South Korea finished seventh with 14 points in the figure skating team event at the 2026 Milan-Cortina d’Ampezzo Winter Olympics on Saturday (Korea time) at the Ice Skating Arena in Milan, Italy. The top five advanced to the final segment (free skating and free dance), and South Korea did not qualify.
Cha placed eighth in the men’s short program. His key mistake came on the final jump element, a triple axel, when he lost rotation on takeoff and turned it into a single axel (one and a half rotations). Under short program rules, skaters must attempt a double axel or triple axel for the element to count, so it was scored as zero.
Afterward, Cha told reporters in the mixed zone, “It’s disappointing that I made a mistake on the third jump (the triple axel). I want to think of it as a vaccine shot ahead of the individual event.” He added, “It’s frustrating because it’s not something I usually do, but I’m satisfied because the other elements were about as good as in practice. I’ll make up for it in the individual event.”
Cha will skate the men’s short program on Feb. 11, with medals decided in the free skate on Feb. 14.
In a broadcaster interview, Shin said she tried not to dwell on the Olympic stage. “I thought I’d get nervous if I kept thinking it was the Olympics, so I controlled my mindset and told myself it was a competition I always do,” she said. “That helped me skate like I usually do.” She added, “The team event helped me find my rhythm. I’ll carry that momentum into the individual event and show everything I can do.”
Shin is scheduled to skate the women’s short program on Feb. 18, aiming for South Korea’s first Olympic figure skating medal in 16 years since Kim Yu-na. The free skate is set for Feb. 20.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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