For the detailed competition schedules of the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026, please check here

Winning Olympic gold is the pinnacle of the career of an athlete and something that will always stay with you. So what has become of the champion Figure Skaters of the Beijing 2022 Games in the four years since they collected the ultimate prize?

Men: Nathan Chen – The quad king

The 2022 Beijing Games was Nathan Chen's last competitive appearance, the US skater signing off in style © Getty Images

American Nathan Chen has not competed since winning Olympic gold in Beijing. The now 26-year-old holds a degree in statistics and data science from Yale and said in an interview last summer that he now wants to attend medical school. Chen still holds the highest Men’s total score with 335.30 points, achieved at the ISU Grand Prix Final 2019. 

The three-time ISU World Champion set new technical standards at the time, becoming the first skater to perform five quadruple jumps in one Free Skating in 2017 at the US National Championships and Four Continents Championships. A year before, he became the first skater to land four quads in one free program. 

Women: Anna Shcherbakova – The queen of Beijing

Anna Shcherbakova added Olympic gold to her World and European titles in 2022 © Getty Images

Anna Shcherbakova ended her career with Olympic gold. Shcherbakova, now 21, achieved a lot in her career in a short time: the Muscovite was the ISU World Champion from 2021 and ISU European Champion 2022. She won silver at the ISU European Championships 2020 and the ISU World Junior Championships 2019. 

Shcherbakova is, together with teammate Alexandra Trusova, the first woman to perform a quadruple Lutz in competition. Meanwhile Shcherbakova has started a successful career as a figure skating commentator and occasionally performs in shows, mostly in Russia.

Pairs: Wenjing Sui & Cong Han – The comeback

Wenjing Sui & Cong Han hit new heights with Olympic gold on home ice in China, but have returned for Milan 2026 © Getty Images

China’s Wenjing Sui & Cong Han are among the most decorated Pair Skaters in the history of the sport. In addition to their Olympic gold medal - won on home ice in Beijing - they are the 2018 Olympic silver medalists and two-time ISU World Champions as well as three-time ISU World silver medalists. 

The fan favorites surprised everyone when they announced their comeback at the beginning of this Olympic season. They started by winning bronze medals in the ISU Grand Prix series and once again fascinate spectators around the world with their exquisite programs. When Sui & Han step on to the ice in Milan, they will be ready to fight for another Olympic medal. 

Ice Dance: Gabriella Papadakis & Guillaume Cizeron – A new beginning

Gabriella Papadakis & Guillaume Cizeron (FRA) retired as Olympic champions, Cizeron later returning to the ice with Laurence Fournier Beaudry © Getty Images

Gabriella Papadakis & Guillaume Cizeron of France dominated their discipline for two Olympic cycles. They created a sensation winning their first of five World (and European) titles in 2015, coming out of nowhere to take gold and setting a new trend in Ice Dance with their unique performances. 

Narrowly edged out of Olympic gold in 2018, they triumphed in 2022 before officially announcing their retirement at the end of 2024. 

While Papadakis continues to perform in shows, Cizeron decided to return to competition with Canadian Ice Dancer Laurence Fournier Beaudry. The new team has made an impact right away, winning their ISU Grand Prix events, taking silver at the ISU Grand Prix Final and gold at the ISU European Championships. Now headed to Milan to their first Olympic Winter Games as a team representing France, Fournier Beaudry & Cizeron are expected to challenge for gold.

Don’t miss the latest updates on the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 HERE