2026 Olympics Team Event - Strategy, Predictions & Discussion

[Bulletsdad]

Kam/O'Shea have to be ecstatic! They scored a PB and Elie's cleanly landed throw jumps turned out to be critical for US Gold.

 

[Andrea82]

 

[Karen-W]

I love how you can see skaters from other feds are cheering and applauding Matteo's performance in that photo, @Andrea82!

 

[Vagabond]

All hail Olympic Gold Medalists Ellie Kam & Danny O'Shea!

 

[susieB129]

I love how you can see skaters from other feds are cheering and applauding Matteo's performance in that photo, @Andrea82!

As well as Marco crying.

 

[BaileyCatts]

I thought the whole thing was pretty exciting. Oh, those Italians! But I guess the Italians can make anything exciting.

okay so I should have phrased that differently. I really meant between Gold and Silver, because I was all in on Italy getting that Bronze, and Matteo was the highlight of this event for me. Even a perfect Shun could not score high enough to beat a semi-perfect Ilia (which happened) and I thought if Good Anatassiia showed up she very well could be second and beat Amber (which happened). Still wanted Japan to win though.

 

[Wyliefan]

As well as Marco crying.

And Babs the most unhinged of all.

 

[Allskate]

Team U.S.A. and USFS have some great pics and vids on IG. Here are a few:

U.S. Figure Skating on Instagram: "last swipe = mood !!!! 🇺🇸🥇⛸️"

12K likes, 65 comments - usfigureskating on February 8, 2026: "last swipe = mood !!!! 🇺🇸🥇⛸️".

www.instagram.com

Team USA on Instagram: "A moment we’ll never forget. ❤️ #WinterOlympics"

5,744 likes, 23 comments - teamusa on February 8, 2026: "A moment we’ll never forget. ❤️ #WinterOlympics".

www.instagram.com

 

[DreamSkates]

Yes and no. Sure, the individual OGM is the ultimate prize, but given his ambition to be a global superstar, the team event gold is no throwaway either. It absolutely would feed the hype & legend status he's trying to build for himself to be viewed (along with Chock/Bates) as the saviors of the Team Event Gold for the USA.

And that's how it turned out! But not at his usual level. I'm sure and his coaches (Raf is there) will get him ready for the individual event. IF Kagiyama can put out a short program like he did for the team event, he'll give Malinin a competition for the ages. But I think it would be hard to do another program like that It can be difficult to spend that kind of emotion and recuperate in a short time. On the other hand, Malinin will be hungry and determined to not repeat mistakes and give 200% to both programs for an individual medal.

 

[Sylvia]

February 8, 2026 - Team Event Day 3 Photos:

Getty Images - Team USA & podium

Getty Images - Team Japan & podium

Getty Images - Matteo Rizzo & Team Italy on the podium

 

[HeatherC]

Danny & Ellie won Day Three for me (I probably scared my neighbors with how loudly I screamed when she landed each throw and then I just bawled for the rest of their program ) and it turned out to be crucial for Team USA in the end after Amber's placement. I have been critical in the past about the team event and how it's not always that exciting but holy crap, I thought every single event was quite well skated and I am OVER THE MOON for Team USA winning gold! That was such a team effort and every single competitor contributed to the win which is pretty awesome. What a fun way to start off the skating in Milano!

 

[Ikari]

It will take a systemic change in approach to allocation of ice time at rinks across Japan for them to build up a credible ice dance program...

Or they could hand Japanese citizenship to Pirinen

I don't value "team competition" very high...but I still feel Japan was just a tad robbed today. Not an outrageous broad daylight robbery, just a tiny bit
I think Sato outskated Malinin today and I wished the score would reflect it more. Okay, his spins were noticeably weak, even to my eyes. It was a cheap way to drop points. Wouldn't have made good for 6 points however, I don't think. Neither of them are PCS monsters IMO, Sato was kinda sterile and superfocused, Ilia was his usual okay performer.

Georgian team seemed super disappointed. I laughed out loud when slow-mo showed Rizzo's jump and other teams were cheering...and in the middle, Georgians looked like they were in a courtroom being sentenced
I'm not clear on scoring, Italy was two points ahead before the men, no? So Georgia would have needed for Egadze to place 3rd and Rizzo to flop to 5th place to get the bronze, or am I wrong?

 

[Karen-W]

I'm not clear on scoring, Italy was two points ahead before the men, no? So Georgia would have needed for Egadze to place 3rd and Rizzo to flop to 5th place to get the bronze, or am I wrong?

That is correct. Georgia would have then won on the tiebreaker.

 

[sheetz]

So in the alternate universe where the Shibs obtained Japanese citizenship and skated the TE for Japan, would that have been enough to earn Japan the gold?

 

[Ikari]

So in the alternate universe where the Shibs obtained Japanese citizenship and skated the TE for Japan, would that have been enough to earn Japan the gold?

Hmmm...would it have been enough that Japanese pair beats Koreans in Rhythm dance? In Free dance one would have needed super elite pair to place better than 5th.

 

[Allskate]

Alysa just posted this video at 4 a.m. Milan time. Her ribbon already is off her medal. (I don't think she is the first one. Other gold medalists already have had similar issues.) I hope C&B are in bed and somehow manage to get some sleep before the RD.

刘美贤 Alysa Liu on Instagram: "Proud of the team"

29K likes, 382 comments - alysaxliu on February 8, 2026: "Proud of the team".

www.instagram.com

 

[BaileyCatts]

Wait, she took the ribbon off, or the ribbons are falling off the medals?