Figure Skating articles & competition photos - Milan Olympics

[Sylvia]

Here's a thread for figure skating articles that you think are worth reading about any of the competitors in Milan:

NYT's The Athletic feature article on Amber by Marcus Thompson II (Feb. 4, 2026):

Amber Glenn, U.S. figure skating Olympic gold hopeful, got here the only way she could

Most figure skaters don't find their best form at 26. Glenn isn't most skaters. She just needed to find her way on her time.

www.nytimes.com

Excerpt:

Glenn has spent much of her career in a wide, frustrating space in figure skating. That place where talent is undeniable but transcendence keeps its distance. Glenn could always be described as a great skater. Pretty good skaters don’t win junior national championships at 14. But this sport reserves its greatest rewards for the exceptional while demanding so much that exceptional seems the only acceptable payoff.
Glenn landed the hard jumps, trained through the pain, endured the anvil that is expectations, year after year, yet got close enough to the summit only to confirm she didn’t reach it.
Figure skating is ruthless that way. It doesn’t just measure what skaters can do, it penalizes what they didn’t. It constantly reminds them of perfection not attained. For Glenn, the imperfection lay with her identity. The ceiling thwarting her exceptional talent originated from the constraints of tradition. She tried. Softened her edges, so to speak. Sharpened her skating. The difference between great and the best in figure skating exists in the margins, often small enough to be microscopic.
But while adding a clean triple axel to her repertoire in 2023 elevated her to another level, Glenn’s real elevation came from within. When she stopped expending energy on concealing her intensity, her aura, her truth.
“I didn’t fit the mold, and I tried so hard to fit into it,” Glenn said. “And once I accepted that just wasn’t going to happen, honestly, I started to kind of lean into it a bit more. I just let myself be me. And through that, I was able to find a new, unique shape that hadn’t been taken before.”

Gift link for the NYT article on Amber:

Amber Glenn, U.S. figure skating Olympic gold hopeful, got here the only way she could

Most figure skaters don't find their best form at 26. Glenn isn't most skaters. She just needed to find her way on her time.

www.nytimes.com

Alice Park's TIME article on Amber (Feb. 4):

How Figure Skater Amber Glenn Took Control of Her Life

After leaving competitive skating for a few months as a teen, the three-time national champion is making her Olympic debut

time.com

Excerpt:

Competing at local competitions, she says, “felt like life or death.” And it didn’t help that her entire world was skating, so everyone around her fed off the same mentality of striving for perfection and never being satisfied. “That was our normal. Our coaches would pit us against each other, and at 10 years old, we were forced to have this competitiveness and comparison—it’s so toxic,” she says.
Glenn developed an eating disorder, and her anxiety worsened. She intuitively realized that she could not continue in such an unhealthy environment, but felt powerless to change. “I wouldn’t be able to skate,” she says. “I was miserable. I felt like I didn’t belong with the elite [skaters] but I also didn’t have the experience of being ‘normal’ either. A lot of my friends had gone off, started high school and were doing other things. And I was stuck here. I thought I wasn’t going anywhere and got into this severe depression where I didn’t want to keep living—I didn’t want to do anything.”
Glenn saw a psychiatrist who prescribed an antidepressant, but she didn’t have a good reaction to the medication. She wasn’t eating properly or sleeping well either, which further aggravated her fragile mental state. It was one of Glenn’s closest friends who realized her friend was drowning and spoke to Glenn’s parents.
“It did come as a shock to my parents,” Glenn says. “They thought it was just me stressing out over skating, when it was a lot more than that.” Even then Glenn was reluctant to admit that she needed help, since, she says, “growing up in Texas, there wasn’t mental health. It just wasn’t a thing. It was ‘Stop crying, get up, and do your job.’ It couldn’t be more different now. But in 2015, it wasn’t really thought of much.”

