The 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo included many notable moments for U.S. figure skating. The skaters did not just win medals, but also had moments that drew attention to the team’s competition and individual performances.
Ilia Malinin
If there was one performance that intensified the Olympic Games for Team USA, it was Ilia Malinin’s performance at the men’s short program. From Marshall High School in the Northern Virginia area to the Olympic stage, Malinin attracted interest in figure skating among viewers globally.
Malinin is widely regarded as the “Quad God,” known for his quadruple jumps, including the Quad Axel. Malinin is the first and only skater to land a quadruple axel in competition, which is considered the hardest jump in figure skating, as it requires an extra half-rotation in addition to the four from the quadruple jump. After completing it during the men’s singles competition, he placed at the top of the leaderboard going into the free skate portion of the competition.
Malinin’s free skate included multiple difficult elements and moves. While he did fall multiple times and ultimately received eighth, he contributed to Team USA’s gold in the figure skating team event.
Malinin’s presence at the Olympics also drew attention off the ice. Following his eighth-place finish, Malinin openly addressed his mental health struggles and the intense pressure he had faced online prior to his competition. At the Olympic gala, he performed a routine themed around these struggles, wearing a hoodie with “Fear” written upside down as part of the program’s theme.
Malinin’s discussion of mental health and other pressures provided context for other athletes’ experiences, including those who stepped away from the sport before returning to competition.
Alysia Liu
Few stories received as much attention from Olympic viewers as that of Alysa Liu. In April 2022, at age 16, Liu retired from ice skating due to burnout and a desire to focus on life beyond the sport. She felt that her life revolved largely around skating and chose to step away to focus on her mental health. So, this made her return to Italy for the 2026 Winter Olympics a defining moment.
In the free skate, Liu delivered a clean and smooth performance. Compared to earlier in her career, her skating showed increased control across the entire program. When the scores confirmed Liu as an Olympic champion, she became the first American woman since 2002 to win gold. This is considered even more significant as it followed her return to the sport after several years away from competition.
Maxim Naumov
In Jan. 2025, skater Maxim Naumov’s parents, Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov, former skaters as well, lost their lives in the mid-air plane crash that occurred over the Potomac River in Washington, D.C.
During the Olympics Naumov scored 85.65 points, a season best, advancing him to the free skate. During his performances, he carried a photograph of his parents and looked upwards towards the sky after completing his routine. Naumov skated in his parents’ honor, acknowledging that the opportunity to compete in the Olympics was a continuation of his parents’ goal.
Overall, Naumov placed 20th at the figure skating Winter Olympics.
Team USA made history at the figure skating Olympics of 2026, setting new standards in both skill and meaning. It resulted in a team gold medal, an individual medal in the women’s event, and multiple individual performances that drew attention during the competition. Across the men’s and women’s events, the skaters contributed results and performances that reflect many different competitive outcomes and personal situations.
