Ice skaters get nod for Australian Winter Olympics team
Melissa Woods |
A citizenship tweak has allowed Russian-born Anastasia Golubeva to skate for Australia at next month’s Milan-Cortina Olympics, with four ice skaters the first athletes named to the team.
The 20-year-old will partner Hektor Giotopoulos Moore in the pairs event while Holly Harris and Jason Chan are also set to make their Olympic debut, competing in the ice dance.
Golubeva had been representing Australia on the world stage since 2021 but only secured her citizenship – an Olympic requirement – six weeks out from the start of the Games on February 6 (local time).
To usually be eligible for citizenship, applicants must reside in Australia for 180 days in the two years prior to submitting their paperwork but training and competing in the northern hemisphere made fulfilling that requirement difficult for Golubeva.
Following a request by the Australian Olympic Committee to Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke, a change to the Citizenship Act allowed the 180-day requirement to be waived with Golubeva getting her stamp for selection last month.
“To be a part of the Australian Olympic team is a great accomplishment,” Golubeva said from their training base in Canada.
“I am so grateful that Australia has welcomed me with open arms and given me this amazing opportunity.”
Australia has never won an Olympic medal in figure skating with the best result in the sport coming in men’s singles with Anthony Lui (2002) and Adrian Swan (1952) both placing 10th.
Dual junior world championship medallists Golubeva and Giotopoulos Moore, 23, secured a quota spot for Australia last March by finishing ninth at the world titles.
They made history a year earlier winning Australia’s first ever senior medal at an International Skating Union Grand Prix, bagging a bronze.
Sydneysider Harris, 23, partnered with Montreal-born Chan in 2019 and nailed their spot with a personal best score at the Olympic qualifying event in Beijing in September.
The pair will become just the third Australians to compete in ice dance and are the first since 2014 in Sochi, Russia.
“It means the absolute world to me,” Harris said of her selection.
“I don’t remember a time that I haven’t wanted to compete in the Olympics.
“I remember like it was yesterday watching Team Australia walk in the Opening Ceremony as a kid and being in awe, so this is a huge honour.
“I have put everything into this goal for my whole career, so for this dream to finally come true, feels so surreal and unbelievable.”
Set to name the remainder of the team later this week, chef de mission Alisa Camplin said the four athletes represented a “rich tapestry of cultures coming together”.
Australia is expected to send more than 50 athletes to Italy, up on the 44 who competed at the last Games in Beijing.
“I’m beyond thrilled to name the first athletes on the 2026 Australian Winter Olympic Team,” Camplin said in a statement.
“Anastasiia, Hektor, Holly and Jason have worked tirelessly to qualify for the Games and secure their rightful places alongside the best skaters in the world. This is a moment of absolute joy and relief.”
The skaters are competing in the Four Continents Championships in Beijing this week before returning to Montreal to fine-tune their Olympic preparations.
AAP
