American Pairs Skaters Chase Historic Olympic Medal

Ellie Kam and Danny O'Shea look to become first U.S. pairs team to medal since 1988

Published on Feb. 16, 2026

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American pairs skaters Ellie Kam, 21, and Danny O'Shea, 35, are in contention to win the first U.S. pairs medal at the Olympic Games in nearly 40 years. The duo have already won gold in the team competition and are currently in seventh place heading into the free skate, just three points behind the third-place Canadian team. O'Shea, the oldest American pairs skater to make an Olympic debut since 1932, has overcome numerous setbacks including two retirements, five partner changes, and a broken foot to reach this point.

Why it matters

Pairs skating has long been a weak spot for the United States, with the last U.S. pairs team to win an Olympic medal being Jill Watson and Peter Oppegard in 1988. Kam and O'Shea's potential medal would be a major breakthrough for American pairs skating and could inspire a new generation of skaters to take up the discipline.

The details

Kam and O'Shea finished seventh in the Olympic pairs short program on Sunday with 71.87 points, putting them less than three points behind the third-place Canadian team of Lia Pereira and Trennt Michaud. The German duo of Minerva Fabienne Hase and Nikita Volodin lead the competition with 80.01 points, followed by Georgia's Anastasiia Metelkina and Luka Berulava in second. The other American pairs team of Emily Chan and Spencer Howe are currently in ninth place.

  • O'Shea, now 35, made his Olympic debut at the 2026 Milano Cortina Games.
  • Kam, 21, and O'Shea won gold in the team competition earlier in the Games.
  • The pairs free skate is scheduled for Monday.

The players

Ellie Kam

A 21-year-old American pairs skater competing in her first Olympic Games.

Danny O'Shea

A 35-year-old American pairs skater making his Olympic debut, the oldest American pairs skater to do so since 1932.

Lia Pereira

A Canadian pairs skater currently in third place with partner Trennt Michaud.

Minerva Fabienne Hase

A German pairs skater currently leading the competition with partner Nikita Volodin.

Anastasiia Metelkina

A Georgian pairs skater currently in second place with partner Luka Berulava.

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What they’re saying

“When I was 10 years old, I sat down and made a list of the upcoming Winter Olympic Games. In 2010, I would be 18. That would be my Olympics, I decided.”

— Danny O'Shea (sgvtribune.com)

What’s next

Kam and O'Shea will compete in the pairs free skate on Monday, where they will look to secure a historic Olympic medal for the United States.

The takeaway

Kam and O'Shea's journey to the Olympics has been filled with setbacks, but their perseverance and determination have paid off with a chance to make history as the first American pairs team to medal at the Games since 1988. Their success could inspire a new generation of American pairs skaters to take up the discipline and strive for Olympic glory.