Americans seek redemption at figure skating worlds, just weeks after the Olympics
March 27, 2026 8:51 AM ET
By Rachel Treisman
The conclusion of the Winter Olympics may have left a significant void for figure skating enthusiasts. Fortunately, the ISU Figure Skating World Championships have commenced.
Taking place in Prague from Wednesday to Saturday, this year's championship mirrors the Olympic structure with two days of competition for each of the four disciplines: women's, men's, pairs, and ice dance.
This event marks the final major competition of the 2025-2026 figure skating season, providing athletes a crucial opportunity for redemption and a chance to secure titles post-Olympics.
Notably, several Olympians, including American gold medalist Alysa Liu and reigning ice dance world champions Madison Chock and Evan Bates, have opted out of this year’s competition after medaling in Milan, a common occurrence. However, other prominent competitors, such as Amber Glenn and Ilia Malinin, are determined to secure medals after falling short in Italy.
The competition began with the women's short program, where Glenn delivered a captivating performance to her "Like a Prayer" routine, successfully executing the triple jump that likely impacted her Olympic medal standing. She currently holds third place as she heads into Friday's women's free skate, which will ultimately determine medal placements.
"It's refreshing to enter the free skate without the pressure of clawing my way up the ranks," Glenn shared with U.S. Figure Skating, noting that competing shortly after the Olympics has its advantages. "Even though it's been a month, it feels like it was yesterday."
Malinin, who faced an eighth-place finish in Milan following a series of unexpected errors, is striving for his third consecutive world title. He achieved an international personal best in his short program on Thursday, leading the scoreboard by over nine points going into Saturday's men's free skate.
In Malinin's words, he approached the worlds with the intention of demonstrating that his Olympic difficulties were an isolated incident. "However, I've come to realize that there's more to this than just skating," he said. "It's about going out there, relishing the experience, and simply having fun. So, my only expectation for this competition is to conclude the season on a positive note."
Returning to the ice are familiar figures, including French ice dance champions Laurence Fournier Beaudry and Guillaume Cizeron, who joined forces last year amid disputes with their previous partners. Meanwhile, reigning world silver medalist Kaori Sakamoto of Japan, fresh off her Olympic silver medal, aims to conclude her career with a higher accolade.
This championship also presents an opportunity to showcase skating talents who did not participate in the Olympics, such as U.S. pairs skaters Alisa Efimova and Misha Mitrofanov. The duo, champions of their second national title in January, missed the Olympic event due to procedural delays with Efimova's citizenship.
The first champions of the event were announced on Thursday in the pairs competition: Germany's Minerva Fabienne Hase and Nikita Volodin secured their inaugural world title after clinching bronze in Milan. Georgia's Anastasiia Metelkina and Luka Berulava repeated their Olympic performance, taking silver, while Canada's Lia Pereira and Trennt Michaud earned bronze.
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