Why Ice Skating Champs Can’t Compete on Team USA at the Olympics

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Alisa Efimova and Misha Mitrofanov won’t be going for gold.

The ice skating pair recently qualified for the 2026 Winter Olympics after a fantastic performance at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships on January 8th. However, due to Alisa’s citizenship, they won’t be able to compete as part of Team USA.

Because the 26-year-old was born in Finland and only has a U.S. green card, she requested a waiver of the usual three-year residency requirement for citizenship. This would allow her to compete with Misha on Team USA.

Alisa and Misha got married in 2024 and tried to speed up a process with the help of U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey, but they weren’t successful in time. Still, Misha, who is a U.S. citizen, is glad they tried.

Although we didn’t achieve our goal, we don’t consider it a failure,” the skater, 28, said at the Skating Club of Boston on January 14, according to the Associated Press. “We viewed this as a valuable experience, and even though it didn’t work out as planned, we’re really pleased with everything we’ve gained and excited about what’s next.

Misha explained the difficulties they faced getting a passport for Alisa, who had previously competed for Russia and Germany internationally. This issue arose while they were preparing for the Winter Games in Milano Cortina, which start on February 6th.

He told the Associated Press on January 7th that they were still hoping for a positive outcome, despite recent challenges. While most of the season went well, the last few weeks have been tougher than usual, requiring more administrative work and a significant effort to overcome the difficulties.

He said it’s something we can only hope for, but it’s ultimately not up to us. Our only option is to concentrate on our practice and performing well on the ice.

As for whether Alisa and Misha would consider competing at the 2030 Olympics in the French Alps? 

Alisa said they’re considering their options, but four years feels like a long time to plan ahead. Right now, they’re focused on preparing for the next season. The recent national competition left them motivated to improve and achieve even more.

She believes qualifying for the Olympics in four years would be incredibly meaningful and is a major driving force for her. “It would be even more valuable and precious,” she said.

While Team USA focuses on winning gold, let’s take a moment to remember the couples who competed at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.

Hunter Woodhall was born with a rare condition called fibular hemimelia, meaning he didn’t have fibulae in his legs. He had both legs amputated when he was just 11 months old, but this didn’t stop him from pursuing his dreams.

Originally from Georgia, he first met Tara Davis-Woodhall at a track meet in Idaho in 2017. He later shared in a YouTube video that he was immediately smitten, saying, “I knew right away she was someone I wanted to marry.”

Tara and her partner weren’t a couple after initially meeting, as she was based in California. However, they reconnected through a shared spark and by following each other’s success online. They got engaged after the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, which were postponed due to the pandemic, and married in a Texas vineyard in October 2022. Although they both competed in Tokyo, they weren’t able to support each other in person because of COVID-19 rules. That’s why they’re especially thrilled about the upcoming Paris Games.

“We’ve put a lot of effort into this, and we’re excited it’s finally happening. It’s going to be a really special moment,” Tara shared with TopMob News in May.

Following disappointing results at the Tokyo Olympics, sprinters Noah Lyles and Junelle Bromfield are aiming for gold medals in Paris.

Track and field athletes are having fun on TikTok, and Noah recently shared a playful agreement with his girlfriend of nearly two years: if they both make it to the Olympics, they’ll each win every race and return home as the most successful couple ever.

She said she understood the plan and was fully committed to making it work, believing they would be an incredibly successful couple.

While disagreements at home might not involve swords, fencers Lee Kiefer and Gerek Meinhardt have been strong supporters of each other for over ten years.

As someone who’s studied successful relationships for years, I can really relate to what fencer Gerek says about his wife, Lee. He shared with TeamUSA.com that she challenges him to grow and step outside of what’s comfortable, and honestly, that’s a fantastic dynamic. His role, as he sees it, is to help her find a healthy balance and avoid burnout. It’s a beautiful partnership – they both push each other to be their best, but in different, complementary ways. It’s all about maximizing potential, and they clearly do that for each other.

Gerek shared on Instagram how incredibly proud he was of his wife after she qualified for Paris, saying he couldn’t express how much she wanted this and how dedicated she’d been. Meanwhile, Lee celebrated his own qualification by praising his husband’s fencing, calling it ‘beautiful’.

These athletes are not only champions in their sport, but they’re also aspiring doctors. They temporarily put their medical studies at the University of Kentucky on hold after their second year to train for the Tokyo Olympics, with plans to return to school in 2025.

I’ve been a huge fan of Alise Post ever since I first heard about her. I’m originally from Adelaide, and back in the day, before social media really took off, I used to follow her online. It was through MySpace that I actually connected with her, which was amazing! As I joked to USA Today Sports a while back, I finally managed to work my way onto her list of top friends – a total dream come true for me!

Alise and Sam, both up-and-coming BMX racers, fell in love during a visit Alise hosted for Sam in California. After being together for eight years, Sam proposed in December 2015.

Nine months after proposing, Sam’s life changed forever when a serious training accident left him paralyzed from the chest down, ending his career. Throughout his recovery, Alise was his constant support. He remembered telling her she didn’t have to stay with him, but she firmly responded, “You’re not a vegetable, and I absolutely am marrying you. You’re stuck with me!”

Despite still needing a wheelchair most of the time, Sam surprised everyone by walking down the aisle at his 2019 wedding with the help of braces. He’s now his wife’s coach, proving that anything is possible.

