{"id":3266,"date":"2026-02-03T01:05:59","date_gmt":"2026-02-02T22:05:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vsaworld.com\/blog\/?p=3266"},"modified":"2026-02-03T01:05:59","modified_gmt":"2026-02-02T22:05:59","slug":"figure-skatings-olympic-journey","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vsaworld.com\/blog\/figure-skatings-olympic-journey\/","title":{"rendered":"Figure Skating\u2019s Olympic Journey"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Ilia Malinin \u00a9 Pinterest<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Figure skating holds a unique place in Olympic history as the oldest sport<\/strong> on the Winter Games program. Interestingly, it actually began as a Summer Olympic sport, making its debut in London in 1908. It wasn’t until the first Winter Games in 1924 that it found its permanent home on the ice. Over the decades, the sport has evolved from “school figures”\u2014where skaters painstakingly carved geometric patterns into the ice\u2014into a high-flying, athletic spectacle dominated by triple and quadruple jumps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics<\/strong>, the competition is held at the Milano Ice Skating Arena. The event features four main categories: Men\u2019s Singles, Women\u2019s Singles, Pairs, and Ice Dance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Who to Watch in 2026<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The 2026 Games represent a clash of generations. In the Men’s discipline<\/strong>, American “Quad God” Ilia Malinin<\/strong> is the heavy favorite to land the historic quadruple Axel, while Japan\u2019s Kao Miura<\/strong> and Sota Yamamoto<\/strong> bring incredible speed and consistency. In Pairs<\/strong>, the story of the Games is Deanna Stellato-Dudek<\/strong>, who at 42 is making history for Team Canada alongside Maxime Deschamps<\/strong>. The Ice Dance<\/strong> field remains a battle of artistry and precision, with top teams from Italy, the USA, and Canada vying for the top of the podium.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n