 

[Sylvia]

Here's an excellent article about Ilia Malinin, titled "The Man Who Broke Physics," by Sally Jenkins (formerly of the WaPo) in The Atlantic - it's paywalled but thanks to @BittyBug it can be read via this gift article link:

The Man Who Broke Physics

Even before competing in his first Olympics, 21-year-old Ilia Malinin has transformed the sport of figure skating.

www.theatlantic.com

Malinin's CBS Sunday Morning interview is available in article format with both videos (what was aired on Feb. 1st + the extended version) embedded here:

Ilia Malinin on the pursuit of perfection

The four-time national figure skating champion from Virginia, the only person in the world to have landed a quad axel in competition, is the heavy favorite for gold at this year's Winter Olympics.

www.cbsnews.com

I'm not going to post every Ilia or Maxim article - there are too many! Check out Ilia's fan thread for more links.

 

[Sylvia]

NYT article on Maxim Naumov by Juliet Macur (Jan. 29, 2026), gift link thanks to @Vagabond:

He Lost His Parents in a Plane Crash. Next Week He’ll Skate at the Olympics.

After his parents died in the midair collision over Washington, D.C., a year ago, Maxim Naumov struggled to put on his skates. Now he will compete for the United States at the Milan-Cortina Games.

www.nytimes.com

Robert Samuels of the Washington Post wrote a compelling article as well (he gifted the link himself):

https://twitter.com/x/status/2017572302427136151

(Visit Maxim's fan thread for more articles)

 

[Sylvia]

Is this is a gifted link? (posted originally in the U.S. Women's news thread)

A really big article in the Washington Post [by Les Carpenter] this AM on Alysa and her creative process on her Olympic program:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/olympics/interactive/2026/alysa-liu-milan-cortina-olympics-figure-skating/?itid=hp-top-table-main_p001_f010

Thanks @skatfan for your gifted link to Alysa's WaPo article (click on "Great article"):

Great article about Alysa, her coaches, and what happened to the Lady Gaga idea

Re-posting her from Alysa's fan thread:

Alysa's profile in Time Magazine: ‘What Is There to Lose?’ Alysa Liu on Making an Olympic Comeback After Retiring at 16

Alysa Liu on Making an Olympic Comeback After Retiring at 16

She retired from figure skating at 16 only to return a few years later. Now she's heading to the 2026 Winter Games.

time.com

Orange County Register article by Scott M. Reid (Jan. 26, 2026):

Alysa Liu has returned to skating to become an Olympic favorite

Liu was the youngest U.S. champion at 13, retired at 16, and has returned to the sport with a chance at gold this winter.

www.ocregister.com

ETA:

ELLE article on Alysa by Kayla Webley Adler; Photographed by Rona Liana Ahdout; Styled by Carson Stannard (Published: Feb. 5, 2026):

Alysa Liu Wins Gold at the 2026 Olympics, Ending 24-Year Figure Skating Drought For the U.S.

The 20-year-old became the first American to top the podium since Sarah Hughes at the 2006 games.

www.elle.com

 

[Sylvia]

Stephen Gogolev’s challenging decade-long journey from figure skating wunderkind to Olympian by Paula Nichols (Feb. 4, 2026):

Stephen Gogolev’s challenging decade-long journey from figure skating wunderkind to Olympian - Team Canada

The road to achieving a lifelong dream is never straight. Figure skater Stephen Gogolev knows this all too well.

olympic.ca

Toronto Life memoir by Piper Gilles, as told to Teagan Sliz (Feb. 4) - My time on the ice has been shaped by my mother’s cancer journey and my own. When I compete on the world stage at Milano Cortina 2026, I’ll be skating for both of us: https://torontolife.com/memoir/piper-gilles-memoir/

 

[Sylvia]

I learned a lot about Ellie Kam's family in this feature article on Kam/Danny O'Shea by Katie Kerwin McCrimmon [Jan. 27, 2026] that I enjoyed reading: https://www.uchealth.org/today/colorado-figure-skaters-ellie-kam-danny-oshea-head-to-italy-2026/
(Ellie narrates an unlisted video about her figure skating journey that's embedded in the article.)

