Canada’s Winter Olympics Medal Hopes Suffer Blow in Figure Skating Team Event

Canada’s hopes for another medal at the 2026 Winter Olympics took a setback after the nation finished fifth in the figure skating team event in Milan on Sunday. Despite strong individual performances, the collective result left Team Canada short of their podium target in the multi-discipline competition.

The team event, which combines results from men’s and women’s singles, pairs and ice dance, saw Canada score 54 points across the competition — not enough to keep pace with top contenders such as the United States, Japan and host nation Italy. The U.S. secured gold with 69 points, edging Japan by a narrow margin, while Italy’s strong showing earned them bronze to the delight of the home crowd.

Canadian skaters delivered some noteworthy individual skating moments: Lia Pereira and Trennt Michaud posted a personal-best pairs free skate score, and Stephen Gogolev produced an impressive performance in the men’s segment. However, Madeline Schizas, who had become an internet sensation for her candid reactions during the short program, struggled in the women’s free skate and ultimately fell on a key element, diminishing Canada’s overall point total.

The result concludes Canada’s run in the team figure skating event and represents a disappointment for a nation that had entered the competition with reasonable hopes of vying for a medal. With the individual figure skating events still ahead and opportunities in other sports remaining, the team will aim to rebound and refocus on upcoming competitions throughout the Games.