MILAN — Ellie Kam and Danny O’Shea faced challenges during their Olympic pairs free skate event, ultimately finishing ninth. Despite not achieving their desired outcome, the American duo can take solace in their contribution to the team’s gold medal performance earlier in the competition.
After a solid short program where they placed seventh, Kam and O’Shea struggled during their final skate. “We definitely did leave it all out there, just not in the way that I had thought that it was going to go,” Kam reflected. “But I’m still so proud of everything that we’ve done here. I feel like all the work that we put in at home has carried through to this competition.”
The American pairs team had a notable few weeks, especially considering the absence of two of their top contenders. Alisa Efimova and Misha Mitrofanov, reigning U.S. champions, were unable to compete due to citizenship issues, and Katie McBeath and Daniil Parkman also missed the games for the same reason. Nonetheless, Kam and O’Shea showcased their skills, aiding in the team’s success, while teammates Emily Chan and Spencer Howe delivered a commendable seventh-place finish.
“I love skating, and skating on Olympic ice is literally a dream coming true,” O’Shea stated. “This whole time that we’ve been here has been an amazing experience. It’s definitely one where we’re feeling a little tired by the end of it. But we’re very proud of the whole body of work that we put out across the time that we’ve been here.”
Historically, the U.S. has faced difficulties in securing Olympic medals in pairs skating, with their last podium finish occurring in 1988. However, there are promising signs of a resurgence in this discipline. Recent achievements include Alexa Knierim and Brandon Frazier winning the world title in 2022, marking the first American pairs championship since 1979.
As for Kam and O’Shea, the future remains bright. At just 21, Kam has ample time to grow in her pairs career, while the duo of Efimova and Mitrofanov, ranked seventh among world pairs, could emerge as contenders for medals in the next Olympic cycle. “There are so many great teams in the U.S. that have surfaced,” Howe noted. “We hope to continue to be part of that group.”
While this particular Olympic experience did not produce the results they had hoped for, the American pairs program is laying a foundation for future success, with a new generation of skaters eager to make their mark on the world stage.