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Olympic figure skating starts with the team event. Here's what to know about it

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Special Series 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics
− Olympic
+ The
− figure
+ U.S.
− skating
+ leads
− starts
+ on
− with
+ day one of
the
+ figure skating
team event. Here's
− what
+ how
− to
+ it
− know
+ works
− about
+ Updated
− it
+ February 6, 202611:18 AM ET Originally published
February 6, 20264:07 AM ET By Rachel Treisman Alysa
− Liu, one
− of
+ Liu
− the
+ celebrates
− skaters
+ with
− representing
+ other
− the
+ Team
− U.S.
+ USA
− in
+ figure
− the
+ skaters
− team
+ after
− event,
+ her
− practices
+ performance
− at
+ in
the
− Milano Ice
− Skating
+ team
− Arena
+ event
on
− Monday.
+ Friday.
Matthew Stockman/Getty Images hide caption Want more Olympics updates? Get our behind-the-scenes newsletter for what it's like to be at these Games.
− Olympic
+ Team
− figure
+ USA
− skating
+ finished
− kicks
+ the
− off
+ first
− Friday
+ day
− with
+ of
the
+ figure skating
team
− competition,
+ event
in
− which
− the
+ first
− U.S.
+ place,
− is
+ as
− heavily
+ it
− favored
+ looks
to
− hold off rival Japan and
defend its gold medal from 2022.
− The
+ But there are two more days of
team
− event
+ competition to go, and a handful of competitors closely circling the podium. "Team USA
is
− relatively
+ off
− new,
+ to
− making
+ a
− its
+ great
− debut
+ start," said ice dancer Madison Chock, who alongside partner Evan Bates kicked off the event by placing first
in the
− 2014
+ rhythm
− Sochi
+ dance.
− Games.
+ "We've
− It
+ got a ton of amazing athletes, so I have all the confidence in the world in them." Sports After Russian doping decision, the U.S. suddenly has 9 new Olympic golden medalists The team event, which debuted in 2014,
pits the world's 10 top-ranked countries against each
− other,
+ other
via representatives in each of the four skating disciplines: men's, women's, pairs and ice dance. Countries get points (1-10) depending on how they score in the first two events (short program and rhythm
− dance),
− and
+ dance).
− the
+ The
top five move on to the final round (free skate and free dance).
− Sports
+ A
− After
+ little
− Russian
+ less
− doping
+ than
− decision,
+ halfway through the competition,
the U.S.
− suddenly
+ leads
− has
+ with
− 9
+ 25
− new
+ points,
− Olympic
+ followed
− golden
+ closely
− medalists
+ by Japan (23) and Italy (22). "We have been practicing at a camp in Italy, and everyone is in good condition right now," said Japan's Kaori Sakamoto, who finished first in the women's short program. "If we can keep our condition until the end, we have a very good chance of getting a gold medal." Meanwhile, France, Georgia and Canada are also looking particularly competitive. 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics Who are the figure skaters representing Team USA? Key names and backstories to know
The
− main
+ team
− battle
+ event continues on Saturday with the last ice dance program — the free dance — and the first men's event, the short program. The U.S. will be represented by gold medal favorite Ilia Malinin, who could become the first person
to
− watch
+ ever land a quadruple axel on Olympic ice. But it's not clear whether Malinin will take that risk as early as the team event, especially since he doesn't need it in order to top the leaderboard. He won U.S. championships in January by more than 50 points even without the quad axel, playing it somewhat safe (if you consider a backflip on ice safe) as he broke in new skates. Saturday
is
− between
+ also when we'll find out who will represent Team USA in the final half of team competition. Sunday concludes with the free skate — the longer, more creative program — in pairs, women's and men's, and the first figure skating medal ceremony of
the
+ 2026
+ Games.
U.S.
+ ice dance powerhouses Madison Chock
and
− Japan,
+ Evan
− who
+ Bates
− finished
+ topped the scoreboard after their rhythm dance in Friday's team event. Matthew Stockman/Getty Images Europe hide caption The U.S. entered the arena with Japan
as
+ its primary rival: They were
the top two
+ finishers
in 2022 after Russia was disqualified over a doping case involving one of its skaters.
−
+
The absence of Russia — still banned from the Games over its war in Ukraine — means that the third medal is somewhat up for grabs.
− "There are so many
− countries
+ And
− vying
+ it
− for
+ was
− that
+ a
− bronze
+ fight
− spot,"
+ on
− Canadian
+ Friday. American
ice
− dancer
+ dancers
− Piper
+ Madison
− Gilles
+ Chock
− said.
