By: Pj Kwong

At the 2026 Winter Olympic Games in Milano Cortina, Skate Ontario’s figure skater Stephen Gogolev delivered one of the most compelling performances of his young career and I couldn’t be more pleased for him.

Stephen told me at Nationals after winning the Men’s title for the first time that going to the Olympic Games ‘means everything.’ His coach Lee Barkell said that they had basically been staying the course between Gatineau and now, and the strategy obviously worked. It started with his third-place short program in the Team event which allowed for Canada to skate in the final, but that was last week’s news.

Next on the docket was the men’s individual event, where Stephen finished in an impressive fifth place overall, solidifying his place among the world’s top guys. After qualifying for the final segment with a solid 10^th place short program, he produced the second-best free skate of the night, earning 186.37 points to vault up the leaderboard and finish just 1.13 shy of a bronze medal!!!

Despite entering the free skate outside the top contenders, his clean, expressive program to Piano Concerto No. 2 showcased his technical and artistic growth and highlighted his resilience on the Olympic stage.

These results underscored Gogolev’s consistency and toughness across all four of his high-pressure Olympic performances which is considered a grueling test in a single competition in figure skating. The free skate last night was nothing short of exceptional and  a meaningful achievement for a 21-year-old at his first Olympic Games.

MILAN, ITALY – FEBRUARY 8 – Stephen Gogolev of Canada competes in the Team Event Men’s Free Program on Day 2 of the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games, held in Milan, Italy. (Photo – Danielle Earl/Skate Canada)

Let’s remember that Stephen’s career had been highlighted by injury and disappointment. I first became a believer and fan in 2018/2019 when he captured the ISU Junior Grand Prix crown but there have been long periods of not much success until now.

Reflecting on Stephen’s journey as one shaped by setbacks, growth, and resilience,  Lisa Alexander, Executive Director of Skate Ontario, shared a thoughtful perspective on what his performance represents: “Stephen’s Olympic performances are a testament to perseverance and belief in oneself. He has shown incredible heart and tenacity which are qualities that resonate far beyond the scores on a scoreboard. He represents the kind of talent, hard work, and determination that form the cornerstone that we see in all corners of the Skate Ontario family.”

While the Olympics may not have yielded a medal this time, Stephen’s mix of technical power and artistic expression and paired with his performances in both team and individual events indicate for me that his best competitive days may still lie ahead.

Talk about #SkateOntarioProud!