From the moment the accident happened, I wanted to be there for him, to be his support system,” Alise explained. “Now, the roles have reversed, and he supports me when I’m competing. It feels like things have come back around, and we’re both there for each other.

Ashley Kovacs, a former shot put star at the University of Kentucky with four All-American honors, has been coaching her husband, Joe Kovacs, since 2019. She was recently selected as the Women’s Throw Coach for the 2024 Paris Olympics.

The Kovacs got married on November 18, 2023, and in October 2022, they welcomed twins, Kannon and Kaari, into their family. Their lives are about much more than just material possessions.

Seriously, my whole life revolves around them now! It’s gotten to the point where I’m squeezing in shot put practice whenever they’re napping. We actually built a shot put ring right in our backyard just so I could get some training in while they’re asleep. It’s the only way I can manage it, honestly – gotta take advantage of those precious nap times!

Joe shared, “I’ve never been happier. My wife and kids are everything I could ask for, and this is the best life I could imagine.”

Judo athlete Gabriella Willems, who was injured before the previous Olympics, shared her excitement with Olympics.com about competing in Paris alongside fellow judoka Christian Parlati, who competed in Tokyo. “We’ve been supporting each other for seven years, and it’s a dream to share this experience,” she said. “We’re hoping July 31st – the day of both our finals – will be a joyful and emotional day for us both.”

Tennis players Alex De Minaur and Katie Boulter will both compete in the Olympics for the first time in Paris. De Minaur originally qualified for the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 but had to withdraw after testing positive for COVID-19. Boulter and De Minaur teamed up for mixed doubles at Wimbledon in 2023.

After seeing a kind comment Katie left on his Instagram, Alex playfully mentioned in an interview in January, “I was actually surprised she said something nice! Usually, when she replies to my posts online, it’s to tease me. So it’s great to get a compliment for a change.”

Katie has a playful side—she jokingly posted in March, after four years with Alex, about not being engaged despite a ring fitting her finger—but their relationship is clearly strong and successful.

She realized she was falling for him during a chance encounter – they bumped into each other at 6 a.m. over coffee while both staying at the same hotel.

My grandpa was my whole world growing up, seriously. I used to tell myself, ‘If I ever meet someone with even half the kindness and heart my grandpa had, I’ll know I’ve found the one.’ And honestly? I’ve found him. Alex is that person. I feel like the luckiest woman alive!

Bayern Munich forward Lea Schüller will compete in her first Olympics as part of the German women’s soccer team. Luckily, she’ll have some familiar support in Paris – two-time Olympic sailor Lara Vadlau can offer advice, and the two athletes will be able to spend three weeks together in the same city.

In an interview with her partner’s football club, Dr. Lara explained that it helps that they both understand the demands of his sport, including the frequent travel and time spent apart.

Lea explained that they often only spend a few days together at a time, which feels similar to a long-distance relationship. This isn’t because they live far apart—they actually live together in Munich—but because one of them is frequently traveling.

Fencer Rossella Fiamingo shared with Olympics.com that watching her fiancé compete feels like she’s the one competing herself—whether it’s in the pool or, if he qualifies, in the Seine River during the 10K open water swim in Paris.

Gregorio Paltrinieri is a big fan of Rossella’s sport – he even described it as “beautiful to watch.” Fresh off winning a gold and silver medal at the 2023 World Swimming Championships in Fukuoka, Japan, Gregorio unexpectedly showed up in Milan to watch the team épée final at the World Fencing Championships.

Rossella was completely surprised, he explained to Olympics.com. He said she’d asked him the night before if he was attending, and he’d told her he was too tired.

Well, he may be a trickster, but he’s also her No. 1 supporter.

Seeing Rossella upset about the Italian team’s silver medal, Gregorio reassured her that ups and downs are normal in competition. He explained that everyone experiences both good and bad races, and he himself never gives up hope. He planned to share this message with her – to stay positive and not lose faith.

Dominik Cerny proposed to Hana Burzalova at the finish line of the women’s 35km race during the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest last August, dreaming of a Parisian backdrop for their future.

After the event, he told Olympics.com that they’d been working together for nearly four years – almost the length of an Olympic cycle – and felt it was a good time to move on.

He clarified they weren’t rushing into marriage, but playfully suggested they might decide to tie the knot with only two days’ notice, as they enjoy spontaneity. He even joked about potentially competing in the race walk relay at the Paris Olympics as the ‘Cerny family’.

Way to keep the world on its toes while keeping one foot in contact with the ground at all times.

Tennis stars Elina Svitolina and Gael Monfils, who got married in 2021, are competing in the Olympics again, but this time with a new role: parenthood. They welcomed their daughter, Skai, in October 2022.

After reaching the second round of the Miami Open in March 2023, Gael spoke with reporters, emphasizing that his wife is, above all, a wonderful mother. He explained that while they’re both professional tennis players, people often focus on their careers, when her role as a mother is what truly matters most to him. He believes life extends far beyond the world of tennis.

Elina has emphasized that she’s more than just an athlete. In an April interview with TIME, she explained that she feels a responsibility to support and represent the people of Ukraine, embodying their resilient spirit every time she competes. She sees her tennis matches as a way to showcase Ukrainian strength and perseverance.

The surfing competitions for both men and women are being held in Teahupo’o, Tahiti – over 9,500 miles from Paris and the main Olympic events. At least Brazilian surfers João Chianca and Luana Silva will have each other for company!

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2026-01-15 22:48