The lights gleam on medals hanging heavily around necks. Gold, silver and bronze — they glitter. Champions grasp flowers and lip-sync their national anthem, trying not to let the camera flash blind them.
In three weeks, we’ll have seen some of the world’s most captivating athletes win the highest honor in sport — an Olympic medal. For a dedicated figure skating fan like me, the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics is the most exciting sporting event in four years. I can’t wait to see the breathtaking athletes I’ve followed for years glide, spin and jump on dazzling white Olympic ice.
Most people turn on the TV to watch figure skating exactly twice every four years — for the Olympic women’s short and free skates. I don’t blame you; figure skating is a complicated, nuanced and sometimes utterly unpredictable sport. But even if it’s just once in four years, Olympic figure skating is worth the watch.
Lucky for the average Olympic viewer, I love all the little details that determine the scores a skater will receive — reputation, musical nuance, jump layouts and international politics among them. I’ve spent years following competitive figure skating, and I’m ready to make my Olympic podium predictions. Consider this your guide to figure skating at the Olympics: who to watch and what to expect.
The Basics
Olympic figure skating encompasses four disciplines: ice dance, pairs, men and women. In each discipline, skaters skate a short program (called the rhythm dance in ice dance) and a free skate. Their final placements are determined by adding up their scores from both segments.
Each program score comes from the combination of the technical element score (TES) and program component score (PCS). Skaters perform a set number and type of elements in each program and receive points for their successful execution of the element (base value) and how well the element was executed (grade of execution.) The combination of these scores makes up TES. Skaters are also scored from 1-10 on these components: composition, skating skills and presentation. This score makes up PCS. PCS is more subjective than TES, being entirely determined by the judges’ opinions.
The required elements in a program vary by discipline and segment. Across disciplines, the free program is longer and includes more elements. It’s not essential to know what elements each program in each discipline will contain to follow a skating competition. Just sit back and look for ease and flow with which skaters jump, spin and stroke. The best skaters will have airy, effortless jumps; smooth, flowy steps; fast, centered spins and of course, they’ll stay on their feet.
Ice Dance
Ice dance is a pairs skating discipline with roots in ballroom dancing. Though ice dancers are the only discipline without jumps, don’t discount these skaters. Ice dancers have incredible speed and glide across the ice, precise steps and captivating music and dance ability. Without jumps, ice dance is the most subjective discipline. Scoring relies heavily on skaters’ reputations and international resumes, as well as a pair’s synchronicity, precise steps, musicality, speed and flow. The ice dance event will start on February 9 and conclude on February 11.
Gold: Madison Chock and Evan Bates (USA)
Three-time world champions and four and five-time Olympians, respectively, married couple Madison Chock and Evan Bates are poised to cap off their illustrious careers with their first individual Olympic gold medal. Their rhythm dance to a Lenny Kravitz medley is sure to be a crowd favorite in Milan, and Madison’s use of a long, billowy skirt during their flamenco-inspired free dance is a striking, risky gambit. As long as she doesn’t trip on that skirt, I think this pair has the gold locked down.
Silver: Laurence Fournier-Beaudry and Guillaume Cizeron (France)
This couple is a unicorn in ice dance; in their first year skating together, it seems like they have an Olympic medal within their grasp. Laurence and Guillaume make up for their inexperience together with the best skating skills in the world. Their effortless flow across the ice is most apparent in their captivating free dance to music from “The Whale.” Guillaume is already a 2022 individual Olympic gold medalist with his former partner, and Laurance won Canadian nationals in 2023 with her former partner.
Bronze: Charlene Guignard and Marco Fabbri (Italy)
While I am skeptical about this pair’s “Backstreet Boys” rhythm dance, I believe that a home crowd in Milan will buoy Charlene and Marco to bronze. This pair has incredible technical ability and a strong reputation; they were 5th at the 2022 Olympics and second at this year’s European Championships. Their free skate to music from “Diamanti” has the potential to bring an Italian home arena to its feet.
Dark Horse: Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier (Canada)
Piper and Paul, the self-described “quirky” pair, skate their rhythm dance to RuPaul’s “Supermodel.” They were the silver medalists at the 2025 World Championships but have suffered from lower than expected scoring this season, only placing fourth at the Grand Prix Final this December. Piper and Paul’s skating skills and performance ability are exceptional, so despite their rough season, I would not be at all surprised to see them displace the Italians for a third place finish.
Men
Men’s is the discipline to watch if you’re into the thrill of insane athletic feats. Men routinely perform quad jumps — which require a skater to rotate four times in the air before landing on one foot. Men’s programs are high-risk, high-reward spectacles; often either a huge triumph or a shocking disaster on ice. The men’s short program takes place on February 10 and the free skate will follow on February 13.
Gold: Ilia Malinin (USA)
First person to land a quadruple axel (four and a half revolutions), two-time world champion and world record holder in the free skate, Ilia Malinin is the best bet to win an individual gold medal in Milan. Ilia performs quadruple jumps effortlessly to unconventional music — rap and his own voiceovers — and the cherry on top of his program is a backflip. No one in the field comes close to his technical ability on the ice.
Silver: Yuma Kagiyama (Japan)
Yuma’s short program to jazz from his childhood is endlessly charming, his free skate to “Turandot” is breathtaking and his skating skills are arguably second to none in the men’s discipline. The 2022 Olympic silver medalist and three-time world silver medalist, Yuma always seems to wear silver around his neck, and I’m predicting he’ll add another silver medal to his collection in Milan.
