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Skating

Can U.S. figure skating carry this momentum to the Olympics?

April 2, 2025 by Tara S

D’Arcy Maine | ESPN

BOSTON — Alysa Liu couldn’t believe it.

As she sat on the white couch, flanked by her two coaches, and with the eyes of everyone in the TD Garden firmly on her, she said — or mouthed, it was impossible to hear much of anything with the enthusiastic noise of the crowd vibrating around the arena — “What?” in disbelief. Her free skate score had just been announced to the crowd — a 148.39 for a 222.97 total score — and the realization hit her in an instant.

She was the 2025 world champion.

The 19-year-old then audibly said, “What the hell?” with a wide, expressive smile, still in apparent shock over what she had done.

Liu’s triumph was perhaps the most unexpected result of a memorable weekend. In addition to knocking off reigning three-time world champion Kaori Sakamoto of Japan and becoming the first American woman to claim the title since 2006, Liu had done it less than a year after returning to the sport following a two-year retirement.

“I’m not going to lie, this is an insane story,” Liu said on the television broadcast moments later. “I don’t know how I came back to be world champion.”

And Liu’s victory was just the start of a dominant, statement-making weekend from the American contingent, who collectively proved they were yet again the world’s top skating power after relinquishing that claim in recent years. On Saturday afternoon, Madison Chock and Evan Bates captured their third straight ice dance world championship and hours later, Ilia Malinin closed the event — with yet another high-flying performance that he’s become known for — to clinch his second consecutive title as the men’s world champion.

It marked the first time in history the Americans won three of the possible four world titles at a single world championship.

“I feel very happy to be one of the three winning in [front of] a home crowd in America,” Malinin said on Saturday night. “I’m really proud of the team that we were able to put up.”

Before the end of Malinin’s skate, which included a crowd-deafening quad axel and a near fever pitch-inducing backflip, the home crowd was on its feet and roaring with an ovation usually only heard in the building in the postseason for the Celtics and Bruins. It was the culmination of four storybook days for the Americans, and the fans, and with less than a year until the sport’s pinnacle at the 2026 Olympic Games, it was as if everyone believed it was a sign of what was yet to come.

“To have three world champions in an Olympic season is so exciting,” Gracie Gold, a member of the 2014 bronze medal-winning American team and two-time national champion, told ESPN at TD Garden on Saturday. “I’m feeling super optimistic [about Olympic medal chances]. … It’s such an important year. I think everyone is feeling optimistic. Who wouldn’t be?”


The United States has had no shortage of superstars in figure skating over the decades. The most decorated skaters, such as Michelle Kwan, Kristi Yamaguchi, Dorothy Hamill and Brian Boitano, remain well-known names in the country’s sports landscape and collectively accumulated Olympic medals, world championships and various other titles from the sport’s biggest events.

But while Americans have continued to have strong podium success in ice dance, and Nathan Chen and the U.S. team earned gold medals in 2022 in Beijing, the Americans overall simply haven’t had the same consistent results across the board. No American woman has claimed an Olympic singles medal since Sasha Cohen won silver in 2006, and the gold medal drought dates even further to Sarah Hughes in 2002.

Liu, a prodigious talent with an impressive array of difficult skills from an early age, looked to be the best hope to reverse those fortunes, but she initially retired in 2022 as a burned-out 16-year-old following a third-place finish at the world championships.

Perhaps in large part because of the struggles of the women — once the most recognizable among all of the country’s Winter Olympians — interest in the sport, from viewership to participation, has waned in recent years.

But the weekend in Boston seemed to prove the country had turned a corner. The combination of talented American skaters, buoyed by the partisan and sold-out crowds, and the absence of the Russians (the country has been barred from competition since the invasion of Ukraine in 2022) paved the way for a staggering showing.

And it goes beyond those who earned world titles. All three American women finished in the top five on Friday — something that hadn’t happened since 2001. Isabeau Levito, who won silver at the 2024 worlds, finished in fourth place. Amber Glenn, who had been among the favorites entering the competition after a previously undefeated season, clawed her way back to fifth place after a challenging short program Wednesday.

“I mean, ‘Go Team USA,’ that’s kind of all I can say,” Liu told reporters later. “I’m so proud of both Isabeau and Amber for putting up such great performances, such a great fight, and they were really fun to be with this week.”

She later added they all cheer each other on and feed off one another’s success. (And even, in Liu’s case, borrow Glenn’s yoga mat ahead of competition.)

“All of that just drives us to be better also for each other,” she said.

