Updated February 16, 2026, 5:21 p.m. Eastern Time
MILAN — Although they delivered commendable performances, the United States’ dry spell for medals in pairs figure skating persists.
Team USA did not secure a medal at the 2026 Winter Olympics, held on Monday, February 16. The duos of Spencer Akira Howe and Emily Chan, alongside Ellie Kam and Danny O’Shea, were unable to reach the podium by the conclusion of the event. Howe and Chan secured a seventh-place finish, while Kam and O’Shea placed ninth.
Japan’s Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara clinched the gold medal through a remarkable comeback free skate, marking their nation’s inaugural pairs medal. Anastasiia Metelkina and Luka Berulava, representing Georgia, earned silver, while the bronze medal was awarded to Germany’s Minerva Fabienne Hase and Nikita Volodin.
The United States last secured a pairs medal in 1988, when Jill Watson and Peter Oppegard claimed bronze in Calgary. This 38-year hiatus now stands as the longest stretch without a medal for any figure skating category in U.S. Olympic history.
Although neither pair was initially favored for a medal, both made an impressive entrance in the short program. Notably, Kam and O’Shea leveraged the momentum from their team event gold to achieve a season-high score.
This strong start positioned them favorably for the free skate. Kam and O’Shea held seventh place, just under three points shy of a bronze medal position, while Chan and Howe occupied ninth place, less than five points behind.
Chan and Howe, being the first American pair to compete, performed in what was considered their strongest segment of the event, and their score demonstrated this. Even with Chan experiencing an early fall, they resiliently overcame the deduction and flawlessly executed the remainder of their routine. The duo achieved a season-high score of 130.25, culminating in a total of 200.31.
“We are incredibly thrilled that we managed to deliver two powerful performances and conclude our Olympic Games competition in this manner,” Howe stated. “The immense effort required to reach this level is significant, and once you arrive, your mind almost struggles to comprehend it.”
Regrettably for Kam and O’Shea, they couldn’t recapture the exceptional form shown during the team event. Kam experienced consecutive falls early in their program, disrupting their rhythm and leading to a score of 122.71, resulting in a total of 194.58.
However, the pair will not depart Milano without honors, as their team event gold medals remain a significant highlight of their Olympic journey.
“We certainly gave our utmost, though the outcome wasn’t precisely what I had envisioned,” Kam remarked. “Nevertheless, I remain immensely proud of all our accomplishments here. I believe the dedication and effort we invested during training at home truly manifested in this competition.”
Despite the outcome, this performance represents a hopeful continuation of the positive trend within the U.S. pairs’ division. Alexa Knierim and Brandon Frazier’s fifth-place finish at the 2022 Winter Olympics marked Team USA’s first top-five placement since 2002. Furthermore, combined with Ashley Cain-Gribble and Timothy LeDuc’s eighth-place result, it was the first occasion since 1998 that the U.S. had two pairs among the top ten.
With both teams now securing top-10 finishes, this marks the first time the U.S. has achieved this feat in consecutive Winter Olympics since the 1998 and 2002 games. Far from declining, the pairs’ category is showing significant progression. This positive trajectory clarifies why both teams were visibly pleased afterward, each believing they achieved remarkable milestones in their individual Olympic inaugural appearances.
“There’s every reason to feel optimistic, isn’t there?” a beaming O’Shea commented.
Following their team gold triumph that initiated the Milano Cortina festivities, Team USA’s subsequent figure skating performances have been mixed, with no further titles secured. Madison Chock and Evan Bates contentiously took home silver in ice dance, while Ilia Malinin’s surprising falter in the men’s event meant he did not secure a medal.
The upcoming final segment will showcase the women’s competition, featuring the “Blade Angels” — Amber Glenn, Alysa Liu, and Isabeau Levito. All three are considered strong medal contenders, possessing the potential to win gold, a crucial outcome for Team USA given their favored status in three out of the four disciplines.
