Stephen Gogolev: Canada’s Skater Overcomes Injuries for Olympic Debut & Team Event Boost

Canada’s Gogolev Makes Memorable Olympic Debut After Battling Back From Injury

MILAN – Stephen Gogolev of Toronto delivered a stunning performance on Saturday, propelling Canada into medal contention in the figure skating team event at the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics. The 21-year-old’s third-place finish in the men’s short program – a result achieved with a personal-best score – marked a triumphant return to form after years of setbacks caused by growth spurts and debilitating back injuries.

Gogolev, skating to a medley from “Mugzy’s Move” by Royal Crown Revue, captivated the audience with a routine featuring two quadruple jumps and a triple axel. His score of 92.99 points placed him behind only Yuma Kagiyama of Japan (108.67) and Ilia Malinin of the United States (98.00).

The performance was particularly poignant given Gogolev’s recent struggles. He openly admitted to moments of self-doubt and considered abandoning the sport altogether during his injury battles. “There were definitely hard times in the past few seasons where I’d get constantly injured and kind of doubt myself, (questioned) if I’d keep going with competitive skating,” Gogolev said. “Ultimately these Olympics were the main goal, and it was what kept me going all throughout the hard times.”

Canada currently sits in fourth place in the team competition, trailing host Italy by two points. The medal outcome will be decided on Sunday with the pairs, women’s, and men’s free programs.

Gogolev’s journey to the Olympic stage is a testament to perseverance. Once hailed as a child prodigy – the first Canadian skater to land three quadruple jumps at age 13 – his progress was derailed by a significant growth spurt. This rapid physical change disrupted his balance, coordination, and jump technique, ultimately leading to stress fractures in his lower lumbar spine.

Born in Toronto to athletic parents, Irina and Igor, Gogolev initially skated in Russia before returning to Canada with his family. He quickly established himself as a rising star in the junior ranks, winning gold at the ISU Junior Grand Prix Final and setting world records in the short program, free program, and overall points total. He was the youngest winner of the Junior Grand Prix Final at just 13 years old.

The physical challenges he faced as he grew – ultimately reaching a height of six foot one – proved difficult to overcome. He withdrew from the 2024 Canadian Championships after the short program and was forced to pull out of subsequent Grand Prix assignments and the 2025 Canadian Championships.

Despite the obstacles, Gogolev’s determination never wavered. He won his first senior national title at the 2026 Canadian Championships, a victory that underscored his resurgence. He also achieved milestones during the 2025-26 season, including a gold medal at the Nebelhorn Trophy and a bronze medal at the Finlandia Trophy.

The Olympic experience, Gogolev said, has been surreal. “I think it happens almost every hour that I’m here,” he explained, describing the feeling of simply walking around the Olympic Village or entering the arena. “Just walking around the village, walking into the arena, walking into the practice rink — everywhere you feel that feeling of, wow, like I’m really here at the Olympics. It’s a very special feeling.”

He described skating onto Olympic ice as a childhood dream realized. “It was very different from other competitions. You see all the Olympic rings, and obviously there’s many more people than any other competition that I’ve been to,” he said with a smile.

While acknowledging the magnitude of the moment, Gogolev remains focused on the task at hand. “It still feels a bit unreal,” he admitted. “Because you’re in this environment where you see all the best skaters in the world and all the best athletes — like really the world’s biggest stage of competition — and so I don’t know, it still feels a bit unreal, so it hasn’t really sunk in yet.”

Gogolev emphasized his commitment to delivering his best performance, rather than fixating on medals or rankings. “I’m more focusing on myself and what I can do in the moment,” he said. “And obviously that is going to translate to Canada getting the highest ranking possible in this team event.”