Chock, 32, and Bates, 36, have perhaps been the glue of the American contingent since the Olympics three years ago. The pair were members of the 2022 Olympic team that originally won silver and was upgraded to gold after the Russian Olympic Committee team was stripped of the top prize following a doping scandal. Chock and Bates have also won six world medals, including the past three world titles. And they have followed in a line of strong American duos. The country has medaled in the event in every Games since 2006.

While neither of the country’s other ice dance teams made the podium, both finished in the top 10. Christina Carreira and Anthony Ponomarenko briefly held the top spot during the competition and finished fifth. Caroline Green and Michael Parsons ended in ninth place. Bates praised both duos after the event Saturday, and said there was an “incredibly strong” pipeline in the discipline in the U.S.

“Our goal is to be on top of the podium in Milan,” he said. “This [victory] doesn’t really change that.”

And following his rout at TD Garden, there is perhaps no one more assured of Olympic glory than Malinin.

The 20-year-old is unassuming off the ice and was spotted throughout the week walking around the concourse at TD Arena during other events and cheering on his American teammates. But he is a certified superstar on the ice — a “QuadGod” as his Instagram handle suggests, with degrees of difficulty so stratospheric that, like Simone Biles in gymnastics, he seems impossible to catch.

After his mind-blowing short program Thursday, in which he took a three-point lead over eventual bronze medalist Yuma Kagiyama and more than a 15-point edge over the rest of the field, Malinin had received a adoring reaction from the crowd before he was even finished, and dazzled with his dizzying array of quad jumps and his signature “raspberry twist” move.

Even Kagiyama couldn’t hide his admiration.

“I feel like his skating and his artistry, his expressions [are] getting better year by year,” he said through a translator. “I’m starting to think he’s invincible.”

On Saturday, Malinin further separated himself from Kagiyama and the rest with another mesmerizing and gravity-defying skate. With virtually every jump and skill lighting up the jumbotron in green, indicating it had been successful and earning bonus points for execution, the numbers piled up so fast it felt more like a video game than an artistic endeavor. His free skate score of 208.15 was over 15 points higher than anyone, and his final total score of 318.56 was 31.09 better than second-place finisher Mikhail Shaidorov of Kazakhstan.

With one year to go before the Milano Cortina Olympics, Malinin seems to be in a league of his own, with everyone else battling for second place, and he will almost undoubtedly be among the faces of the Games and perhaps the face of Team USA. He has spoken about his desire to further popularize the sport, at home and across the globe, and will likely do just that with every viral performance and high-profile endorsement he secures. He did a backflip — again — on the ice after being introduced to the crowd as the world champion during the victory ceremony.

Jason Brown, the 30-year-old sentimental fan favorite beloved for his artistry and passion but lacking some of the most difficult elements of his top-placing peers, had a nearly flawless free skate to finish eighth. Andrew Torgashev, the 2025 national runner-up, had a more challenging outing, falling twice during an error-prone free skate to land in 22nd place.

The pairs competition was the weakest spot for the Americans in Boston, but even that can be considered a win. Because Alisa Efimova and Misha Mitrofanov finished in sixth, and Ellie Kam and Danny O’Shea in seventh, their combined result of 13 gives the country a chance to qualify three teams for the Olympics — something that hasn’t been done since 1994.

“That would mean a lot,” Mitrofanov told NBC Sports on Thursday. “It’s bigger than us. That’s something, actually [that] we kind of set a little goal in our heads [coming into worlds].”

So now, the biggest question for the Americans in the sport is a simple one: Can they keep it up and dominate on the world’s biggest stage in February in Italy?

It certainly seems as if the country’s top skaters, across disciplines, are capable of doing just that. But of course, the participation status of the Russians remains unclear, and there are still 313 long, unpredictable days until the Olympic team event gets underway.

“A lot can happen in skating,” Gold said to ESPN on Saturday. “Ice is slippery.”

Filed Under: Olympics, Skating

X Games Aspen 2025: Chloe Kim wins Superpipe gold as Red Gerard defends slopestyle title

January 29, 2025 by Tara S

By Evelyn Watta | Olympics

Italy’s Miro Tabanelli made history with the world’s first 2340 to claim the men’s big air title, while Canada’s Frank Jobin won the X Games Street Style gold, and Nick Goepper dominated the men’s ski superpipe.

hloe Kim of the United States reacts after a run in the Women's Snowboard Superpipe during Day Three of the X Games Aspen 2025 at Buttermilk Ski Resort on January 25, 2025 in Aspen, Colorado. Kim won the event.

(Getty Images)

Chloe Kim continues to be a dominant force.

The two-time Olympic gold medallist earned her eighth X Games title in style with another stellar run in Aspen, Colorado, tying fellow American Shaun White for the most superpipe gold medals in X Games history.

