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EXCLUSIVE: Ilia Malinin Has One Surprising Goal He Must Complete Before Leaving the 2026 Winter Olympics — And It’s Not What You Think

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Ilia Malinin is soon heading back to the U.S. with an Olympic gold medal, a ton of new lessons and friends from around the world — but before he boards the plane, the figure skater has an unexpected goal in mind.

While talking with PEOPLE for an interview on Wednesday, Feb. 18, the 21-year-old at first said he plans to spend his last few days in Milan just “enjoying the Olympic experience.” But then he thought of another idea.

“A cat cafe would be fun,” Malinin said, his eyes lighting up. “I’m really missing my cats right now, so I would love to go to a cat cafe.”

The Olympic gold medalist is a cat dad of two, and they’re waiting for him back at home in Vienna, Va.

“I have a cat named Mysti and a cat named Miu Miu,” he said. “Mysti is a black cat while Miu Miu is a white cat. And they’re very cuddly. They’re like one of my new therapy, new therapeutic animals. I’m excited to go home to see them again.”

In between hanging at the Olympic village and (hopefully) going to a cat cafe, Malinin will have one more go on Olympic ice in 2026. He will skate in the figure skating Exhibition Gala on Saturday, which occurs every Winter Olympics at the end of competition and features the top stars. Malinin confirmed to PEOPLE that he’ll be performing, and shared his excitement for it.

“It’s honestly just a nice thing,” he said. “Skating in galas is different from competitions because the environment is different and the goal of the skate itself is completely different. … In the gala, it’s really just free emotions and can really show whatever you want and anything you want. So that’s why I really enjoy more like show skating instead of, you know, competitive.”

Malinin also gave a hint as to the theme of his performance.

“It’s a pretty big concept and a topic that I really wanna give a concept of, that mental health really just matters for everyone and especially us as athletes,” he said. “We get into a lot of pressure, a lot of attention, you know, the media’s always on us. Cameras, people, noise; you know, positive, negative stuff.”

“There’s so many things that people don’t see,” he continued. “It’s, you know, not a pleasant feeling to deal with all of these things, but it’s what makes us human. It’s what makes us really strong and brave and I think that’s the message I want to give out for this performance.”

Colbert says network lawyers pressured him not to air it. CBS says that’s not true. Meanwhile, the political backdrop is anything but quiet — from corporate mergers to renewed “equal time” scrutiny from the FCC. And here’s the twist: Talarico’s campaign reportedly raised $2.5 million in the fallout. A segment that never aired on television just became one of the most-watched political interviews online. So what was said that sparked 85 million views — and a network standoff?
Colbert says network lawyers pressured him not to air it. CBS says that’s not true. Meanwhile, the political backdrop is anything but quiet — from corporate mergers to renewed “equal time” scrutiny from the FCC. And here’s the twist: Talarico’s campaign reportedly raised $2.5 million in the fallout. A segment that never aired on television just became one of the most-watched political interviews online. So what was said that sparked 85 million views — and a network standoff?

After Colbert-CBS Rift, Interview With Texas Senate Candidate James Talarico Draws 85M Views Across YouTube & Social  …

Unknown DNA. And what used to be a dead end is now the most powerful lead in the case. Investigators searching for answers in the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie are diving into investigative genetic genealogy — the same cutting-edge technique that helped identify the Golden State Killer and track Bryan Kohberger. The glove found two miles from her Tucson home didn’t match anyone in CODIS. DNA collected at the house didn’t match either. Years ago, that would have stalled the case. Now? It could be the breakthrough. By combing through public DNA databases, experts can identify distant relatives of an unknown suspect — sometimes from less than 1% shared DNA — and build a family tree that narrows the search to a single name. It can take minutes. Or it can take years.
Unknown DNA. And what used to be a dead end is now the most powerful lead in the case. Investigators searching for answers in the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie are diving into investigative genetic genealogy — the same cutting-edge technique that helped identify the Golden State Killer and track Bryan Kohberger. The glove found two miles from her Tucson home didn’t match anyone in CODIS. DNA collected at the house didn’t match either. Years ago, that would have stalled the case. Now? It could be the breakthrough. By combing through public DNA databases, experts can identify distant relatives of an unknown suspect — sometimes from less than 1% shared DNA — and build a family tree that narrows the search to a single name. It can take minutes. Or it can take years.