+ and
− "There's
+ Evan
− Georgia,
+ Bates
− there's
+ claimed
− us,
+ first
− everybody's
+ and
− pushing
+ a
− for
+ world-best
− it." Part
+ score
of
− the
+ 91.06
− suspense
+ in
− is
+ ice
− finding
+ dance,
− out
+ followed
− who
+ by
− each
+ France's
− country
+ Guillaume
− will
+ Cizeron
− choose
+ and
− to
+ Laurence
− compete
+ Fournier
− in
+ Beaudry
− each
+ at
− category,
+ a
− which
+ close
− is
+ 89.98. 2026
− usually
+ Milan
− announced
+ Cortina
− about
+ Olympics
− 24
+ 19
− hours
+ Winter
− in
+ Olympic
− advance. It's
+ storylines
− not
+ we're
− as
+ watching
− simple
+ (they're
− as
+ not
just
− picking
− the
+ about
− top
+ sports)
− scorer
+ Coming
in
− each
+ third
− discipline.
+ was
− It
+ British
− requires
+ duo
− some
+ Lilah
− strategizing,
+ Fear
− since
+ and
− anyone
+ Lewis
− who
+ Gibson,
− competes
+ who
− in
+ got
the
− team
+ crowd
− event
+ clapping
− will
+ with
− still
+ their
− have
+ Spice
− to
+ Girls
− take
+ medley
− the
+ (this
− ice
+ season's
− two
+ musical
− more
+ theme
− times
+ for
− in
+ rhythm
− their
+ dance
− own
+ is
− category
+ the
− over
+ '90s,
− the
+ so
− next
+ the
− two
+ morning's
− weeks. "It's
+ soundtrack
− all
+ was
− going
+ dominated
− to
+ by
− come
+ girl
− down
+ groups
− to
+ and
− the
+ boy
− decisions
+ bands).
− that
+ Canada's
− the
+ Piper
− athletes
+ Gilles
and
+ Paul Poirier finished fourth. In
the
− people
+ pairs
− in
+ short
− charge
+ program,
− make,"
+ Ellie
− U.S.
+ Kam
− skater
+ and
− Amber
+ Danny
− Glenn
+ O'Shea
− said
+ of
− earlier
+ the
− this
+ U.S.
− week.
+ made
− "We
+ their
− are
+ Olympic
− going
+ debut
to
− prioritize
+ a
− both
+ crowd
− physical
+ so
− and
+ encouraging
− mental
+ —
− health." Take
+ many
− the
+ wearing
− men,
+ USA
− for
+ logos
− example.
+ and
− Their
+ flags
− free
+ —
− skate
+ that
− closes
+ Kam
− out
+ later
− the
+ said
− team
+ she
− event
+ could
− on
+ barely
− Sunday,
+ hear
− just
+ their
− two
+ music
− days
+ over
− before
+ the
− their
+ applause
− first
+ at
− day
+ one
− of
+ point.
− individual
+ Kam
− competition. 2026
+ fell
− Milan
+ on
− Cortina
+ a
− Olympics
+ throw
− Who
+ early
− are
+ in
the
− figure
− skaters
+ program,
− representing
+ but
− Team
+ the
− USA?
+ duo
− Key
+ recovered
− names
+ quickly
and
− backstories
+ finished
− to
+ in
− know
+ fifth
− So
+ place. "It's
− countries
+ disappointing
− have
+ whenever
− to
+ you
− decide
+ make
− whether
+ a
− their
+ mistake,
− strongest
+ but
− skater
+ I
− should
+ think
− compete
+ we
− in
+ did
− both
+ an
− programs
+ amazing job
of
− the
+ picking
− team
+ ourselves
− event,
+ back
− or
+ into
− skip
+ the
− one
+ program
− of
+ and
− them
+ really
− to
+ finishing
− get
+ with
some
− rest
+ really
− in
+ strong
− between.
+ elements
− Each
+ as
− country
+ well,"
− can
+ said
− swap
+ 34-year-old
− up
+ O'Shea,
− to
+ who
− two
+ came
− (out
+ out
of
− four)
+ retirement
− entries
+ to
− midway
+ pair
− through
+ up
− the
+ with
− competition. The
+ Kam
− U.S.
+ in
− has
+ 2022.
− an
+ "So
− advantage
+ the
− here,
+ next
− in
+ thing
− part
+ is
− because
+ just
− of
+ put
− the
+ it
− sheer
+ behind
− size
+ us,
− of
+ keep
− its
+ cheering
− 16-person
+ on
− team,
+ our
− having
+ team
− secured
+ …
− maximum
+ and
− quota
+ get
− spots
+ ready
− in
+ for
− men's,
+ our
− women's
+ long
− and
+ program." Japan's
− ice
+ Miura
− dance.
+ Riku
− The
+ and
− next
+ Kihara
− biggest
+ Ryuichi,
− teams,
+ two-time
− Japan
+ Olympians
and
− Canada,
− have
+ two-time
− 12
+ world
− people
+ champions,
− each. "This
+ placed
− team
+ first
in
− particular
+ pairs
− is
+ by
− so
+ a
− deep,
+ wide
− so
+ margin.