The 24-year-old snowboarder returned to the Aspen slopes to defend her title alongside teammates Maddie Mastro and Maddy Schaffrick.

Kim and Mastro went 1-2 in qualifying for the finals.

Mastro thrilled the crowds with a huge score of 89.66, but that was before Kim’s first run, which secured her a historic title with 93.33 points. Japanese snowboarder Sara Shimizu finished third with 85.66.

“This one means a lot if I’m being completely honest. I wish I would’ve put down my final run but I’m so happy nonetheless,” said Kim, who has won 10 medals at the X Games since her debut at age 14.

  • X Games Aspen 2025 preview: Full schedule and how to watch live
  • X Games Aspen 2025: All results – complete list

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Miro Tabanelli lands the world’s first 2340, Americans rule men’s ski superpipe

The day had begun with another American Olympic champion on top of the podium in the men’s snowboard slopestyle.

Red Gerard delighted his hometown fans with an incredible final run that included a switch boardslide on the up-flat-down rail, switch backside triple 1620 and a backside 18 to retain his title for the second year in a row.

“Coming back as the X Games gold medallist is obviously awesome, but a full 365 days goes by, I feel like I have short term memory loss, I forget how it goes, and I always feel like a newbie when I come here,” he said after his 92.66 points that edged out his idol Canadian three-time Olympic bronze medallist Mark McMorris who took second place with his best of 90.33. Japan’s Taiga Hasegawa 81.00 was the third best.

“It’s 10 of the best riders in the world, so it’s really hard to get back to the top of the podium, so I’m just happy with how the week went.”

Canadian Frank Jobin ended the X Games snowboard street style course on top, ahead of the American pair of Nate Haust and Benny Milam who took silver and bronze medals respectively.

American’s swept the boards in the men’s ski superpipe. Nick Goepper, a six-time slopestyle medallist in slopestyle, earned his first men’s ski superpipe title at the X Games with his best of 92.66. Defending superpipe gold medallist, Alex Ferreira, finished in second with 92.00 with Hunter Hess third with 85.66.

Italy’s rising star Miro Tabanelli brought the curtains down after 72 hours of exhilarating action with a memorable ride in the men’s ski big air. Miro landed the world’s first known 2340 in ski contest history, a fantastic ending to the weekend for the Tabanelli family after his younger sister Flora won women’s ski big air on Friday [24 January].

Tabanelli scored 98.00 with with New Zealand’s Luca Harrington settling for silver with a score of 97.00. Matej Svancer’s 96.33 earned the Austrian bronze.

X Games Aspen 2025 results – Saturday, 25 January

Men’s Snowboard Slopestyle

  1. Red Gerard (USA) 92.66
  2. Mark McMorris (USA) 90.33
  3. Taiga Hasegawa (JPN) 81.00
  4. Marcus Kleveland (NOR) 46.33
  5. Liam Brearley (CAN) 31.66

Women’s Ski Slopestyle

  1. Tess Ledeux (FRA) 95.00
  2. Olivia Asselin (CAN) 92.66
  3. Anni Karava(FIN) 90.66
  4. Megan Oldham (CAN) 88.66

Women’s Snowboard Street Style

  1. Iris Pham (USA)
  2. Telma Sarkipaju (FIN)
  3. Jaylen Hanson (USA)
  4. Grace Warner (USA)

Men’s Snowboard Street Style

  1. Frank Jobin (CAN)
  2. Nate Haust (USA)
  3. Benny Milam (USA)
  4. Liam Brearley (CAN)

Women’s Snowboard SuperPipe

  1. Chloe Kim (USA) 93.33
  2. Maddie Mastro (USA) 89.66
  3. Sara Shimizu (JPN) 87.33

Men’s Ski SuperPipe

  1. Nick Goepper (USA) 92.66
  2. Alex Ferreira (USA) 92.00
  3. Hunter Hess (USA) 85.66
  4. Finley Melville-Ives (NZL) 80.00

Men’s Ski Big Air

  1. Miro Tabanelli(ITA) 98.00
  2. Luca Harrington (NZL) 97.00
  3. Matej Svancer (AUT) 96.33

Filed Under: Olympics, Skating, Skiing, X Games

Erin Jackson Talks Olympic Gold, Inspiring Others as a ‘Black Person in Predominantly White Sport’

February 25, 2022 by Tara S

“Whatever someone sees in me, or whatever they can relate to, I just hope that they can use that to get out and reach for their dreams,” Erin Jackson tells PEOPLE


By Nicholas Rice


Erin Jackson
 is reveling in her Olympic glory.

