Gliding to Glory: Figure Skating Highlights from the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics

Alright, let’s talk figure skating at Milano Cortina 2026 — because while the rest of the Olympics has been serving speed, chaos, and snow drama… skating is the one event that will have you whispering “wow” one second and clutching your chest the next. It’s elegance and stress in the same outfit.

And if you’re like me, figure skating isn’t just a “sport you watch.” It’s the heartbeat of the Winter Games. The mix of athletic precision and artistry is unreal, and this year we’ve already gotten everything: big wins, comeback stories, and historic firsts. So let’s run through the highlights so far and give these skaters their flowers.

A Golden Start: The Team Event Set the Tone

The skating competition kicked off with the team event (February 6–8), and Team USA came in focused. They clinched gold, and the win was a true group effort — not one person trying to carry the whole thing on their back.

You had contributions across the board:

• Ilia Malinin showing why the men’s field has to respect him, bringing that technical heat

• Madison Chock and Evan Bates doing what they do in ice dance — clean, connected, confident

• Strong performances in pairs and women’s that kept the team points stacking

It was one of those wins that doesn’t just feel like a medal — it feels like momentum. And globally, it was also a reminder that when everyone shows up at once, the whole team shines brighter. Japan and Canada rounded out the podium with silver and bronze.

Ice Dance: Elegance and Emotion on Display

Ice dance wrapped up on February 11, and you already know this event is basically “poetry under pressure.” It’s not just about looking pretty — it’s about precision, trust, and hitting every beat like your life depends on it.

Madison Chock and Evan Bates brought home silver with a performance that felt grown, refined, and emotionally locked in. You can tell they’ve been building this for years — the chemistry isn’t manufactured, it’s lived-in.

Gold went to Canada’s Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier, who really pushed the edge with their innovation and style, and Italy’s Charlène Guignard and Marco Fabbri took bronze on home ice — which had the arena buzzing because nothing hits like a home crowd when the skaters deliver.

Men’s Singles: Power and Precision Redefine Limits

Men’s singles concluded on February 13, and the athleticism this year has been ridiculous. The kind of skating that makes you forget human knees have limits.

The podium:

• Gold: Kazakhstan’s Mikhail Shaidorov

• Silver: Japan’s Yuma Kagiyama

• Bronze: Japan’s Shun Sato

And while Team USA didn’t medal in this event, Ilia Malinin still had people talking — because when someone is pushing boundaries with quads and attempting elements like the quad Axel, they’re shaping the future of the sport whether the medals fall their way or not.

This event really showed where men’s skating is right now: technical insanity, but still trying to keep storytelling and performance in the mix. And when it works? It’s electric.

Pairs: Historic Comebacks and Firsts

Pairs skating wrapped up on February 16, and honestly… this was the thriller of the week.

Japan’s Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara pulled off a comeback that had people yelling at their screens. They climbed from fifth after the short program to win gold, landing Japan’s first-ever Olympic pairs title.

Numbers matter here, because the scores tell the story:

• Free skate: 158.13

• Total: 231.41

That’s not just winning — that’s seizing the moment.

And right behind them, more history:

• Silver: Georgia’s Anastasiia Metelkina and Luka Berulava (221.75), earning Georgia’s first Winter Olympic medal

• Bronze: Germany’s Minerva Fabienne Hase and Nikita Volodin (219.09), who led after the short and stayed on the podium

Team USA also had two pairs in the top 10, which matters because it speaks to depth and growth. Pairs is one of the hardest disciplines to build long-term — and seeing that kind of showing is a good sign.

Miura and Kihara’s win, though? That was the kind of emotional victory that reminds you why people love this sport. Pressure, resilience, and then that moment where it all clicks.

Women’s Singles: The Spotlight Shines Today

Now we’re at today — February 17 — and the women’s singles short program is underway at the Milano Ice Skating Arena. This is the event that always feels like the whole building is holding its breath.

Team USA’s trio:

• Alysa Liu

• Amber Glenn

• Isabeau Levito

…is aiming to end a 24-year drought for U.S. women’s gold. The last one was Sarah Hughes in 2002 — so yes, the stakes feel heavy, and yes, the expectations are loud.

But the talent is real: strong jumps, artistic programs, and serious determination. And the best part? The free skate is coming February 19, and that’s usually where the whole scoreboard gets flipped.

Also, keep your eyes on the names people are watching closely — skaters like Japan’s Kaori Sakamoto and Russia’s Kamila Valieva — because this field is stacked and nobody’s giving anything away.

Celebrating Diversity: Breaking Barriers on the Ice

One of the most heartwarming parts of these Games — and figure skating in general — is seeing the sport widen its doors. Because representation matters, and skating has a history of making it harder than it needed to be.

That’s why it hits different to highlight athletes like:

• Starr Andrews — an African American skater on the 2025–26 national team and an Olympic alternate, and noted as the first Black U.S. woman to win a Grand Prix medal (silver at Skate Canada 2023). Her performances are powerful and expressive, and they matter for every young skater watching.

• Emerging talents like junior ice dancers Anaëlle Kouevi and Yann Homawoo, bringing fresh energy and representation.

And none of this exists without the pioneers:

• Debi Thomas, the first Black Winter Olympic medalist in 1988

• Mabel Fairbanks, who coached stars despite facing racism in the 1930s–40s and helped shape the future for skaters who came after

This part isn’t just “extra context.” It’s the foundation. And it’s worth naming.

Wrapping Up with Winter Magic

Figure skating at the 2026 Winter Olympics has been more than competition — it’s been a full celebration of artistry, athleticism, and human spirit. We’ve had historic wins, comeback moments, and now women’s singles is unfolding in real time with the kind of energy that makes people pace around their living rooms.

So let me ask you: what’s been your favorite figure skating moment so far? Was it Team USA’s strong start? The ice dance emotion? That pairs comeback? Or are you waiting for the women’s free skate to really shake the table?

Drop it in the comments. Let’s talk.