Figure skating returns to the ice in the 2022 Winter Olympics, two days after Team USA's Nathan Chen scored a gold medal with his remarkable free skate.
Team USA is still looking for more individual medals in ice dancing, the women's and pairs skating events.
Here's what to know, how to watch, and who to watch for.
When and how can you watch figure skating in the 2022 Winter Olympics?
Figure skating began on Feb. 3 and runs through Feb. 19.
The first week of programming was entirely team events, while the second week features individual competition. Next up on the schedule is ice dancing's rhythm dance, which will see notable U.S. duos returning to the ice for what they hope will be another figure skating medal.
One of the final events of the Winter Olympics will be the Exhibition Gala, during which fans will get to enjoy more personality-centric performances featuring some of the Games’ most popular skaters.
Below is the full event and streaming information for each day of competition for figure skating.
|
Date/Time (ET) |
Event |
TV/Streaming |
|---|---|---|
|
Thurs | Feb 3 | 8.55 p.m. |
Team Event - Men's & Pairs SP, Rhythm Dance |
NBC | Peacock, NBCOlympics.com |
|
Sat | Feb 5 | 8:30 p.m. |
🏅 Team Event - Women's SP, Pairs FS |
NBC | Peacock, NBCOlympics.com |
|
Sun | Feb 6 | 8:15 p.m. |
🏅 Team Event - M/W FS, Free Dance |
NBC | Peacock, NBCOlympics.com |
|
Mon | Feb 7 | 8:15 p.m. |
Men's Singles Short Program |
NBC, USA | Peacock, NBCOlympics.com |
|
Wed | Feb 9 | 8:30 p.m. |
🏅 Men's Singles Free Skate |
NBC, USA | Peacock, NBCOlympics.com |
|
Sat | Feb 12 | 6:00 a.m. |
Ice Dance Rhythm Dance |
USA | Peacock, NBCOlympics.com |
|
Sun | Feb 13 | 8:15 p.m. |
🏅 Ice Dance Free Dance |
USA | Peacock, NBCOlympics.com |
|
Tue | Feb 15 | 5:00 a.m. |
Women's Singles Short Program |
USA | Peacock, NBCOlympics.com |
|
Thurs | Feb 17 | 5:00 a.m. |
🏅 Women’s Singles Free Skate |
USA | Peacock, NBCOlympics.com |
|
Fri | Feb 18 | 5:30 a.m. |
Pairs Short Program |
USA | Peacock, NBCOlympics.com |
|
Sat | Feb 19 | 6:00 a.m. |
🏅 Pairs Free Skate |
NBC | Peacock, NBCOlympics.com |
|
Sat | Feb 19 | 11:00 p.m. |
Exhibition Gala |
NBC | Peacock, NBCOlympics.com |
* TV networks reflect live events, times may differ for replays; check full schedule for detailed information.
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Who should you watch for next on Team USA?
Coming up next will be ice dancing's rhythm dance event, which Team USA scored big in during the team event earlier in the Games.
Madison Hubbell and Zachary Donohue placed first in the rhythm dance for Team USA during the team competition. The duo earned a 86.56 score while skating to a medley of Janet Jackson songs.
Madison Chock and Evan Bates were also among the headlines of the U.S.' team performance, skating in the ice dance free dance for a winning score of 129.07. The win gave the U.S. 10 additional points, securing their spot for a silver medal.
Making their Beijing debut in the individual event will be Kaitlin Hawayek and Jean-Luc Baker. The duo earned the final ice dance berth for the U.S. by four-peating for third place at the 2022 U.S. Figure Skating Championships.
Who has previously dominated the sport during the Winter Games?
The history of Olympic figure skating is so iconic it predates the Winter Games themselves. Originally contested at the 1908 London Olympics, it has been a staple of the Winter Olympics since the inaugural Games in 1924.
The U.S. has dominated figure skating with 51 medals, followed by Russia, Austria and Canada, all of whom have 20 or more medals. In PyeongChang, Canada led the way with four medals – two golds and two bronze – setting the stage for a competitive field in 2022.
Americans are hedging their bets on Chen, who is from Salt Lake City. Chen, known for attempting high-difficulty jumps, entered PyeongChang with high hopes but ultimately struggled to execute on the ice.
Who are the gold-medal favorites in the other figure skating events?
In the women’s competition, Russian women historically dominate the individual event and could easily sweep the podium awards.
Meanwhile, China has more gold medals in the pairs competition than any other country. However, the Chinese duo Sui Wenjing and Han Cong will have their work cut out for them with France, the U.S. and the Russian Olympic Committee all expected to enter competitive pairs.
Who is competing for Team USA in figure skating?
The U.S. roster was finalized in mid-January following the national championships, with sixteen athletes making the cut for Beijing.
This list includes a diverse range of experience, with seven athletes making their Olympic debut. On one end is 16-year-old Alysa Liu, the youngest member of Team USA’s figure skating delegation. On the other end, are five athletes over the age of 30, capped off by 33-year-old Evan Bates making his fourth Olympic appearance.
They’re all slated to compete in one event with some being tapped for the team event mid-Olympics.
The complete roster of U.S. figure skaters is:
- Jean-Luc Baker (Ice Dance)
- Evan Bates (Ice Dance)
- Mariah Bell (Women’s Singles)
- Jason Brown (Men’s Singles)
- Ashley Cain-Gribble (Pairs)
- Karen Chen (Women’s Singles)
- Nathan Chen (Men’s Singles)
- Zachary Donohue (Ice Dance)
- Brandon Frazier (Pairs)
- Kaitlin Hawayek (Ice Dance)
- Madison Hubbell (Ice Dance)
- Alexa Knierim (Pairs)
- Timothy LeDuc (Pairs)
- Alysa Liu (Women’s Singles)
- Vincent Zhou (Men’s Singles)
- Madison Chock (Ice Dance)
How do athletes qualify to represent the U.S. in figure skating?
Unlike many other Olympic sports, figure skating does not have a singular Olympic Trial in the U.S. Rather, all selections are made on a discretionary basis, with priority being granted to the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in early January. The coaching staff evaluated athletes based on performances at a number of competitions in the year leading up to the Olympics.
