Figure skating-Team event to set tone as skating powers balance risk and reward

MILAN, Feb 5 - The Olympic figure skating programme starts on Friday with the team event, which should provide an early test of depth, tactics and nerve that will play out among the leading skating nations over the next two weeks.

Staged across several days at Milan's Ice Skating Arena, the team event blends the sport’s four disciplines — men’s singles, women’s singles, pairs and ice dance — into a single medal contest that rewards consistency as much as star power.

Ten teams first compete in their short and rhythm dance programme before five are selected for the final round, where they perform their free skating and dance segments.

Introduced at the 2014 Sochi Games, the team event has quickly become one of figure skating’s most politically and emotionally charged events, with nations juggling medal ambition against the need to protect skaters’ energy for individual competitions.

The U.S. are again expected to be among the main contenders, relying on depth across all four disciplines. Two-times world champion Ilia Malinin headlines the men’s field, while world champion Alysa Liu and three‑time national champion Amber Glenn lead a strong women’s singles line‑up. Madison Chock and Evan Bates provide experience and consistency that have often proven decisive in the team format.

“Any time you get the opportunity to compete at the Olympics, you want to cherish it,” Chock said when asked how she felt about competing for the team when it is a medal in the singles competition that's been a long-time goal. This will be Chock's fourth Olympic Games but so far she and Bates have secured gold only in the team event.

Bates added having the opportunity to compete as a team was special.

"And this team in particular is so deep, so talented, and has a great opportunity, I think, for gold. So that's what we're focused on," he said.

Japan, silver medallists in Beijing, also bring formidable strength in singles. Men’s standout Yuma Kagiyama and three‑times world champion Kaori Sakamoto are expected to score heavily.

ITALY SEEK BREAKOUT PERFORMANCE

Canada, gold medalists at the 2018 Pyeongchang Games and long a powerhouse in ice dance and pairs, are among teams expected to battle for bronze. Italy, skating at home, will be seeking a breakout performance that could lift them into medal contention if they can capitalise on crowd support and clean programmes.

In Beijing, the team event was marred by controversy. Originally won by Russia, the medal ceremony was delayed after Kamila Valieva tested positive for a banned substance. Following a series of rulings by the Court of Arbitration for Sport, the final standings were confirmed in 2024, with the U.S. awarded gold, Japan silver and the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) bronze. The American and Japanese teams ultimately received their medals at a ceremony during the Summer Olympics in Paris, while ROC was unable to attend.

Unlike any other figure skating competition, the team event forces federations to make calculated choices. Skaters may compete in the team event and still be expected to peak days later in the individual competitions, raising questions about workload, injury risk and mental fatigue.

Given its timing at the start of the Olympics, it sets an emotional tone not just for teams but for the entire skating competition. A strong performance can build momentum and confidence; a mistake can linger and complicate preparations for individual events.

For Malinin, being part of Team USA is something he's dreamed about since stepping on ice as a child.

"Being here with all of these amazing people, amazing personalities, amazing athletes that give their heart and soul and passion to everything in the sport - it's just genuinely an honor to be here sharing Olympic ice with them," he said. "I really hope that we can come up together as a team to support each other no matter what happens.”

For skaters making their Games debuts, the team event often provides a first taste of Olympic pressure — amplified by the responsibility of skating not just for themselves, but for an entire delegation.

“It’s all going to come down to the decisions that the athletes and the folks in charge make,” said U.S. skater Amber Glenn. “No matter what, we’re going to prioritise both physical and mental health.”

She added that the strength of the American team gave them options regardless of the choices made.

“The depth and talent… is absolutely incredible on this team,” she said. “I just hope that people get the opportunity to compete as many times as they would like, and get to experience the Games to the best of their ability.” REUTERS