All eyes in Milan turned to the ice on Monday, February 16, 2026, as the world’s finest pairs skaters took center stage at the Winter Olympics. The city buzzed with anticipation, especially among U.S. figure skating fans hoping for a long-awaited breakthrough in the pairs discipline. With medals on the line and history in the making, the atmosphere inside the arena was nothing short of electric.
The U.S. has not captured an Olympic pairs medal since 1988, a drought that’s haunted generations of American skaters and their supporters. This year, however, optimism ran high as two American pairs—Ellie Kam and Danny O’Shea, and Emily Chan and Spencer Akira Howe—entered the free skate finals. Both teams had shown grit and promise in the short program, with Kam and O’Shea sitting in seventh place with 71.87 points and Chan and Howe close behind in ninth with 70.06 points.
“Everybody’s goal is to go out there and skate clean and nail all the elements,” Spencer Howe remarked before the event. “For me, a big goal has always been getting out there and feeling good. Because if you can feel good, then you have your best chances of delivering what you need to do.” According to Howe, the key to Olympic success was not just technical perfection but finding that elusive feeling of confidence and joy on the ice—a sentiment echoed by many in the skating community.
The anticipation for the pairs free skate was palpable. The event kicked off at 2 p.m. ET, broadcast live on NBC, USA Network, and streamed on Peacock and NBCOlympics.com. Fans who couldn’t catch the action live were promised a full recap during NBC’s Primetime Olympics coverage starting at 8 p.m. ET. Sixteen pairs had qualified for the free skate, their routines set to dazzle the judges and audiences alike in four-minute performances packed with lifts, throws, and synchronized artistry.
Kam and O’Shea, skating in the 10th spot out of 16, took to the ice in Group 2, while Chan and Howe, performing eighth, were scheduled for Group 3. The timing was crucial—those in the middle of the standings needed to impress early, as the highest-ranked teams would close out the event in Group 4. For American fans, the challenge was clear: tune in early or risk missing the nation’s top contenders in action.
The path to the Olympic podium was never going to be easy. Germany’s Minerva Fabienne Hase and Nikita Volodin entered the free skate as the clear favorites, leading the standings and boasting a 66% projected chance of clinching gold according to prediction markets. Their technical prowess and consistency had set them apart from the field. Meanwhile, Japan’s Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara, who had been gold medal favorites coming into the Games, found themselves in fifth place after the short program—proof that Olympic pressure can shake even the most seasoned competitors.
For Team USA, the stakes were particularly high given recent disappointments and near-misses. The nation’s top pair, Alisa Efimova and Misha Mitrofanov—the reigning U.S. national champions—were notably absent from Milan. Despite qualifying for the Games, Efimova was unable to secure American citizenship in time, a requirement set by the International Olympic Committee. “There are some amazing pairs teams within the U.S., and I think that you’ll see all three of them at the world championships this year,” Danny O’Shea commented. “It’s awesome, because pairs in the U.S. is very dear to my heart.”
The absence of Efimova and Mitrofanov was felt keenly, but it also opened the door for Kam/O’Shea and Chan/Howe to seize the spotlight. Both teams had shown resilience throughout the season, overcoming injuries, lineup changes, and the intense scrutiny that comes with representing the United States on the world’s biggest stage. For Chan, who also serves as a private first class in the U.S. Army, the Olympic journey was about more than medals—it was about service, discipline, and national pride.
As the free skate unfolded, the drama only intensified. The arena was a cauldron of nerves, with every clean landing and flawless spin drawing cheers from the crowd. The American pairs executed their elements with determination, pushing for the kind of performances that could finally end the U.S. medal drought in this discipline. Across the globe, fans tracked live updates through NBC Olympics and USA TODAY’s live blog, eager for every twist and turn in the standings.
Of course, the pairs event was not immune to controversy. The figure skating world was still abuzz after the recent Chock and Bates ice dance technical review, which had sparked debate over judging consistency and transparency. As the pairs took to the ice, some wondered if another Olympic controversy might be brewing. But for most, the focus remained on the athletes themselves—their artistry, athleticism, and the stories that brought them to Milan.
For Kam and O’Shea, the Olympic experience was a culmination of years of hard work and partnership. Their journey to seventh place in the short program was a testament to their chemistry and technical skill. For Chan and Howe, breaking into the top ten was no small feat, especially given the depth of the international field. Both pairs embodied the spirit of American figure skating: resilient, ambitious, and ever-hopeful.
As the final groups prepared to skate, the tension reached its peak. Would Germany’s Fabienne Hase and Volodin hold on to their lead? Could Japan’s Miura and Kihara stage a comeback? And might the Americans finally break their nearly four-decade medal drought? The answers, as always in Olympic figure skating, would come down to the smallest margins—a missed landing, a perfectly timed lift, a judge’s scorecard.
When the dust settled and the final notes of music faded, the medal ceremony was set for 5:04 p.m. ET, promising closure to an afternoon of high drama and athletic brilliance. While the final results were still unfolding at press time, one thing was clear: the American pairs had delivered performances to be proud of, and the future of U.S. pairs skating looked brighter than it had in years.
As the world awaits the official podium announcements and looks ahead to upcoming world championships, U.S. figure skating fans can take heart. The determination, artistry, and sheer willpower on display in Milan signaled that the next chapter of American pairs skating is being written—one bold performance at a time.