Lithuanian Ice Dancers Place 7th, Qualify for Olympic Final
- The February 10, 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina are underway, and the ice dance competition has already seen compelling performances.
- Their performance, set to “I’m Too Sexy” by Right Said Fred, was met with enthusiastic support from a large contingent of Lithuanian fans, who filled the Unipol Forum...
- This strong showing comes after a successful qualification round where the duo initially ranked third after the short program, automatically advancing them to the final stage of the...
The Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina are underway, and the ice dance competition has already seen compelling performances. Lithuanian ice dancers Allison Reed and Saulius Ambrulevicius delivered a noteworthy debut, earning a score of 82.95 and securing seventh place among 23 participating pairs.
Their performance, set to “I’m Too Sexy” by Right Said Fred, was met with enthusiastic support from a large contingent of Lithuanian fans, who filled the Unipol Forum arena with a sea of national flags and resounding applause. Reed and Ambrulevicius visibly appreciated the support, acknowledging the crowd with waves and gestures of gratitude.
This strong showing comes after a successful qualification round where the duo initially ranked third after the short program, automatically advancing them to the final stage of the competition. They have also qualified for the free dance program, scheduled for , where the top 20 pairs will compete for Olympic medals.
The pair’s journey to this point is particularly significant. Ambrulevicius is competing in his first Olympic Games, while Reed previously represented Georgia at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics at the age of 15. They began skating together in 2017, building a partnership that culminated in a bronze medal at the 2024 European Championships in Kaunas – Lithuania’s first medal in the event in 18 years.
Their path to representing Lithuania wasn’t without hurdles. At the previous Winter Olympics in Beijing, they had secured a spot for Lithuania but Reed hadn’t yet obtained Lithuanian citizenship, necessitating a substitution with another pair, Deividas Kizala and Paulina Ramanauskaite.
The ice dance competition is proving to be highly competitive. Currently leading the field are Laurence Fournier-Beaudry and Guillaume Cizeron of France with a score of 90.18, followed by Americans Madison Chock and Evan Bates (89.72), and Canadians Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier (86.18).
Reed and Ambrulevicius’s free dance performance is scheduled for late in the competition on , as they are the 14th pair to take the ice. This placement adds to the pressure, requiring a strong and consistent performance to contend for a medal.
Lithuania is represented by a total of 17 athletes at the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics. This year also marks the first time Lithuania has a competitor in the women’s singles figure skating event, with Meda Variakojyte making her Olympic debut.
Historically, the best result achieved by a Lithuanian pair at the Winter Olympics was a fifth-place finish by Margarita Drobiazko and Povilas Vanagas at the 2002 Salt Lake City Games. Reed and Ambrulevicius will be aiming to surpass that achievement and potentially secure Lithuania’s first-ever Olympic medal in ice dance.
Lithuanian Winter Olympic Schedule (Lithuanian Time):
Biathlon
- – Men’s 20km Individual (V. Strolia, M. Fominas, K. Dombrovskis, N. Čigak)
- – Women’s 15km Individual (N. Kočergina, J. Traubaitė, L. Žurauskaitė, S. Urumova)
- – Men’s 10km Sprint (all Lithuanian men)
- – Women’s 7.5km Sprint (all Lithuanian women)
- – Men’s 12.5km Pursuit (based on sprint results)
- – Women’s 10km Pursuit (based on sprint results)
- – Men’s 4×7.5km Relay (Lithuanian team)
- – Women’s 4x6km Relay (Lithuanian team)
- – Men’s 15km Mass Start (based on qualification)
- – Women’s 12.5km Mass Start (based on qualification)
Alpine Skiing
- – Giant Slalom, 1st run
- – Giant Slalom, 2nd run
- – Slalom, 1st run
- – Slalom, 2nd run
- – Giant Slalom, 1st run
- – Giant Slalom, 2nd run
- – Slalom, 1st run
- – Slalom, 2nd run
Figure Skating
Ice Dance – S. Ambrulevicius, and A. Reed
Women’s competition will see Meda Variakojyte make her Olympic debut.