 

[victorskid]

From Lori Ewing for Reuters on FB/C:

French ice dancers Fournier Beaudry and Cizeron face controversy

Ice dance duo Laurence Fournier Beaudry and Guillaume Cizeron arrived at the Milano Cortina Olympics as one of the sport's most compelling new partnerships and gold‑medal favourites, all while standing at the centre of a storm of controversy.

www.reuters.com

 

[Sylvia]

Thank you for the gift link @PRlady - I really enjoy Samuels' articles:

Robert Samuels is that rarity, a serious journalist who adores figure skating and writes about it when he can. This is lovely about Kaori: https://wapo.st/4rGFoND

Competition Photos from the Team Event on Feb. 6:
Getty Images - Rhythm Dance
Getty Images - Pairs SP
Getty Images - Women SP

 

[Buzz]

Thank for all the info guys!

 

[Sylvia]

Competition Photos from the Team Event on Feb. 7:
Getty Images - Men SP
Getty Images - Free Dance

February 8, 2026 - Team Event Day 3 Photos:
Getty Images - Pairs FS
Getty Images - Women FS
Getty Images - Men FS
Getty Images - Team USA & podium
Getty Images - Team Japan & podium
Getty Images - Matteo Rizzo & Team Italy on the podium

February 9, 2026:
Getty Images - Ice Dance Rhythm Dance

 

[sk9tingfan]

Fandango is advertising in theater wide screen coverage of the Milan Cortina Olympics! Specific theaters and daily ticket offers are currently available. I've posted an example.

Fandango | A Message To Our Fans

A Message To Our Fans

www.fandango.com

 

[Sylvia]

My intention for this thread is for us to share skater profile articles from around the world/articles that you think are worth reading - thanks @Bunny Hop! :

Don't think this has been posted here, but I only quickly skimmed the thread.
Wasn't paywalled for me, but not sure how it will go overseas:
Christopher Dean's influence on Holly Harris

Excerpts (in case others can't access it):

Harris was born and raised in Sydney to a family that would regularly travel abroad to ski. On one trip, she spotted an outdoor ice rink and was immediately enchanted. Her mother, Karen, a former national-level skater who performed with Torvill and Dean on their first tour of Australia, told her that if she went to ski school every day, and was well-behaved, she’d take her there.
“It was super easy for her, and I didn’t understand why, because I didn’t know that she skated,” she said. “I was just like, what the hell? So I was trying really, really hard. I would not let her help me. And I just got hooked. I was really determined to get good at it – and from then, I just kept skating.”
When she first came into Dean’s orbit, the Harris family were spending a lot of time in Colorado Springs, in the United States. Dean, who was based there at the time, could see in Holly someone who was determined to master her craft – but also someone who was growing tired of the physical toll of singles skating, and who might have more fun if she changed disciplines.
“She was a really artistic single skater to begin with,” Dean said.
“You could tell she had movement and style … but I don’t think she liked the falling as much. And you’ve got to do a lot of falling in single skating to get the jumps right. So, as a bit of fun, I suggested: ‘Why don’t you do a little bit of dance with me, and just to improve your skating skills and at the same time, still enjoy skating?’”

She did, and loved it. But she was having none of his attempts to coax her into full-time ice dancing.
“He was always trying to convince me to do ice dance,” Harris said. “Telling me I would be a great ice dancer: ‘Why don’t you just forget about all of this and go and enjoy skating? Do what you love, and do ice dance.’ And I was always like: ‘No, no, no. I’m a singles skater. Like, I’m never doing ice dance. Thank you, though’.”
The next time Dean saw her, a decade or so later, she was competing in ice dance for Australia.
“I think you can credit me as being the instigator,” he laughed. “She left the dark side and found the bright side. She was made to be an ice dancer.”

