18-Year-Old Virginia Ice Skater’s Championship Routine - Inspirational Videos

Much like life, sports have many ups and downs. Competitors fall and they pick themselves back up and keep moving forward. That’s one of the many reasons sports are considered a great learning and teaching tool. One young man did just that as he overcame mistakes to win a skating title.

Ilia Malinin, a teenager from Virginia, is a figure skating champion. According to NBC Sports, the 18-year-old recently won his first U.S. figure skating title. 

In order to come away with the win, the teenager had to overcome adversity. Video of the winning routine shows the young man beginning by skating back and forth, slowly picking up speed to attempt his first jump. 

However, at approximately the 1-minute mark in the clip, that first jump does not go as planned. Instead of landing, the 18-year-old falls to the ground. But the teenager picks himself up and goes on skating as if it never even happened!

Ilia does not let this mistake stop him from going forward and giving a terrific performance. He attempted and landed several other jumps that had the television commentators voicing their approval. The audience also loved his routine, clapping and cheering throughout!

While his routine was not perfect, Ilia still went on to win the competition.

The young man, in an interview following his routine, mentioned learning from the past and mistakes. 

“I was really so confident, and I think I sort of overthought everything and tried to get ahead of myself,” he said. “But I think it’s all right. You always learn from your experiences.”

What a wise and discerning young man! 

There is no doubt this young athlete has a bright future, which likely includes competing at the next winter Olympics. 

Philippians 3:13 “Brothers, I count not myself yet to have laid hold: but one thing I do, forgetting the things which are behind, and stretching forward to the things which are before,”