Key Takeaways:
- The U.S. Figure Skating team, led by world champions Ilia Malinin and the ice dance duo of Madison Chock and Evan Bates, is one of the strongest in history.
- The team will compete in the Milan Cortina Olympics in Italy, with Malinin and Chock and Bates among the favorites to win gold medals.
- The team includes a mix of experienced and new athletes, including Alysa Liu, who returned to competition after a brief retirement, and Isabeau Levito, an 18-year-old former world silver medalist.
- The U.S. team is seeking to win its first women’s medal since 2006 and its first gold medal since 2002.
Introduction to the U.S. Figure Skating Team
The U.S. Figure Skating team is gearing up to compete in the Milan Cortina Olympics in Italy, and it’s one of the strongest teams in history. Led by world champions Ilia Malinin and the ice dance duo of Madison Chock and Evan Bates, the team is filled with talented athletes who are ready to take on the best of the best. Malinin, who recently won his fourth straight national title, is the prohibitive favorite to win the men’s gold medal, following in the footsteps of Nathan Chen. Chock and Bates, who won their record-setting seventh U.S. title, will also be among the favorites in the ice dance competition.
The Men’s Team
Malinin will be joined on the men’s side by Andrew Torgashev and Maxim Naumov, both of whom have their own unique stories to tell. Torgashev is a 24-year-old from Coral Springs, Florida, who is known for his all-or-nothing approach to skating. Naumov, also 24, is from Simsbury, Connecticut, and fulfilled the hopes of his late parents by making the Olympic team. His parents, Vadim Naumov and Evgenia Shishkova, were killed in a plane crash in January 2025, and Naumov has been driven to succeed in their memory. "We absolutely did it," Naumov said. "Every day, year after year, we talked about the Olympics. It means so much in our family. It’s what I’ve been thinking about since I was 5 years old, before I even know what to think."
The Ice Dance Team
Chock and Bates are the leaders of the ice dance team, and they have a strong chance of winning the gold medal. They have won three consecutive world championships and the gold medal at three straight Grand Prix Finals. They will be joined by Emilea Zingas and Vadym Kolesnik, as well as Christina Carreira and Anthony Ponomarenko, who became eligible for the Olympics in November when her American citizenship came through. Chock and Bates have been one of the most dominant teams in ice dance, and they are looking to add an Olympic gold medal to their collection.
The Women’s Team
The women’s team is led by Alysa Liu, who returned to competition after a brief retirement. Liu, who is just 20 years old, won the first world title by an American since Kimmie Meissner in 2006. She will be joined by Amber Glenn, a first-time Olympian who has been nearly unbeatable the past two years, and Isabeau Levito, an 18-year-old former world silver medalist. The women’s team is seeking to win its first medal since 2006, and Liu is hoping to help the U.S. win its first gold medal since 2002. "This was my goal and my dream and it just feels so special that it came true," said Levito, whose mother is originally from Milan.
The Pairs Team
The pairs team is led by Ellie Kam and Danny O’Shea, the U.S. silver medalists, and the team of Emily Chan and Spencer Howe. The top American pairs team, two-time reigning U.S. champions Alisa Efimova and Misha Mitrofanov, were hoping to compete in the Olympics, but Efimova’s citizenship was not approved in time. Despite efforts by the Skating Club of Boston and the help of their U.S. senators, Efimova did not receive her passport by the selection deadline. "The importance and magnitude of selecting an Olympic team is one of the most important milestones in an athlete’s life," said U.S. Figure Skating CEO Matt Farrell. "It has such an impact, and while there are sometimes rules, there is also a human element to this that we really have to take into account as we make decisions and what’s best going forward from a selection process."
Conclusion
The U.S. Figure Skating team is ready to take on the best of the best at the Milan Cortina Olympics. With a mix of experienced and new athletes, the team is filled with talent and determination. Malinin, Chock and Bates, and Liu are among the favorites to win gold medals, and the team is seeking to make history in Italy. The Olympics are just around the corner, and the U.S. team is ready to shine. As Malinin said, "I’m just so excited for the Olympic spirit, the Olympic environment. Hopefully go for that Olympic gold."