At the 2026 Figure Skating Championships in St. Louis, ice dancers Emilea Zingas and Vadym Kolesnik delivered the performances of their partnership, securing a silver medal and one of three coveted spots on Team USA for the 2026 Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics. But for Kolesnik, this pinnacle of athletic achievement is linked to a deep and painful separation.

While he trains in the US, his family remains in Ukraine, living under the shadow of the ongoing tension in the region. With that in mind, the ice dancer has set up a GoFundMe page with a $25,000 goal.

“As I prepare for the Olympics, I am facing significant financial challenges. Elite-level training requires extensive resources, including coaching fees, ice time, choreography, travel, and competition expenses,” he wrote.

Clarifying the situation, Kolesnik added, “In addition, my greatest personal hope is to be able to bring my family from Ukraine to safely attend the Olympic Games—to finally have them in the stands after years apart, witnessing the dream we’ve all sacrificed for together.”

As of now, the GoFundMe page has raised $7,419. Kolesnik confirmed on the website that the money raised will go directly towards his coaching and training expenses, the travel and logistics related to elite international competition, and helping his family commute safely from Ukraine to the event.

Ending on a positive note, he wrote, “Every contribution, no matter the size, helps relieve the financial burden and allows me to focus fully on training, competing, and honoring both the country that raised me and the country I now represent. Thank you for believing in my journey, for supporting Olympic dreams, and for helping turn this once-in-a-lifetime moment into something I can share with my family. Your generosity means more than words can express.”

In a few weeks, Zingas/Kolesnik will debut on the Olympic rink with two other talented pairs.

The Ice Dance Winter Olympics roster looks bright for Team USA

Three talented ice dance pairs will be heading towards the Milano Cortina Olympic Games, presenting Team USA: Christina Carreira and Anthony Ponomarenko, Madison Chock and Evan Bates, and Emilea Zingas and Vadym Kolesnik. For veterans like Chock/Bates, this will be their fourth endeavor to the Olympic rink.

“For me, it’s a dream of my life to represent the U.S. Ever since I moved here at the age 15, I knew that I wanted to represent the U.S. and go to the Olympics and do my absolute best, so it’s an honor for me,” Kolesnik shared after confirming his berth at the Team USA Winter Olympics.

But for Bates, who lifted their record-breaking seventh US national ice dance title in St. Louis with his partner, there was a confession to make about their journey.

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“No journey is linear, and ours certainly hasn’t been. And, I think those years where we felt the struggle set us up for this run now that we’ve been enjoying for the last four years or so,” he remarked. “And I think the domestic rivalries that we had through that span of time sharpened us for international competition. And when I look at the landscape of US ice dance right now, and I see the talent on the podium, and just off the podium, the field is so deep.”

In Beijing 2022, Chock/Bates secured the Olympic gold, but it was a team medal. Now, four years later in Milano-Cortina, they are locked in for the individual ice dance gold. Only time will tell what fate has in store for this talented Team USA ice dance roster.