South Florida Figure Skater Achieves Olympic Dream
CORAL SPRINGS, Fla. — Andrew Torgashev, a native of South Florida, has earned a coveted spot on the U.S. Olympic figure skating team. The achievement comes after a second-place finish at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in St. Louis, Missouri, marking the culmination of a skating journey that began when he was just four years old.
The two-time U.S. Championship silver medalist competed at the national championships where Olympic berths were determined, and emotions ran high. “Finishing that routine, I just felt a great sense of accomplishment,” Torgashev said. “I just had one simple mantra in my head, ‘Just do it.’ ”
The moment was overwhelming for Torgashev. “I was just overcome by the moment…even had to get down to one knee in the middle of the ice,” he recalled. Official confirmation of his selection to the team came the following morning, bringing with it an “amazing sense of accomplishment.”
Torgashev’s path to the Olympics was nurtured by his parents, Ilona Melnichenko and Artem Torgashev, both elite figure skaters who competed for the Soviet Union. They coached him from a young age, starting when he was four years old, at a rink in Coral Springs. At age 16, he left Florida to pursue further training, first in Colorado Springs and later in California.
The move to California, while necessary for his development, presented challenges. “Moving out to California was like a big unknown. It was the first time I was truly alone. I was like 18, 19, just figuring out who I am as an adult,” Torgashev explained.
In recent years, Torgashev has focused intently on his Olympic goal. His father, Artem Torgashev, described watching his son’s performance at the championships as a pivotal moment. “So, I was waiting for each jump at the time, and then he started landing one and then the other one, then a third and then a fourth…and then I start getting up and then like another triple axle in the second half. I’m like What we have is almost done, and he didn’t even make any mistakes,” Artem said.
For Artem Torgashev, simply making the Olympic team is a significant victory. “I just want him to feel comfortable and do whatever he’s capable of doing. Even if he’s in 20th place, but he does his best, that’s all,” he said.
Since securing his place on the team, Torgashev has been experiencing a surge in media attention and excitement. He returned to training in California before departing for Italy on January 29th to prepare for the Olympic Games.
When asked about the significance of Olympic competition, Torgashev reflected on his journey. “I succeeded already in my head. I got everything that I ever wanted to work for. So, being able to compete in the Olympics and the World Championships after that…these are opportunities because of my work. So, this is the benefit, this is the reward,” he said.
According to NBC 6 South Florida, Torgashev landed both of his quad jumps during a clean free skate at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships, one in combination with a double axel. He finished with 267.62 points, second to Ilian Malinin’s 324.88 points.
Torgashev is the son of competitive skaters Ilona Melnichenko and Artem Torgashev, and is fluent in both English and Russian.