− talented,
+ Luka Berulava
and
− has
+ Anastasiia
− a
+ Metelkina
− great
+ of
− opportunity
+ Georgia
− for
+ —
a
− gold
+ growing
− medal,"
+ skating
− U.S.
+ powerhouse
− ice
+ thanks
− dancer
+ to
− Evan
+ its
− Bates
+ many
− said
+ Russian-born
− earlier
+ recruits
− this
+ —
− week,
+ placed
− before
+ second,
− the
+ followed
− roster
+ by
− was
+ Italy's
− even
+ Sara
− announced. Here's
+ Conti
− what
+ and
− we
+ Niccolo
− know
+ Macii,
− so
+ who
− far. Friday
+ had
− opens
+ a
− with
+ heroes'
− the
+ welcome
− three
+ on
− shorter
+ their
− programs
+ home
− in
+ turf. "We
− women's,
+ knew
− pairs
+ there
− and
+ would
− ice
+ be
− dance. The
+ such
− U.S.
+ a
− has
+ [big]
− chosen
+ audience,
− Alysa
+ but
− Liu
+ you
− —
+ don't
− the
+ understand
− 20-year-old
+ it
− reigning
+ until
− world
+ you
− champion
+ go
− and
+ through
− two-time
+ it,"
− Olympian
+ Conti
− —
+ said. Italy
− to
+ also
− compete
+ placed third
in the women's
− category,
+ short
− at
+ program,
− least
+ after
− in
+ reigning
− the
+ European
− first
+ bronze
− part
+ medalist
− of
+ Lara
− the
+ Naki
− team
+ Gutmann
− event.
+ earned
− Earlier
+ her
− this
+ season's
− week,
+ best
− when
+ score.
− asked
+ Alysa
− whether
+ Liu,
− women
+ turning
− might
+ heads
− split
+ with
− that
+ her
− category,
+ signature
− Liu
+ striped
− told
+ hair
− reporters
+ and
− "we
+ palpable
− all
+ joy,
− signed
+ finished
− an
+ in
− NDA
+ first
− for
+ place
− that!" Her
+ —
− main
+ later
− competition
+ bumped
− is
+ down
− three-time
+ to
− world
+ second
− champion
+ —
− Kaori
+ to
− Sakamoto,
+ put
− who
+ the
− won
+ U.S.
− bronze
+ back
− in
+ on
− 2022
+ top. "We're
− in
+ not
− addition
+ there very long, so I try
to
− helping
+ savor
− Japan
+ every
− win
+ moment,"
− silver
+ said Liu, who competed
in
+ the 2022 Olympics but was not part of
the team event. 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics For U.S. figure skating, grief over the D.C. crash makes for a bittersweet Olympics
− In
+ Kaori
− pairs,
+ Sakamoto
− U.S.
+ —
− is
+ who
− putting
+ won
− forward
+ bronze
− 2024
+ in
− national
+ 2022
− champions
+ in
− Ellie
+ addition
− Kam
+ to
− and
+ helping
− Danny
+ Japan
− O'Shea.
+ medal
− They
+ in
− face
+ the
− a
+ team
− steep
+ event
− challenge
+ —
− from
+ skated
− Japan's
+ last,
− Miura
+ to
− Riku
+ an
− and
+ emotional
− Kihara
+ rendition
− Ryuichi,
+ of
− two-time
+ "Time
− Olympians
+ to
− and
+ Say
− two-time
+ Goodbye"
− world
+ in
− champions. Representing
+ honor
− the
+ of
− U.S.
+ her
− in
+ upcoming
− ice
+ retirement.
− dance
+ She
− are
+ earned
− powerhouses
+ her
− Madison
+ own
− Chock
+ season-best
− and
+ score
− Evan
+ to
− Bates,
+ knock
− reigning
+ Liu
− seven-time
+ out
− national
+ of
− champions
+ the
− who
+ top
− helped
+ individual
− Team
+ spot,
− USA
+ but
− win
+ didn't
− gold
+ quite
− in
+ close
− this
+ the
− very
+ gap
− event
+ between
− in
+ the
− 2022.
+ two
− They
+ countries
− are
+ on
− hoping
+ the
− for
+ scoreboard. U.S.
− a
+ pairs
− repeat
+ skaters
− this
+ Ellie
− year,
+ Kam
− which
+ and
− marks
+ Danny O'Shea made
their
− fourth
+ Olympic
− Olympics
+ debut
− together.