Bronze; Shun Sato (Japan)
In a competitive field of talented Japanese men, Shun has risen to the top. He was third at the Grand Prix Final and second at Japanese Nationals this season. If Shun shows the same consistency and technique I’ve come to expect from him, the bronze medal is his.
Dark Horse: Junhwan Cha (South Korea)
Always wearing a billowy shirt and looking more like a K-pop idol than a professional athlete, when Junhwan is on, his programs are stunning. His free skate to “Balada para un Loco” is a masterpiece so good he brought it back for a second season. Unfortunately, Junwhan usually struggles to land all his jumps cleanly, but if he skates clean, I think he has a great shot at stealing a place on the podium.
Pairs
Another discipline for thrill-seekers, pairs programs keep me constantly on the edge of my seat. You’ve probably seen clips of women being launched across the ice like frisbees and somehow landing on one foot — that’s pairs. Because programs are laden with risky elements, pairs programs have the potential to go very awry; it’s anyone’s game in pairs. The pairs’ short program will take place on February 15, and the free skate is the next day on February 16.
Gold: Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara (Japan)
Two-time reigning world champions Riku and Ryuichi skate together like they were born to do so, and judges love it. Even when they make mistakes, this pair’s synchronicity, intensity and speed set them ahead of the field. Their short program to “Paint it Black” perfectly encapsulates what makes them so special and why they’re the favorites for gold in Milan.
Silver: Sara Conti and Niccolo Macii (Italy)
Sara and Niccolo had a breakthrough performance at the 2025 Grand Prix Final, delivering almost perfect skates and coming in at a very close second to the Japanese team. With the home crowd supporting them, I believe that they can repeat that spectacular performance and win a silver medal in their home Olympics.
Bronze: Anastasiia Metelkina and Luka Berulava (Georgia)
A relatively new team, Anastasiia and Luka have had shocking success this season. Just a few weeks ago, they won the European Championship, beating many more mature teams. These two are crowd-pleasers; they start their short program to “Bolero” with Anastasiia in a handstand (close viewers may notice the tape she wears on her arms to avoid slipping on the ice while upside down). Coming off a season of success, Anastasiia and Luka are in the prime position to win another medal, but I don’t think they have the reputation and experience to edge out the Japanese or Italians.
Dark Horse: Minerva Hase and Nikita Volodin (Germany)
Minerva and Nikita have had a rough season. After winning the World Championships in 2024 and narrowly losing the title in 2025, they have struggled to return to form in the Olympic season, but I believe in this team. Their tango-inspired short program has the potential to be an effective pairs program, and I know they can deliver under pressure. I’m rooting for this team to make an inspiring comeback and win an Olympic medal.
Women
The most famous discipline for a reason, women’s skating is the perfect intersection of artistry and athleticism. This Olympics is a special treat; the women’s field is deep. I had a very hard time nailing down my predictions. The top ten women in this field are all truly special skaters with unique strengths, so this competition will be outstanding no matter who comes out on top. The women’s short program will take place on February 17 and the free skate will follow on February 19.
Gold: Kaori Sakamoto (Japan)
You’d think that a three-time world champion and 2022 Olympics bronze medalist like Kaori is the obvious choice for gold, but Kaori only placed third at this season’s Grand Prix Final and second at the 2025 World Championships. I’m choosing to ignore Kaori’s recent placements for two reasons: she usually peaks at the end of the season and her skating stands alone for its speed and power. Kaori’s signature jump, the double axel, is performed by almost every skater in the field, but no one can do it like her. Her short program to “Time to Say Goodbye” is a tear-jerking tribute to her career; I think the only better way to cap off a legendary career like hers is an Olympic gold medal.
Silver: Alysa Liu (USA)
Alysa Liu is figure skating’s most famous “alt girl.” In an impressive field, Alysa rises to the top of podiums by thrilling the crowd and never missing a step. She won the 2025 Grand Prix Final and the 2025 World Championships with the programs she’ll be using in Milan. Get ready to cry to her “Promise” short program and dance to her Donna Summer free skate.
Bronze: Amber Glenn (USA)
Coming off a surprise victory in the U.S. National Championship, Amber Glenn, who has struggled with her confidence in the past, has the momentum to win an Olympic Medal. Amber is one of the only women in the field who can perform a high-value triple axel, rather than the double that most women skaters perform, and it’s stunning. Her short program to the TikTok viral chorus version of “Like a Prayer” is one of my favorite programs of the season and absolutely has the potential to soar to the top of podiums.
Dark Horse: Adeliya Petrosian (AIN)
Russian skaters have been banned from international competitions since 2022 due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. As a result, Adeliya, who formerly skated on behalf of Russia, did not compete internationally for three years. Adeliya will compete in Milan as a neutral athlete. Adeliya is the three-time and reigning Russian national champion and she can perform not only a triple axel but also a quadruple toeloop — she will be the only woman at the Olympics to attempt a quadruple jump. By base value points, Adeliya should win this event, but she has struggled with her quad jump in recent competitions and lacks the international experience of other women in the field. I am fascinated to see how the Olympic judges will score her here.
Quinn Schafer is editor in chief. Contact her at [email protected].
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