Chan had been skating for Canada, but his partner retired, while Harris had also split with hers, and so both were on the lookout for someone new.
“I knew that I wasn’t done with the sport, and I wanted to continue,” Chan said. “And how it kind of works in ice dance is that you go on little speed dates. You try it with different people, and then you see if you mesh well in terms of body lines, your goals, personality … we had a little tryout, and the rest is history.”
Chan, 29, was determined to keep skating internationally. The best way to do that, given Canada’s enviable depth in the sport, was to switch allegiances. Thanks to the Australian Olympic Committee and Australia’s Olympic Winter Institute, the process was expedited – though he still had to meet the truncated residency requirements.
He did that during COVID, when movement in Australia was comparatively free to the rest of the world. In 2019, at their first attempt, they won gold at the Australian championships.
“If you told me 10 years ago that I would let alone go to Australia, but become an Australian citizen, I’d be like, ‘Oh my God, you’re just crazy,’” he said. “But in the world of ice dance, there’s so few [available] partners at that high level, so sometimes you try to look outside to different countries. At that point, it just made the most sense.”
Importantly, he is not just an Australian on paper. “I like Vegemite toast,” Chan laughed. “I mean, the beaches in Sydney are amazing, and the coffee culture and just the food culture in general is like, second to none. The whole vibe is pretty amazing.”

 

[Sylvia]

Orange County Register's Scott Reid has written an in-depth article on Andrew Torgashev (Jan. 29):

Andrew Torgashev conquers doubts, injuries on the way to Milan

After years of setbacks the Orange County based skater is finally headed to the Olympic Games.

www.ocregister.com

I've posted excerpts in his fan thread (post #86): https://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/threads/andrew-torgashev-cheer-thread.111535/page-3#post-6885253

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

6 Surprising Rules Figure Skaters Must Follow at the Olympics

6 Surprising Rules Figure Skaters Must Follow at the Olympics — People

From outfit requirements to prohibited moves, figure skaters adhere to strict guidelines when competing in the Olympics

apple.news

Well, for rule number five there is a certain woman who I want to win the ice dance competition who has skated for three different countries that I think violates this rule LMAO.

 

[Sylvia]

Robert Samuels' articles are well worth checking out if you haven't already (gift links are included in his X posts) - Death on ice: How ice dance at this Olympics got so fatal: https://x.com/newsbysamuels/status/2021608564523978988

"Here’s my recap from yesterday: Ilia Malinin skated a steady program that was not yet at the peak of his powers. Get ready. The final is gonna be a show": https://x.com/newsbysamuels/status/2021569620927242644

"Why are we seeing so many cartwheels and handstands and backflips? The fascinating story of how backflips became illegal and legal again in figure skating.": https://x.com/newsbysamuels/status/2021301050439811367

Chris Schleicher has written 2 articles for Slate.com that I found amusing - "If you disagree with anything I said, remember that I inhaled a lot of Zamboni fumes as a skater and my brain doesn’t work right." (Feb. 9):

The U.S. Figure Skating Team Has a Chance for an All-Time Great Olympics

The U.S. figure skating team has a chance for an all-time great Olympics.

slate.com

"As a figure skating expert, I feel it is my responsibility to tell you that Malinin is unbeatable. On the other hand, I feel a bit like I’m a shipbuilder calling the Titanic unsinkable. We make proclamations & the gods laugh at us."

As a Figure Skating Expert, It Is My Responsibility to Tell You That Ilia Malinin Is Unbeatable

When the Quad God wins gold, remember I told you so.

slate.com

ETA:

February 10, 2026: Getty Images - Men's SP

 

[Sylvia]

Congrats to @DE93 and Melanie!

Melanie Heaney and Danielle Earl are the focus of a video on Olympics channel on YouTube today!
The Women in Sport Photography | #MilanoCortina2026
"We caught up with powerhouse figure skating photographers Melanie Heaney and Danielle Earl at the Milano Figure Skating Arena! Stepping in front of the lens for once, they shared why spotlighting women in sport matters, not just on the ice, but as the passionate storytellers who capture and share the athletes’ journeys with the world."