+ on Friday. Matthew Stockman/Getty Images Europe hide caption
− "Any
+ Part
− time
+ of
− you
+ the
− get
+ suspense of
the
− opportunity
+ team
− to
+ competition
− compete
+ is
− at
+ finding
− the
+ out
− Olympics,
+ who
− you
+ each
− want
+ country
− to
+ will
− cherish
+ choose
− it,
+ to
− so
+ compete
− there's
+ in
− nothing
+ each
− but
+ category,
− positives
+ which
− for
+ is
− us
+ usually
− here,"
+ announced
− Chock
+ about
− said
+ 24
− earlier
+ hours
− this
+ in
− week.
+ advance.
− The
+ It's
− team
+ not
− event
+ as
− continues
+ simple
− on
+ as
− Saturday
+ just
− with
+ picking
the
− last
+ top
− ice
+ scorer
− dance
+ in
− program
+ each
− —
+ discipline.
− the
+ It
− free
+ requires
− dance
+ some
− —
+ strategizing,
− and
+ since
− the
+ anyone
− first
+ who
− men's
+ competes
− event,
+ in
the
− short
+ team
− program. The
+ event
− U.S.
+ will
− has
+ still
− chosen
+ have
− gold
+ to
− medal
+ take
− favorite
+ the
− Ilia
+ ice
− Malinin,
+ two
− who
+ more
− could
+ times
− become
+ in their own category over
the
− first
+ next
− person
+ two weeks. "It's all going
to
− ever
+ come
− land
+ down
− a
+ to
− quadruple
+ the
− axel
+ decisions
− on
+ that
− Olympic
+ the
− ice. 2026
+ athletes
− Milan
+ and
− Cortina
+ the
− Olympics
+ people
− 19
+ in
− Winter
+ charge
− Olympic
+ make,"
− storylines
+ U.S.
− we're
+ skater
− watching
+ Amber
− (they're
+ Glenn
− not
+ said
− just
+ earlier
− about
+ this
− sports)
+ week.
− But
+ "We
− it's
+ are
− not
+ going
− clear
+ to prioritize both physical and mental health." So countries have to decide
whether
− Malinin
+ their
− will
+ strongest
− take
+ skater
− that
+ should
− risk
+ compete
− as
+ in
− early
+ both
− as
+ programs of
the team event,
− especially
+ or
− since
+ skip
− he
+ one
− doesn't
+ of
− need
+ them
− it
+ to
− in
+ get
− order
+ some
− to
+ rest
− top
+ in
− the
+ between.
− leaderboard.
+ Each
− He
+ country
− won
+ can
− U.S.
+ swap
− championships
+ up
− in
+ to
− January
+ two
− by
+ (out
− more
+ of
− than
+ four)
− 50
+ entries
− points
+ midway
− even
+ through
− without
+ the competition. Take
the
− quad
+ men,
− axel,
+ for
− playing
+ example.
− it
+ Their
− somewhat
+ free
− safe
+ skate
− (if
+ closes
− you
+ out
− consider
+ the
− a
+ team
− backflip
+ event
on
− ice
+ Sunday,
− safe)
+ just
− as
+ two
− he
+ days
− broke
+ before
− in
+ their
− new
+ first
− skates. Saturday
+ day
− is
+ of
− also
+ individual
− when
+ competition.
− we'll
+ So
− find
+ the
− out
+ U.S.
− who
+ could
− will
+ potentially
− represent
+ decide
− Team
+ to
− USA
+ swap
− in
+ Malinin
− the
+ out
− final
+ for
− half
+ one
of
− team
+ his
− competition,
+ teammates,
− in
+ Max
− other
+ Naumov
− words,
+ or
− which
+ Andrew
− two
+ Torgashev,
− athletes
+ after
− will
+ Saturday. The
− sub
+ U.S.
− out.
+ has
− Sunday
+ an
− concludes
+ advantage
− with
+ here,
− the
+ in
− free
+ part
− skate
+ because
− —
+ of
the
− longer,
+ sheer
− more
+ size
− creative
+ of
− program
+ its
− —
+ team: 16 people, having secured maximum quota spots
in
− pairs,
+ men's,
women's and
− men's.
+ ice dance. The next biggest teams, Japan and Canada, have 12 people each.
− On
+ And
− Sunday,
+ several
− once
+ U.S.
− all
+ athletes have downplayed
the
− points
+ stress
− are
+ of
− tallied,
+ participating in
the
− first
+ team
− figure
+ event,
− skating
+ instead
− medals
+ embracing
− of
+ it
− these
+ as
− Games
+ more
− will
+ time
− be
+ on
− given
+ Olympic
− out.
+ ice.
− And
+ Pairs
− there
+ skater
− will
+ O'Shea
− be
+ is
− more
+ one
− to
+ of
− come
+ them. "You
− —
+ might think that there's extra pressure, but at
the
− first
+ end
− ice
+ of
− dance
+ the
− competitions
+ day,
− start
+ it's another performance and you feel
the
− very
+ honor
− next
+ to
− day.
+ be on the team," he said.
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