ST. LOUIS, Missouri — The pairs competition came to a close at the 2026 Prevagen U.S. Figure Skating Championships, with a dramatic free skate reshaping the podium and underscoring the Olympic stakes.
Finishing in 1st overall, Alisa Efimova and Misha Mitrofanov looked polished and Olympic-ready in their free skate to “Where Do I Begin (Love Story)” by Gary Valenciano, earning 132.40 in the segment and a winning total of 207.71. The married pair, who teamed up in 2023 and wed in early 2024, captured their 2nd consecutive U.S. national title. Their performance combined refined unison, secure lifts and confident flow across the ice, reinforcing their position as one of the strongest American pairs.
Despite their dominance, Olympic uncertainty remains. Efimova, originally from Finland, has not yet received U.S. citizenship — a requirement for Olympic eligibility — and the team publicly has appealed for special consideration at the highest levels of government. With the Olympic team announcement just two days away, they acknowledged they are still hoping for a “miracle.”
“It’s hard to believe how far we have come these three years,” Efimova said after competing. “It’s only possible with all the people around us.”
In 2nd, Ellie Kam and Danny O’Shea, the 2024 U.S. champions, rebounded to deliver the 2nd-best free skate of the night with 129.99, bringing their total to 197.12. While the pair had hoped for an “epic” night, the performance to a cinematic program was not without mistakes. Their strong components firmly kept them on the podium. “So thankful to be here,” O’Shea said afterward.
Taking 3rd overall, Katie McBeath and Daniil Parkman climbed from 5th after the short program despite costly errors in the free skate. A fall on their side-by-side jumping pass resulted in a 2.00-point deduction, leaving them with 120.64 in the segment and 187.45 overall. The team delivered a strong overall effort but remains ineligible for Olympic selection as Parkman is not a U.S. citizen.
A major mover of the night was Emily Chan and Spencer Akira Howe, who vaulted from 8th after the short program into 4th overall with a stirring free skate that scored 127.23 — the 3rd best of the segment and a season’s best. Their soulful performance to music from “Ghost” had the crowd cheering for them, and despite a few errors, they showed resilience under pressure after a difficult opening night. “We were determined to come out here and give it our all, and we felt like we did that,” the team said afterward, finishing with 186.52.
Slipping to 5th overall, Audrey Shin and Balazs Nagy entered nationals firmly in the conversation for one of the two U.S. Olympic berths. Skating to “Two Men in Love” by The Irrepressibles, the second-year partnership delivered speed, elegant lifts and high energy, earning 117.43 in the free skate and 185.10 overall despite a few errors. “Obviously nationals is a high-pressure event, but it was fun to be out there,” Shin said after competing.
In 6th, Valentina Plazas and Maximiliano Fernandez fought through a technically-demanding free skate to music from “The Lion King,” finishing with 113.77 in the segment and 180.80 overall. Several errors disrupted the program, but the team, who both hail from South Florida, kept the audience engaged through powerful lifts and expressive skating. They missed last season after Fernandez sustained a knee injury, making their return to nationals especially meaningful. “Just to be here again, I was so determined to come back and do what I did,” he said.
Seventh place went to Olivia Flores and Luke Wang, the 2024 U.S. junior champions making their senior nationals debut. Their free skate to music from “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” opened with a strong twist and clean side-by-side jumps, earning 112.28 and a total of 175.86. Flores, 18, and Wang, 21, looked energized by the moment and offered a promising glimpse into the future of U.S. pairs.
With the pairs event now complete, attention turns to Olympic selections, as performances in St. Louis weigh heavily in determining which teams will represent the United States in February.
Pairs results
- Alisa Efimova/Misha Mitrofanov – 207.71
- Ellie Kam/Danny O’Shea – 197.12
- Katie McBeath/Daniil Parkman – 187.45
- Emily Chan/Spencer Akira Howe – 186.52
- Audrey Shin/Balazs Nagy – 185.10
- Valentina Plazas/Maximiliano Fernandez – 180.80
- Olivia Flores/Luke Wang – 175.86
- Chelsea Liu/Ryan Bedard – 175.56
- Naomi Williams/Lachlan Lewer – 152.86
- Linzy Fitzpatrick/Keyton Bearinger – 151.93
The 2026 Prevagen U.S. Figure Skating Championship continues live on NBC and USA Network, streaming on Peacock.