has been deemed the next Nathan Chen and will surely be in medal contention at the 2026 Olympics. One can argue that competing in Beijing would grant him the experience he currently lacks, which would ultimately benefit him in 2026.

On the other hand, Zhou and Brown were more reliable. They have been on international podiums before and have experience on the Olympic stage. On paper, they were the obvious choices. But on the ice, their performances could not match Malinin’s brilliance at the National Championships. 

Malinin appeared to handle his nerves well at the National Championships and did not make any major mistakes. Conversely, Brown, who fell during his free skate and made four major mistakes, said in an interview that his nerves were getting the best of him. Granted, Malinin had the luxury of lower expectations. The Olympics are a whole new ball game, and Brown could be expected to handle nerves better as he is a veteran. 

Time and time again the sporting world has seen legendary athletes match up against emerging talent. There are certainly times when these young upstarts get the best of the older players. In Formula 1 for example, Lewis Hamilton missed out on a record-breaking eighth world title to 24 year-old Max Verstappen. At the 2021 U.S. Open, 25 year-old Daniil Medvedev denied Novak Djokovic a record-breaking 21st grand slam by winning three straight sets. 

Still, there are times when experience wins out. In the 2022 Australian Open, Medvedev lost to Rafael Nadal, another member of the infamous “Big Three” who once shared the record of 20 grand slams. Nadal, at age 35, had just recovered from a foot surgery that left fans speculating his retirement. In an epic five hour, 24-minute match, Nadal lost the first two sets, only to win the next three and claim the record-breaking 21st title that Medvedev had previously denied Djokovic. In what was deemed the biggest comeback of his career, Nadal’s poise and tactical excellence prevailed over his young opponent’s speed and agility. 

The mix of legends and upstarts is what makes the top tier of athletics so entertaining. It’s what keeps fans excited about sports, even when legends retire. While the Williams sisters and the Big Three may be close to retirement, players such as Medvedev, Coco Gauff, Emma Raducanu, Leylah Fernandez and Ash Barty keep tennis fans engaged. Tom Brady’s retirement was devastating for many NFL fans, but players such as Evan McPherson, the rookie kicker for the Bengals who will play in the Super Bowl, promise a bright future for the NFL. 

With respect to the ongoing debate over whether young talent or experience is more valuable in sports, I tend to side with the latter. While youth and talent allow an athlete to play hard, experience and tactics allow an athlete to play smart. Experienced athletes are more mentally tough and have a deeper tool box of knowledge to work with. These advantages tend to prevail over a younger athlete’s physical edge.

While many figure skating fans are excited about what Malinin has in store, he will have to wait a bit longer for his Olympic berth. His breakout performance at the National Championships was not enough to convince the selection committee that he will perform better at the Olympics than his veteran opponents. However, there is no doubt this time will come, and when it does, he will usher in a new era of excellence.

The views in this column do not necessarily reflect the views of the HiLite staff. Reach Alivia Romaniuk at [email protected]