Link to watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bvF3VpC3gfM (5:05)

Some of their 2026 Olympics photos are posted on their respective Instagram accounts:
https://www.instagram.com/danielleearlphotography/
https://www.instagram.com/mheaneyphoto/

 

[DE93]

Congrats to @DE93 and Melanie!

Link to watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bvF3VpC3gfM (5:05)

Some of their 2026 Olympics photos are posted on their respective Instagram accounts:
https://www.instagram.com/danielleearlphotography/
https://www.instagram.com/mheaneyphoto/

Thank you Sylvia!! What an honour to be asked to speak! I also have more extensive galleries on my website that I'm still (slowly) uploading to (in all my spare time )

 

[4rkidz]

Thank you Sylvia!! What an honour to be asked to speak! I also have more extensive galleries on my website that I'm still (slowly) uploading to (in all my spare time )

Nice work! Our own women’s trail blazer. I know my own daughter picked up a camera inspired by you for Skate Canada. Your pictures are always amazing! Can’t believe we didn’t get to connect in Milan but glad you enjoyed our pub!

 

[Sylvia]

Belatedly copying over ice coverage's Feb. 21 post from the U.S. Ice Dance news thread in GSD as well:

Our friend Melanie Heaney photographs skaters from all disciplines and all countries, but this thread seemed like the best home for today's article and two-minute video about her. From NBC station in Atlanta:

Olympic photographer's road to Milan skated right through metro Atlanta​

Heaney trains at local competitions like the Atlanta Figure Skating Club's Magnolia Open, where 11Alive spoke with her ahead of the Olympics.​

ATLANTA — Any athlete will tell you it takes years of practice, hard work and dedication to reach the Olympic Games. The same is true for photographer Melanie Heaney.​

"Going to the Olympics doesn't automatically make me a better photographer," Heaney said. "It's the fact that I go to these (local) competitions probably 20 weekends a year that makes me better." ...​

https://www.11alive.com/article/spo...lanta/85-41cc6dca-f6b7-4923-aec6-42ebe738b169​

​

Olympics photograher's metro Atlanta ties:​

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qj51o5qNfTo​

I especially liked this part of the article (with corresponding photos):

"... But for Heaney, it's the full-circle moments that mean the most. She took portraits of Avonley Nguyen & Vadym Kolesnik at Lake Placid years ago.​

Last month, she photographed Kolesnik again — this time at the U.S. Figure Skating National Championship, where he and his current partner Emilea Zingas secured an Olympic spot.​

"It was just really sweet to be able to think about how I'd been able to capture their journey for the whole time of their careers," Heaney said. "Obviously, the majority of those little kids don't go on to become Olympians, but it's still really rewarding to see the kids develop year after year." ..."​

I'll add here one of Melanie's shots of Zingas/Kolesnik's Olympic FD in Milan:

https://photos2.ice-dance.com/2025-26/26OWG/FD/Zingas-Kolesnik-FD-26OWG-080.jpg​

Thank you for all your work, Melanie!
And thanks to ice-dance.com too.

I really like Melanie's Julia Sauter joyful FS photos in this set:

Melanie Heaney on Instagram: "MILAN, ITALY - February 19: Julia Sauter of Romania competes in the Women's Free Skate on Day 13 at the Milano-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games on February 19, 2026, in Milan, Italy. (Photos by Melanie Heaney) #figures

184 likes, 7 comments - mheaneyphoto on February 23, 2026: "MILAN, ITALY - February 19: Julia Sauter of Romania competes in the Women's Free Skate on Day 13 at the Milano-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games on February 19, 2026, in Milan, Italy. (Photos by Melanie Heaney) #figureskating #sports...

www.instagram.com