In an aerial view, Pima County sheriff’s officers gather on Nancy Guthrie’s property on February 17 in Tucson,…

A masked man. A single glove. And now — DNA that could unmask a kidnapper. Three weeks after 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie vanished from her Tucson home, investigators are turning to cutting-edge genetic genealogy in a high-stakes effort to identify a suspect. DNA recovered near the scene didn’t match anything in the FBI’s CODIS database. But authorities believe they may have found genetic material that belongs to the person who took her. If that’s true, experts say it’s only a matter of time. The same investigative technique helped catch the Golden State Killer and Bryan Kohberger. Now it could expose whoever was caught on camera outside Guthrie’s home — armed, masked, wearing a distinctive Ozark Trail backpack. More than 19,000 tips have poured in. A reward exceeding $200,000 is on the table. Federal, state, and local agencies are combing through partial DNA, security footage, credit card trails, even backpack sales across Arizona. And the sheriff has a warning: if you’re responsible, you should be worried. Because this case isn’t cold. And the science may be closing in.
A masked man. A single glove. And now — DNA that could unmask a kidnapper. Three weeks after 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie vanished from her Tucson home, investigators are turning to cutting-edge genetic genealogy in a high-stakes effort to identify a suspect. DNA recovered near the scene didn’t match anything in the FBI’s CODIS database. But authorities believe they may have found genetic material that belongs to the person who took her. If that’s true, experts say it’s only a matter of time. The same investigative technique helped catch the Golden State Killer and Bryan Kohberger. Now it could expose whoever was caught on camera outside Guthrie’s home — armed, masked, wearing a distinctive Ozark Trail backpack. More than 19,000 tips have poured in. A reward exceeding $200,000 is on the table. Federal, state, and local agencies are combing through partial DNA, security footage, credit card trails, even backpack sales across Arizona. And the sheriff has a warning: if you’re responsible, you should be worried. Because this case isn’t cold. And the science may be closing in.

Arizona authorities turn to genetic genealogy in ongoing search for Nancy Guthrie Nancy Guthrie, 84, was reported missing…

Meanwhile, investigators are chasing DNA that doesn’t match, analyzing biological evidence still in the lab, probing recent gun purchases, and even scanning for signals from Guthrie’s pacemaker, which mysteriously disconnected from her phone hours before she was reported missing. Gloves with unknown DNA found miles away. Extra security cameras still being processed. A possible second person involved. Someone knows what happened that night. And authorities believe this case is far from random.
Meanwhile, investigators are chasing DNA that doesn’t match, analyzing biological evidence still in the lab, probing recent gun purchases, and even scanning for signals from Guthrie’s pacemaker, which mysteriously disconnected from her phone hours before she was reported missing. Gloves with unknown DNA found miles away. Extra security cameras still being processed. A possible second person involved. Someone knows what happened that night. And authorities believe this case is far from random.

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Officials say the victim’s spouse was not part of the rescue operation — but the emotional toll on the tight-knit search and rescue community is profound. “We’re all trying to support the family,” Woo said. As identities remain unconfirmed and the storm refuses to let up, the tragedy is rippling through Lake Tahoe’s ski world — from elite academies to volunteer rescuers who now find themselves grieving while still on duty. When the call for help came in, they answered.

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Multiple victims had deep ties to Sugar Bowl Resort and its elite ski academy — a tight-knit community that has produced Olympians and generations of Tahoe athletes. Friends. Mothers. Longtime ski partners who made this trip every year. They were experienced. It was guided. So how did everything unravel so fast? As rescue crews battle relentless storms and families wait for answers, the tragedy is sending shockwaves from Mill Valley to Stanford to the heart of the Sierra. And the hardest questions are only just beginning.

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With extreme warnings in place, brutal storm conditions rolling in, and a 15-person group navigating high-risk terrain near Lake Tahoe, investigators are now piecing together a tragedy that has shaken the entire ski community. Was it the weather? The route? A split-second decision? Or a cascade of factors no one saw coming? Rescue teams still can’t reach the victims. Families are left with heartbreak — and “many unanswered questions.” This wasn’t a reckless adventure. These were experienced women who loved the mountains. So how did it end like this?
With extreme warnings in place, brutal storm conditions rolling in, and a 15-person group navigating high-risk terrain near Lake Tahoe, investigators are now piecing together a tragedy that has shaken the entire ski community. Was it the weather? The route? A split-second decision? Or a cascade of factors no one saw coming? Rescue teams still can’t reach the victims. Families are left with heartbreak — and “many unanswered questions.” This wasn’t a reckless adventure. These were experienced women who loved the mountains. So how did it end like this?

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