U.S. Hopes Soar as Skating World Win Brings Back Memories of '94 Pair Gold

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BOSTON (AP) — Alisa Efimova and Misha Mitrofanov from the U.S. rejoiced in the middle of the rink following their free skate performance at the world figure skating championships on Thursday evening, then repeated their celebration roughly thirty minutes afterward.

Immediately following the duo’s statement expressing hope for a solid conclusion that could aid their country in qualifying a third team for the 2026 Olympics, the results for their fellow competitors, Ellie Kam and Danny O'Shea, came through. The news spread quickly: "You achieved it."

The skaters embraced once more and jumped with joy.

By securing seventh place — just ahead of Kam and O'Shea — Efimova and Mitrofanov assisted the U.S. in preliminarily ensuring qualification for three duos in the 2026 Winter Olympics. Two positions are confirmed, with an additional slot able to be earned at a qualifier set to take place in Beijing later this year.

It goes beyond just us," Mitrofanov stated. "We had a small objective in mind which we understood could be within reach, and this is what we truly aim to achieve. Regardless of whether we secure a spot at the Olympics, we will always have the peace of knowing that we gave everything for Team USA.

A leading force in the other three figure skating categories, the United States has yet to secure a gold medal in pairs; their last podium finish was when Jill Watson and Peter Oppegard claimed bronze back in 1988 at Calgary.

It has been over 30 years since the 1994 Winter Olympic Games in Lillehammer when the United States last sent three pairs teams to compete in the Olympics.

Efimova and Mitrofanov had some instability during their combination sequence of double axels, and she placed her foot down on their triple toe loop. However, overall, their performance to "Je Suis Malade" received high scores for execution.

After the reigning U.S. champs concluded their performance, they raised their fists and yelled joyfully. Efimova thumped his chest in triumph. They embraced, with Mitrofanov tightly pressing her head against his torso.

The marks — 135.59 for the free skate and an accumulated total of 199.29 — represented personal bests and initially positioned them at the top. However, this standing did not hold as they ultimately ended up fourth in the free skate event and sixth cumulatively, behind Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara from Japan. going back to the top step of the pairs podium A year following the loss of their championship.

The audience rose to their feet in a standing ovation for Efimova and Mitrofanov, local heroes trained at the Skating Club of Boston. six individuals were lost in a January airplane accident that claimed over two dozen lives from the skating community. returning from a development camp after the U.S. championships in Wichita, Kansas.

It feels like one big family," Mitrofanov stated. "Everyone has joined forces, forming a close-knit community, which makes us incredibly fortunate to represent the Skating Club of Boston, train there, and receive such widespread support from numerous individuals.

It signifies everything," he stated. "To tell you the truth, that’s like a dream coming true. Ever since we found out that the events would take place in Boston, we thought to ourselves, 'Wow, this would be our ideal opportunity to deliver two outstanding performances.'

The next day, following their emotionally charged skate in the short program, which came right after a homage to those who lost their lives in the accident Efimova mentioned that she concentrated on her performance this time. It wasn't until Mitrofanov twirled her around that she became aware of their achievement.

I completely lost track of the audience," she stated. "Something similar occurred during nationals as well, and afterward, I informed Misha that I wasn't aware of it. It all seemed unclear to me. This time, however, he spun me around and exclaimed, 'Look!' Then I realized, 'Oh yes, there's an audience.'

When she witnessed his celebration, she realized it had to be quite significant.

I usually attempt to remain composed, however, during situations like this, I just can't. I simply can't," he stated. "This involves everything I've put into it. I poured my heart into that skateboard, and it truly felt amazing.

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AP sports: https://apnews.com/sports

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