Russian Figure Skaters Leave Olympics Without Medals for First Time Since 1960

Russian figure skaters will return from the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy without a single medal, marking the first such outcome since 1960. Russia's presence at the Games remained limited, with only Adeliya Petrosyan and Petr Gumennik competing in individual events.

Photo: The Telegram channel "Figure Skating Chelyabinsk Region" by Maxim Shmakov, https://creativecommons.org/public-domain/pdm/

Adelia Petrosyan

Limited Representation and Final Placements

Adeliya Petrosyan finished sixth in the women's singles competition with a total of 214.53 points. Petr Gumennik also secured sixth place in the men's singles event, earning 271.21 points. Russian athletes did not participate in pairs skating, ice dance, or the team event.

Gumennik: 'I Gave One Hundred Percent'

Reigning Russian champion Petr Gumennik placed twelfth after the short program, where he scored 86.72 points. He delivered a clean free skate without falls and received 184.49 points from the judges. His combined score of 271.21 points lifted him to sixth place overall.

After the event, Gumennik explained that he had not measured his performance against domestic competitions, where his free skate scores had previously exceeded 220 points.

"I compared myself more with my performance in Beijing. The result came out slightly below expectations, but that did not disappoint me. My main goal was to execute all planned elements cleanly, and I achieved that.”

The skater emphasized that his jumps felt comfortable and that nerves did not interfere with his performance. He acknowledged that his short program combination could have turned out stronger, while confidence returned during the free skate.

Petrosyan Reflects on Costly Mistake

Adeliya Petrosyan opened the competition with a confident short program, scoring 72.89 points and placing fifth. She performed early in the starting order and avoided any falls.

During the free skate, Petrosyan fell on a quadruple toe loop, but executed her remaining elements successfully. Judges awarded her 141.64 points, resulting in a combined total of 214.53 points and sixth place overall.

In her initial comments, Petrosyan admitted deep disappointment.

"I feel ashamed before myself, the federation, and the fans. It will be psychologically difficult to return to Russia after such a skate.”

She later revealed an unusual distraction immediately before the program.

"What happened? My earring got caught on my dress. I thought about it for a moment, and that was enough to break my concentration.”

Judge Criticism Sparks Debate

Honored Soviet coach Tatyana Tarasova strongly criticized the judging following Gumennik's performance.

"They judge so disgracefully. Disgracefully. I am glad that I finished my work.”

Tarasova argued that skaters with Gumennik's level of talent must compete internationally to refine competitive focus and psychological preparation. Speaking about Petrosyan's performance, she described the judging as fair and noted that falls always carry significant penalties regardless of the element.

Despite the disappointing results, Tarasova expressed optimism about Petrosyan's future, emphasizing that the young athlete's career remains ahead of her.