New York (AFP) – Two-time Olympic medallist ice dancers Maia and Alex Shibutani announced their return to competition for the 2025-26 Olympic season on Thursday, seven years after the US siblings retired from the sport. Alex, 34, and Maia, 30, captured bronze medals in team and ice dance at the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics and took world ice dance silver in 2016 at Boston and bronzes in 2011 and 2017.
“Grateful, happy, and inspired by new possibilities,” Maia Shibutani posted on social media. “We love skating and have decided to compete in the upcoming 2025-26 Olympic season. @alexshibutani and I have been working hard and we can’t wait to perform together again.” The Shibutanis, who won US titles in 2016 and 2017, will be coached by Marina Zoueva and Massimo Scali, who had guided the duo before their retirement.
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The siblings stepped away from competition in 2018, and Maia was then diagnosed with kidney cancer a year later. During the break, they wrote four children’s books and served as choreographers. “These past seven years have challenged and inspired us in ways we never expected,” Maia Shibutani said. “I’m so happy and grateful to be healthy and in a position to make the decision to return to the sport I love in this way.”
Alex Shibutani said new routines will reflect their growth during the time away from competition. “Our experiences and the new skills we’ve developed during our time away from competition have brought us different perspectives and created some exciting new possibilities,” he said. “We don’t take any of this for granted. We’re really enjoying the process and look forward to performing and competing together again.”
The 2026 Winter Olympics will be held in Italy next February.
© 2024 AFP
