2026 Olympics Team Event speculation

[ilovebudgies]

Sakamoto is skating both programs for her country. If she can do it, so can Ilia.

First, the women's event is a lot farther out from teams then the men's event. Second, she already has an OGM and maybe she wants to focus on the team gold this time. Third, she's not doing 6 or 7 quads in a program. Lastly, her decision is irrelevant to Ilia's decision.

USFS did its job in 2022 and based their decision on their longstanding criteria. No one "left" Ilia off anything. You mean unrealistically it could be Ilia's only Olympics. He told it straight already: he's going for 3 consecutive Olympics. 26,30,34. He has a long view of his Olympic career and I wouldn't expect anything less from someone like Ilia.

If your argument is that it's realistic for a 30 or 34 year old to win an Olympic gold medal in the mens, just...lol. Even 26 is "old" in figure skating years. There's been no men's figure skating champion over 25 years old as far as I can remember.

People need to stop babying this guy - it's completely unnecessary.

By...respecting his preference to only do the short? Did you also criticize Patrick, Yuzu, and Nathan for being "babied" and being a "porcelain princess" for only doing the short?

What people need to do is stop treating athletes like physically invincible robots without any agency who should perform on command.

 

[Magill]

First, the women's event is a lot farther out from teams then the men's event. Second, she already has an OGM and maybe she wants to focus on the team gold this time. Third, she's not doing 6 or 7 quads in a program. Lastly, her decision is irrelevant to Ilia's decision.

Just a correction. Kaori is not an OGM. She has an individual Olympic bronze and a team silver but no gold. I do not think it is realistic to think she wants a team gold more than an individual one.

 

[Arigato]

First, the women's event is a lot farther out from teams then the men's event.

Already been discussed.

If your argument is that it's realistic for a 30 or 34 year old to win an Olympic gold medal in the mens, just...lol.

I have no idea who/what you are talking about.

 

[ilovebudgies]

I'm totally playing devil's advocate here, just for the sake of more discussion.

If only one of Ilia and Chock/Bates can split, why can't it be Chock/Bates?

They're Olympic favorites, too (at least on paper) with three World titles coming in. And their path to individual gold here is, to my mind, more taxing than Ilia's will be. Plus, Evan has injuries that he's always nursing. And their backup for the free dance has more international backing and accomplishment than either Max or Andrew.

Edit: And Ilia is in the absolute prime of his athletic life. And Chock and Bates, let's be honest about it, are pretty old compared to their competitors.

I think I'm talking myself out of my previous position.

I don't like that they're being asked to do it either, especially with his back issue and how close it is to their individual. If it were up to me, I would have split ice dancing and men's just due to the proximity to their individual events.

If it were REALLY up to me, I think it'd be better to have the team event after the individual events. That way everyone can better judge how they much they've got left in the tank for the team event.

 

[ilovebudgies]

Already been discussed.



I have no idea who/what you are talking about.

I thought you were referring to his age, and not Olympic years. But if he's planning to go to 3 Olympics, then he would be 25 and 29, and I still think those ages are "old" in figure skating years. Per Google, since 2000, Lysacek was the oldest men's OGM at age 24.

Just a correction. Kaori is not an OGM. She has an individual Olympic bronze and a team silver but no gold. I do not think it is realistic to think she wants a team gold more than an individual one.

My bad, I've just gotten used to her dominance this quad so much that I thought she was. I agree with you then about her priorities. But I do think it's better in her case because she has a week in between the events.

 

[4everchan]

What other skaters did in previous games is irrelevant. The topic at heart is what does the USA need for a team gold. For that to happen, ilia may need to skate both segments.

You know. I'm supporting team Japan so I'm fine with the USA splitting the men.

 

[ilovebudgies]

What other skaters did in previous games is irrelevant. The topic at heart is what does the USA need for a team gold. For that to happen, ilia may need to skate both segments.

You know. I'm supporting team Japan so I'm fine with the USA splitting the men.

Well, I'm supporting US and I'm fine with Japan winning the team gold If that means Max/Torgs being able to compete for a medal, and C/B and Ilia being able to have more a break between their events.

I think it is relevant to look to past practices of USFS and other feds. Having your top skater compete both teams segments is always going to maximize your team's chances, but the feds also considered the individual events as well.

 

[drivingmissdaisy]

Ilia could skate a watered down program though, like he did at US Nationals. I think that was actually perhaps something they were considering if he had to do both programs. He could even place first (or second) with that program and earn enough points for the gold.

If I am Ilia, and I am facing the possibility of winning a gold in the team event, I'd go for it. Nothing is ever guaranteed and who knows what could happen in the singles (most likely gold for Ilia again but.. you know). So... go for it, take the team gold and then go for the individual gold.

Deanna and Max explained that they went to a challenger before GPF because they wanted the feeling of skating 4 programs back to back. If they can do it, I am pretty sure Ilia can to.

