The stakes could not have been higher at the ISU Skate to Milano figure skating qualifier, where the final Olympic quota spots for the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Games were awarded. Skaters from across the globe battled not just for medals but for the right to secure their nations’ places on Olympic ice.

The competition, held for the first time in Beijing, China, served as the final gateway for countries that left the 2025 World Championships without a full roster of Olympic spots. With just five openings available each in men’s and women’s singles, three in pairs, and four in ice dance, skaters from 49 countries, plus four Individual Neutral Athletes (AINs) from Russia or Belarus approved under ISU screening, had an unusually high-stakes skate so early in the season.

Petr Gumennik, competing as an Individual Neutral Athlete (AIN), captured first place with a total of 262.82 points. His free skate included five quadruple jumps, though not all were perfectly executed. Even with a stumble on the quad Lutz, his technical firepower was enough to hold off the field and secure him a spot at the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics under neutral designation.

South Korea’s Hyungyeom Kim delivered two sharp, confident programs to clinch qualification. Mexico’s Donovan Carrillo, already a trailblazer as the first Mexican skater to reach the Olympic free skate in 2022, ensured his country’s continued presence at the Games with a spirited performance that lit up the Beijing crowd. Ukraine’s Kyrylo Marsak skated with emotion and precision, bringing his nation a valuable quota at a time when sport has become a symbol of resilience. Yu-Hsiang Li of Chinese Taipei earned his country’s first Olympic men’s singles quota since 1998. His result was celebrated by athletes and fans alike as a turning point for figure skating in the region.

Adeliia Petrosian, also competing as an AIN, delivered under pressure and posted 209.63 points to win the event. Known for her ambitious technical arsenal, despite challenges from seasoned rivals, Petrosian held her nerve when it mattered most.

Anastasiia Gubanova of Georgia took silver, once again proving herself as one of Europe’s most reliable competitors. Belgium’s Loena Hendrickx, a world medalist and fan favorite, secured bronze and with it a quota place that ensures Belgium will feature prominently in Milan. Belarusian Viktoriia Safonova, who also was designated as an AIN, took fourth place, with China's Ruiyang Zhang claiming the final spot in front of a home crowd.

The pairs competition was dominated by China’s Zhang Jiaxuan and Huang Yihang, who thrilled the home audience with two commanding programs that totaled 191.52 points. Their lifts were seamless, their side-by-side jumps clean, and the energy in the National Indoor Stadium was electric, as they cemented China’s place among the leading nations in pairs.

Armenia’s Karina Akopova and Nikita Rakhmanin delivered a near-flawless free skate to finish second with 186.84 points, securing the country’s first Olympic pairs quota since 2002. Their visible emotion at the end of their performance reflected the enormity of the achievement. Japan’s Yuna Nagaoka and Sumitada Moriguchi claimed third place and the final quota, continuing Japan’s expansion into disciplines beyond singles.

Ice dance offered its own mix of drama and diversity. After a disappointing finish at the 2025 World Figure Skating Champions in March, Lithuania’s Allison Reed and Saulius Ambrulevicius led in both segments of the competition, their elegant free dance propelling them to victory and guaranteeing Lithuanian a spot in Milan.

Australia’s Holly Harris and Jason Chan also rose to the occasion, skating with lyrical precision to claim a place for their nation, strengthening the profile of Australian winter sports on the world stage. Spain’s Sofia Val and Asaf Kazimov delivered an emotional performance that resonated with judges and fans, ensuring Spain will be represented in Olympic ice dance. The final quota went to China’s Shiyue Wang and Xinyu Lu, who delighted the home crowd with a performance that secured their place in Milan and confirmed China will compete in all four figure skating disciplines at the Games.

Perhaps the most striking feature of the event was the sight of podium finishes without flags. Due to the war in Ukraine and subsequent international sanctions, Russian and Belarusian skaters are not allowed to compete under their national names, flags, or anthems at ISU competitions. Instead, those cleared to participate must do so as Individual Neutral Athletes (AIN), skating under a neutral designation and without national symbols.

The system for qualifying for the Olympics in figure skating for the 2026 Games has two major phases. The first came from placement at the 2025 World Figure Skating Championships in Boston, where most of the quota spots were awarded. Based on those results, countries could earn one, two, or three entries in a given discipline depending on how many skaters/teams they had competing and how well they placed. There are minimum scoring requirements, and all skaters/teams need to achieve ISU’s technical element score standards.

For many federations, though, worlds did not deliver all the spots. That’s where Skate to Milano came in — as the second and final qualifying event. It gives federations that earned no Olympic spot in a discipline, or those that earned fewer than possible because some skaters didn’t qualify for the free skate/dance, another path. Each federation could earn one spot per discipline at Skate to Milano. Unused spots from worlds (or spots not claimed by federations) also could be redistributed via this event.

There also is a standby list. If any country that qualified a spot subsequently declines it, that spot is given to the next‐highest place from this qualifying event that didn't already earn one.

Total quotas are fixed: 142 figure skaters in total (29 men’s singles, 29 women’s singles, 19 pairs, 23 ice dance teams). Federations may send up to three entries per discipline, subject to having earned them.

With Skate to Milano complete, the Olympic field for figure skating is set. Nations such as Chinese Taipei, Armenia, Mexico, and Spain will head to the Games with renewed opportunities to showcase their athletes, while traditional powers like China and Japan bolstered their depth across multiple disciplines. Neutral athletes proved once again that, regardless of designation, their presence will influence the competitive landscape on Olympic ice.