Alisa Efimova and Misha Mitrofanov defended their title to win the 2026 U.S. pairs figure skating championship.
The pair won with a combined score of 207.71, more than 10 points ahead of the second-place team.
Efimova, a native of Finland, is still awaiting her American citizenship.
The team is currently ineligible to represent the U.S. at the 2026 Winter Olympics without Efimova’s citizenship.
ST. LOUIS — There’s so much Alisa Efimova and Misha Mitrofanov don’t have answers for in this period of uncertainty, but they do know one thing: They are the U.S. champions once again.
The duo defended their U.S. title, winning the 2026 pairs championship after another strong performance in the free skate on Saturday.
They entered the night with a healthy lead, only needing to avoid major mistakes in the free skate to secure the win. It was a shaky start when Mitrofanov stumbled during their double Axel sequence, throwing them off the rhythm and leaving the audience in a gasp as they wondered if there was trouble.
Luckily for them, it was smooth after that. The lifts were executed with precision, and they shared an embrace once their program was complete.
Turns out, they didn’t even need the seven-point lead they entered the night with. Efimova and Mitrofanov scored 132.40 on their free skate, the best of the competition. They won with a combined score of 207.71, more than 10 points ahead of the second place team in Ellie Kam and Danny O’Shea (197.12). Katie McBeath and Daniil Parkman overcame a fifth place finish in the short program to finish third overall with a score of 187.45.
Efimova and Mitrofanov have proven themselves as the top American pair. Now they’ll hope they can prove it on the biggest stage.
As of Friday, Efimova is still awaiting to receive her American citizenship, rendering the team ineligible at the moment to represent the U.S. at the 2026 Winter Olympics. They are under a tight deadline with the Olympic team announcement scheduled for Sunday afternoon.
A native of Finland, Efimova began skating with Wisconsin native Mitrofano in 2023, and the pair has skated for the U.S. since. They eventually became a couple and the two married in February 2024, with Efimova obtaining her green card approval in July of that year.
The Olympic Charter states a competitor must be a citizen of the country they want to represent in order to participate. Efimova tried to expedite her citizenship request, instead of waiting the normal three-year process, so she could be approved in time for the Games.
It has complicated the week, but Efimova and Mitrofano certainly have something to celebrate.
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