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