Malchenko's sole international appearance the following year was at the 1989 European Athletics Indoor Championships, but he could not match his previous form and ended the competition in sixth place with a best of , placing behind fellow Soviet Aleksey Yemelin among others. He competed on the IAAF Grand Prix circuit in 1990 and placed third at the DN Galan and second at the Athletissima and London Grand Prix meets. At the 1990 IAAF Grand Prix Final he came out on top with a season's best jump of . He was third on points on the tour that year, behind Hollis Conway and Georgi Dakov.