It's Official: Canada Picks Figure Skating Team for Winter Olympics in Milan
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By Ava Tremblay
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Summary:
- Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier have been chosen to lead Canada’s 12-athlete roster at the Winter Olympics in Milan.
- Canada will enter seven events and take part in the Olympic team competition next month.
- Pairs skater Deanna Stellato-Dudek will make history as the oldest female figure skater to attend a Winter Games since 1928.
Canada has selected its figure skating team for the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics. The group made up of 12 athletes will be led by one of the sport’s most familiar duos, ice dancers Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier.
Third Olympic Experience
For Gilles and Poirier, Italy will represent their third Olympic appearance together, following their previous appearances in Pyeongchang in 2018 and Beijing in 2022 where they earned silver.
For Poirier, the milestone will be even more personal, as he prepares for his fourth Olympic Games after also competing in Vancouver in 2010.
Piper and I are honoured to be selected for our third Olympic Games alongside this incredible team!. We’re so excited to represent Canada once more and hope to bring a medal home with us.
Oldest Female Skater Since 1928
The pairs competition will feature a highly anticipated Olympic debut for Deanna Stellato-Dudek and Maxime Deschamps, who are heading to their first Winter Games together.
Stellato-Dudek is set to make history in the process. At 42, she will become the oldest female figure skater to compete at a Winter Olympics since Great Britain’s Ethel Muckelt, who did so in 1928.
The season leading into the Games has gone well for the duo. They picked up two medals on the ISU Grand Prix circuit, including silver at the Grand Prix de France and a third straight gold at Skate Canada.
Maxime and I are honoured to represent the maple leaf in Milan. This selection represents years of work, discipline and belief, and it is a dream come true.
Overall, Canada will skate seven entries at the Games, with three ice dance teams, two pairs, and one skater each in the men’s and women’s singles events. The team will also take part in the Olympic team event.
Stephen Gogolev earned the men’s singles spot, while Madeline Schizas will compete in the women’s event for the second time in her career.
The figure skating competition will run from February 6 to 19 at the Milano Ice Skating Arena.