Shortly after the speed skater took the gold at the Beijing Winter Games in the women’s 500m, becoming the first Black woman to win an individual medal in the event, the athlete, 29, tells PEOPLE she still cannot believe her feat.

Calling her feelings “just kind of like a big rush of a whole bunch of different” things, Jackson says of winning: “At first it was shock and happiness, relief of course, just because it’s always stressful. There’s a bit of stress mixed in with just daily life as an athlete, and of course, being on a stage like that.”

“[There’s] just a big relief from all the training that I put in from the season and just having it pay off. Yeah, the main thing for sure, happiness,” she continues. “It was pretty cool.”

Erin Jackson

Erin Jackson | CREDIT: COURTESY US SPEEDSKATING

During her event, Jackson won gold with a time of 37.04. She crossed the finish line just 0.08 seconds before Japan’s Miho Takagi, while Angelina Golikova of the Russian Olympic Committee came in third with a time of 37.21.

Jackson is also the first U.S. woman to win gold in speed skating at the Olympics in nearly 30 years after Bonnie Blair placed first in 1994.

The Florida native’s victory came after her teammate Brittany Bowe gave up her spot in last month’s qualifying event so Jackson could go to Beijing in her place. (After spots in the 500m were reallocated, Bowe, 33, was also able to compete in the event).

The noble move came after Jackson placed third, due to an unfortunate slip on the ice. “No one is more deserving than her to get an opportunity to bring Team USA home a medal,” Bowe said of her decision at the time.

Outstanding Black Winter Olympians

CREDIT: ROBERT CIANFLONE/GETTY

Jackson says she hopes her achievement as a Black woman will inspire other young girls to compete, themselves. “I just hope that it can kind of help other people think maybe I can try something new, get out and try some of the winter sports, or even just speed skating specifically,” she says.

“I’m always trying to be a good example to anyone who wants to look, [especially as] a Black person in a predominantly white sport, to put it simply,” she continues. “Or even just someone who wants to show [parents] that their kids can have multiple priorities in life, not just sports and not just school, but how it’s possible to do both.”

“But yeah, whatever someone sees in me, or whatever they can relate to, I just hope that they can use that to get out and reach for their dreams,” Jackson adds.

RELATED VIDEO: Skier Mikaela Shiffrin Sometimes Sings a Classic Children’s Song in Her Head While Competing

Looking ahead, Jackson says she is “definitely” aiming to compete in the next Winter Olympics when they take place in Italy in 2026.

“I feel like I can’t be done yet,” she tells PEOPLE. “I feel like I’m just starting to figure it out, so I don’t want to stop now.”

However, Jackson says she plans to take a pause now that her run at the 2022 Games is over.

“I’m looking forward to getting back to it, [but] not too quickly,” she explains. “I want to take some time to myself, but [I’m] definitely excited about the next Games.”

Filed Under: AOTM, Athlete Spotlight, Olympics, Skating Tagged With: Erin Jackson

Erin Jackson Makes History As First Black Woman To Win Speed Skating Olympic Medal

February 17, 2022 by Tara S

Erin-Jackson-Black-women-Speed-Skater

BLACK GIRLS ON ICE? WE’RE INTO IT.

BY KEYAIRA BOONE · UPDATED FEBRUARY 15, 2022

Erin Jackson, 29, became the first Black woman to earn a gold medal in speed skating for the United States on Sunday. 

Jackson claims the prestigious honor for her performance in the women’s 500-meter speed skating race in Beijing.

According to NBC News, she slickly sprinted through the ice to complete the event in 37.04 seconds. She is the first person to win that event on behalf of Team USA since 1994. Erin Jackson Makes History As First Black Woman To Win Speed Skating Olympic Medal(PHOTO BY CATHERINE IVILL/GETTY IMAGES)

The Ocala, Florida native’s success as a long track speed skater and inline speed skater is even more remarkable as she has only spent a few years as an ice bound athlete. Jackson previously skated on rollerblades and participated in roller derbies. When she made her first appearance in the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics, she reportedly had only pivoted towards the ice one year prior. This year Jackson experienced unexpected difficulties during the official qualifying period for the Beijing games.

She arrived in this year’s winner’s circle thanks to her friend and colleague Brittany Bowe opting to give up her qualifying spot to make sure Jackson was afforded the opportunity to compete. 

The skating star proved worthy of the sacrifice by making history. She expressed her awe at her accomplishments in a tweet. “Olympic Champion,” she wrote before an emoji of a gold medal. “It’s going to take me a while to process those words.”

Congratulations Erin!

Filed Under: AOTM, Athlete Spotlight, Olympics, Skating

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