I still think it's too risky. It's not about pulling out two or three quads, because he'll do many more than that in the practices. Everything else that is tiring remains the same: warm-ups, skating the watered down program, etc.

 

[Allikat]

If it were REALLY up to me, I think it'd be better to have the team event after the individual events. That way everyone can better judge how they much they've got left in the tank for the team event.

Of course, having the team event after individual events would be far better. But-but-but--that would make things too convenient for the skaters! It would be far less hard on them! The IOC just couldn't have THAT, now could they? (Sarcasm entirely intentional.)

 

[SmileHappy34]

Just a correction. Kaori is not an OGM. She has an individual Olympic bronze and a team silver but no gold. I do not think it is realistic to think she wants a team gold more than an individual one.

When Kamila was disqualified, Kaori and Wakaba was bumped up to 1st in team event for women so I essence the won the team portion for women

 

[Ziotic]

When Kamila was disqualified, Kaori and Wakaba was bumped up to 1st in team event for women so I essence the won the team portion for women

No, they weren’t. That is basically how Russia kept the medal over Canada.

They just omitted Kamila’s points without increase the rest of the field.

 

[Anna K.]

Of course, having the team event after individual events would be far better. But-but-but--that would make things too convenient for the skaters! It would be far less hard on them! The IOC just couldn't have THAT, now could they? (Sarcasm entirely intentional.)

Sarcasm aside, I don't think that IOC knows or cares that much. Rather, it's way simpler than that: the events with lower viewer figures are scheduled early in the games, even before the opener, to save the prime time for events that are popular with the public.

 

[flakyy]

It is very tight, as expected. US will need Malinin to win. They cannot afford Pairs last in FP AND Men last or 2/3 places behind Japan. And Malinin might be interested in 2 gold medals. Who knows what will be in four years time? Better to take what you can get.

 

[Fetinia]

The cameras caught Ilya staring at the scoreboard with the same expression most of us give a surprise dental bill, clearly realizing he might actually have to skate that long program after all.

 

[drivingmissdaisy]

It is very tight, as expected. US will need Malinin to win. They cannot afford Pairs last in FP AND Men last or 2/3 places behind Japan. And Malinin might be interested in 2 gold medals. Who knows what will be in four years time? Better to take what you can get.

He needs to put his foot down. It's already in his head that doing that many programs is going to be a problem and that will undoubtably affect his mentality in the individual LP, when he will be most exhausted yet has to put out his best program of the competition. Given everything that can happen with injuries, it's very possible he has this one shot in his life at an individual gold and he has to do everything possible to peak for that.

 

[Jennyf]

He needs to put his foot down. It's already in his head that doing that many programs is going to be a problem and that will undoubtably affect his mentality in the individual LP, when he will be most exhausted yet has to put out his best program of the competition. Given everything that can happen with injuries, it's very possible he has this one shot in his life at an individual gold and he has to do everything possible to peak for that.

I agree, and I also would like to see Max skate the LP. I hate the way FS has set up the Team event, it doesn't feel very team like at all.

 

[Blades of Passion]

You don't know what's in his head.

Someone who wants individual gold should welcome the chance to do a practice LP on Olympic ice beforehand. And anyone who is an Olympian should want to win every medal available to them. They are there to compete.

There's absolutely nothing that shows he would be exhausted by doing the team LP. Athletes in other sports have FAR more grueling schedules. It's very tiresome that people keep pretending like ice skaters are facing some tremendous challenge by competing 4 programs. They used to compete back-to-back Long Programs at the Grand Prix Final. Stop the nonsense.

 

[drivingmissdaisy]

They used to compete back-to-back Long Programs at the Grand Prix Final. Stop the nonsense.

Ridiculous comparison. How many quads were they doing? And is the GPF as consequential an event as the Olympics? Stop suggesting that athletes toughen up and let them decide what's best for them. No one cares about how they do in a GPF, and no one cares about team medals, when you're talking about a skater's legacy in the sport.

 

[Blades of Passion]

How many quads were they doing?

Ilia doesn't need to do many quads in the Team LP. And he does tons per day in full program run-throughs.

no one cares about team medals

The audience and record books care.

 

[YuBluByMe]

You know. I'm supporting team Japan so I'm fine with the USA splitting the men.

Heh, I said this exact same thing in the Japanese ladies thread.

BREAK
The men’s event hasn’t happened yet, but it’s looking like Ilia has to skate both programs and this shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone who’s done the math beforehand. And if Kagiyama edges out Ilia in the SP…oh boy oh boy. That can happen you know. Their SBs are virtually the same.

I’ve always disagreed with the idea of an Olympic competitor “holding out” for the individual event. I’m not buying that these skaters don’t have the stamina to skate multiple programs in a short amount of time. They should be doing just that on a regular basis anyway.

I know Egadze is not a realistic podium threat but that’s exactly what he and the rest of the Georgian team are going to be doing. Egadze was even seemingly preparing for it earlier in the season with all the back-to-back competitions. Most of team Italy too are in the same boat, as well. So no I’m not buying it.