Latest news with #AlexShibutani
Independent Singapore
02-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Independent Singapore
Maia and Alex Shibutani to make figure skating comeback in the 2026 Winter Olympics
INTERNATIONAL: Siblings Maia and Alex Shibutani are making a highly anticipated comeback to figure skating. The duo, known as the 'Shib Sibs,' recently announced that they will be competing in the next season, as they have their goal set on the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina. The siblings have been missing in action for more than seven years since they last represented Team USA and won bronze in ice dance at the 2018 Pyeongchang Games. The athletes, now 30 and 34 years old, are ready to step back onto the ice and claim victory once again. In a news release, Alex expressed: ' 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… We don't take any of this for granted. We're really enjoying the process and look forward to performing and competing together again.' A social media post by the Olympics shared: 'Maia and Alex Shibutani are back! 👀⛸️😍 The two-time Olympic medallists have announced their return to ice dance competition ahead of @milanocortina2026 Winter Olympic Games, after seven years away.' Netizens commented on the post and said: 'We can't wait to see them return! ❤️', 'I love you guys! Congratulations on your return!', 'I'm so excited to see them on the ice again!', and 'I can't wait 😍😍😍. I missed them so much ❤️' Get to know the Shib Sibs The Shibutani siblings are one of the most successful ice dance teams in US history. They made their debut at the senior world championships in 2011, and since then, they have earned three world medals, two national titles, and two Olympic medals–one in ice dance and another in a team event at the 2018 Winter Games. In 2023, they were inducted into the US Figure Skating Hall of Fame, during their first year of eligibility. Many believe that their competitive careers had ended after the 2018 Winter Olympics. The siblings did not compete at the 2018 World Championships and planned to take a year off. Unfortunately, during their break, Maia faced a serious health problem and underwent surgery in 2019 to remove a cancerous tumour from one of her kidneys. As Maia recovered, both of them explored interests outside the ice. They were able to write four children's books and got involved in creative work like choreography and photography. Maia admitted in a statement: 'These past seven years have challenged and inspired us in ways we never expected…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.' As part of their preparation, the Shibutanis announced they'd be training with their longtime coaches, Marina Zoueva and Massimo Scali, as they aim for a third Olympic appearance. Truly, their comeback brings more thrill and excitement to an already competitive US ice dance scene. At the recent World Championships in Boston, Madison Chock and Evan Bates won their third straight title. Moreover, Christina Carreira and Anthony Ponomarenko finished fifth, and Caroline Green and Michael Parsons placed ninth. With only three spots available for US teams at the 2026 Olympics in Milan, the qualifications would definitely be thrilling and intense.
Yahoo
01-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Shibutani siblings return to ice dance after seven years
US siblings Maia and Alex Shibutani announced Thursday they are coming out of retirement after seven years to compete in the 2025-26 season with an eye on next year's Winter Olympics in Italy (Jason Hanna) 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. Advertisement "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. 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. Advertisement "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. js/nf
Straits Times
01-05-2025
- Sport
- Straits Times
Figure skating-Shibutanis returning to ice dance ahead of Milano Cortina Olympics
FILE PHOTO: Maia Shibutani and Alex Shibutani of the U.S. perform during the ice dance short dance program at the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating in Nagano, Japan, November 28, 2015. REUTERS/Yuya Shino/ File Photo FILE PHOTO: Ice dancers Alex Shibutani and Maia Shibutani pose for a portrait at the U.S. Olympic Committee Media Summit in Park City, Utah, U.S. September 25, 2017. The pair listens to Coldplay and Perez Prado while they train. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson/ File Photo FILE PHOTO: Ice dancers Alex Shibutani and Maia Shibutani pose for a portrait at the U.S. Olympic Committee Media Summit in Park City, Utah, U.S. September 25, 2017. The pair listens to Coldplay and Perez Prado while they train. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson/ File Photo FILE PHOTO: Maia Harumi Shibutani and Alex Hideo Shibutani arrive for an official State Dinner held by U.S. President Joe Biden in honour of Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida at the White House in Washington, U.S., April 10, 2024. REUTERS/Bonnie Cash/ File Photo American ice dance siblings Maia and Alex Shibutani are returning to competitive figure skating, seven years after the two-times Olympic bronze medallists announced their retirement when Maia was diagnosed with cancer. The Shibutanis -- known in the skating world as the "Shib Sibs" -- plan to compete in the 2025-26 Olympic season under the guidance of coaches Marina Zoueva and Massimo Scali. "These past seven years have challenged and inspired us in ways we never expected. 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," 30-year-old Maia said. The Shibutanis are two-times U.S. champions and three-times world medallists, winning silver in 2016 and bronze in 2011 and '17. Their 2011 medal made them the youngest ice dancers -- Maia was 16 and Alex, 20 -- in nearly 50 years to climb the world championship medal podium. They captured bronze medals in both the ice dance and the team event at the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics, making history as the first athletes of Asian descent -- their parents are Japanese -- and only non-white team to earn an Olympic ice dance medal. The siblings took a break after the Olympics which they extended after Maia was diagnosed with kidney cancer. They have kept busy during their seven years as authors of four children's books while also working in choreography, public speaking and other creative endeavours. "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," said Alex, 34. "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 Shibutanis, who began their partnership in 2004, were inducted into the U.S. Figure Skating Hall of Fame in 2023. "As Olympic medallists and U.S. Figure Skating Hall of Famers, it's incredibly exciting to have Maia and Alex return to competition next season," said U.S. Figure Skating's senior director of athlete high performance Justin Dillon. "They are strong ambassadors for the sport, both on and off the ice. Their comeback adds to the excitement surrounding Team USA after a very successful year and makes the team stronger as we look toward the Olympic season." The Shibutanis will have some competition on the U.S. team. Three-times world champions Madison Chock and Evan Bates will have their sights on their first Olympic ice dance title in 2026. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
USA Today
01-05-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Maia and Alex Shibutani announce figure skating comeback ahead of 2026 Winter Olympics
Hear this story Maia and Alex Shibutani are making a stunning return to competitive figure skating. The "Shib Sibs" announced Thursday morning that they will be back in competition next season ahead of the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina, returning to the sport more than seven years after they last skated for Team USA. Maia Shibutani, now 30, and Alex Shibutani, now 34, stepped away from figure skating after winning Olympic bronze in ice dance at the 2018 Pyeongchang Games. "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," Alex Shibutani said in a news release. "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 Shibutani siblings are among the most prominent ice dancing teams in U.S. history. After making their senior world championships debut in 2011, they went on to win three world medals, two national titles and two Olympic medals − in the ice dance and team events at the 2018 Games. They were inducted into the U.S. Figure Skating Hall of Fame in 2023, which was their first year of eligibility. While the Shibutanis never formally announced their retirement, they were thought to be done after the 2018 Winter Olympics. Following those Games, they declined to compete at the 2018 world championships and said they would be taking a year off. Maia Shibutani then had surgery in late 2019 to remove a tumor from one of her kidneys, which was found to be cancerous. As she recovered, the siblings began to shift their focus to other endeavors, writing four children's books and trying new roles in choreography, photography and other creative lanes. "These past seven years have challenged and inspired us in ways we never expected," Maia Shibutani said in a statement. "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." The Shibutanis announced they will be training with two of their longtime coaches, Marina Zoueva and Massimo Scali − presumably with hopes of making it back to the Olympic Games for a third time. They finished ninth at the 2014 Sochi Games. The "Shib Sibs" will join a competitive U.S. ice dancing field that had one of its best ever performances at the most recent world figure skating championships in Boston, led by Madison Chock and Evan Bates, who won their third consecutive title. Christina Carreira and Anthony Ponomarenko finished just off the podium in fifth, followed by Caroline Green and Michael Parsons in ninth. Only three U.S. ice dance teams will compete in Milan. Contact Tom Schad at tschad@ or on social media @
