Andrew Torgashev | Page 44 | Golden Skate

Andrew Torgashev

Also so proud of Andrew.:clap:

More importantly I think this is a placement he can be proud of. Was the FS perfect? No, but he didn’t fall apart (thank you skating gods) and delivered a mighty damn fine one.:hap10:
 
I'm really proud of Andrew getting a PB!! I never saw that coming, but what a pleasant surprise! Congrats to him for doing so well. That's a win as far as I'm concerned. I'm just gutted for Ilia. That FS was too psycho... I hope everyone who needs some love and self-care gets what they need.
 
It's disappointing that Andrew came so close to top 10 after 2 very strong programs. The instability of the event was shown by the ordinals where 8 + 9 = 12. Still, it was a PB in both segments and that may be more meaningful in the long run than the actual placement.

The important thing was to hold it together and not let the first mistake get in his head and throw him off. Looking at the caliber of some of the guys he beat or stayed close to, it shows that Andrew deserved to be there and should be seen as one of the best in the world.

I think he's feeling pretty good about the results, based on the following. It's interesting that he was given as much coverage as Ilia and Max. I also feel so bad for Ilia, but it seems that the other athletes are rallying around him.

 
Last edited:
Andrew skated so well at the Olympics. I hope he realizes how well he skated despite the placement. PB IN BOTH SEGMENTS!!! :cheer2: I am sad that there is so much focus on the meltdowns and less acknowledgement of the successful programs. What happened to several men during the free skate is unfortunate enough without dissecting it ad nauseum. But that's exactly what the media and some skating fans are doing. :( Anyway...

I see this Olympics as a breakthrough for Andrew in figuring out how to do his current tech content successfully, including recovering from a mistake. I do watch Andrew skate with fan lenses on, and I remember the struggles he has publicly shared, and I've watched every competitive program he's done for the last four years (and as many past programs as were available). I recognize that most viewers haven't done this, so all they may see is lower tech content attempted and any mistakes he makes, even if they like his choreo sequence.

I do wonder what Andrew is thinking after the Olympic free skate. Max and Ilia are not only his teammates, but the three of them seem like good friends. They've known each other for years. It must be difficult when you know you had a good free skate but two of your friends did not.

12th was my dream finish for Andrew at 2025 Worlds and it didn't happen. 12th did happen at the Olympics and yet it's surrounded by so much outside noise about other skaters, the judging, etc. I am looking forward to Worlds where there will be less scrutiny from people who don't follow figure skating regularly. With all the issues that have come up in ice dance and men, I'm finding this Olympics mentally exhausting, and we still have pairs and women to go.
 
This Olympics was so draining and exhausting for me... So happy about Andrew, though! And Max was such a good sport this whole time that I really feel like he shined very brightly for me, too. Glad they both had an amazing Olympics experience!

I heard Andrew is contemplating retiring after this season, though. He said he may go into real estate, like his mom, or compete for a couple more seasons. He doesn't really know right now. I hope he chooses to go for a couple more years. I think he's got more potential to reach!
 
It's possible that Andrew's good Olympics performances will get lost in the shuffle. I know people who were so upset about Ilia that they didn't want to watch any of the long programs or thought the ice was "cursed". Also, him finishing in 12th place may make it seem that he was mediocre or made many mistakes, which wasn't the case.

On the plus side, he did much better than many expected and seems to have enjoyed the experience. It must have been validating to be among the best in the world after so many setbacks and sacrifices. I also hope that he sticks around for a couple of years. Despite not getting much media attention, he made some new fans and may have more respect from international judges now.
 
Thank you @teddycat, this is a podcast that I usually have a difficult time listening through, so it was great to have a time to begin. Vincent is a skater who has become more open and himself since retiring. I hope Andrew doesn't need to wait for that day, very far off:pray:. but now that he has the Olympics experience and title, maybe he was can relax a little.
 
Here are Andrew's Olympic programs. NBC interviewed Andrew after the SP but not the FS. There is also a lot of stuff out there featuring Andrew since he became an Olympian, particularly on Instagram. I'll bring some of it here between now and Worlds.

I want to shout from the rooftops, to the people who thought Andrew would implode at the Olympics: HE PROVED YOU WRONG AND SKATED WELL; SO THERE! The short was better than it's been all season and the free had only one mistake (extra costly with the +REP, but I don't care). The videos not labeled NBC have no commentary and full replays/K&C.

Andrew skated well and more importantly he was happy after both programs. :love2: The poem that I wrote we did not yet know the ending to? It ended quite well. :biggrin: My next hope is that Andrew has two good programs at 2026 Worlds and not just one.

2026 Olympics - Short Program

2026 Olympics - Free Skate

2026 Olympics - NBC Short Program

2026 Olympics - NBC Interview after SP

2026 Olympics - NBC Free Skate

NBC Sports put both of his programs on YouTube and as of today (Feb 26) they are still up. I enjoyed reading all the positive comments on both videos.
 
Last edited:
"Dear Skating" with Andrew, Max, and Ilia.


Transcript of Andrew's Letter:

Dear Skating,

Thank you for the life that you have given me. A life filled with friends, adventures, challenges, and rewards. Thank you for teaching me the definition of hard work and discipline. Thank you for allowing me to fail which has made the successes also special. Thank you for the medals which I proudly display in my living room. Thank you for the despair and disappointment of a bad skate in front of a large crowd, which has always made me come back wanting to redeem myself for more. Thank you for being the light in my life and what forces me to be a better man every single day. Thank you for always giving my life purpose. You challenged me when I thought I couldn't take any more. Thank you, figure skating. I can't wait to continue my life with you and share all that you have taught me.

Sincerely, Andrew
 
Last edited:
Thank you for these videos!!!

I'm so happy Andrew's Olympics was so incredibly good for him! It may not be like top 5 or top 10 level accomplishment, but seeing as how everyone was counting on him to implode, he DID NOT implode. He did so great, and got personal best scores for both programs and the overall score! That's not imploding! Andrew can will himself to do well. I think he just gets moody and doesn't always feel like he can. All good artists are moody.
 
Andrew has been added to the cast of US Stars on Ice.:hap10:


I nosed around and this looks like an addition to the actual cast, and not the "guest skaters" that SOI sometimes schedules. Which would mean at least the large group numbers as well.(y)

Now that they have three men, that may have capped the men for the "regular" cast, but who knows?
 
Andrew has been added to the cast of US Stars on Ice.:hap10:


I nosed around and this looks like an addition to the actual cast, and not the "guest skaters" that SOI sometimes schedules. Which would mean at least the large group numbers as well.(y)

Now that they have three men, that may have capped the men for the "regular" cast, but who knows?
Yes the whole tour

 
I know SOI and North American pro skating in general is not what it used to be, but my 90s fan heart is nonetheless screaming, "Andrew got good enough to be invited to SOI!! YAY!!!" After all the inconsistency and the injuries and the uncertainty, he made it here. I hope for fancams.

There's lots of speculation about multiple US skaters withdrawing from Worlds. I hope Andrew doesn't WD. No news is good news, so far so good.
 
Last edited:
Back
Top