The start of the XXV Winter Olympic Games in Milan has prompted excitement among MFS students, particularly about which events they plan to watch and their overall level of interest. Events such as snowboarding, skiing, speed skating, and figure skating have drawn student attention. Notably, some students expressed a particular interest in figure skating due to the participation of Isabeau Levito, a figure skater from Mount Holly.
Suki Shi ’29, who is a competitive figure skater, shared a personal connection to Levito.
“I find it interesting [that Levito is competing in the Olympics] because we have the same coach,” Shi said.
Shi added that she is looking forward to seeing all the different ice skating techniques, and is especially excited to watch the US men’s figure skater Ilia Malinin, who recently earned a gold medal for his outstanding short program performance, and many fans are now calling him the “Quad God,” according to BBC Sports. “He can do quads on all types of jumps, and that’s really hard to do,” she said.
According to Shi, a quad is very technically difficult because it takes a lot of physical power and can increase a skater’s score by 10-12 points per jump.
Some students noted that they are most interested in watching snowboarding and skiing. Zaydan Lalani ’26, who skis recreationally, said he plans to follow both sports for the US team.
“I always really like watching snowboarding, as well as skiing, specifically for the US team this year, just because we’ve been super successful in the past,” Lalani said.
Lalani pays attention to the alpine skiing events and, before the Olympics, had been looking forward to watching Lindsey Vonn, especially because “people didn’t think she was going to come back this year.”
Unfortunately, according to NBC New York, after many different knee injuries for Vonn, including an ACL tear in 2013 and a 2024 partial knee replacement, Vonn entered the 2026 Winter Games racing on an ACL she had ruptured the week prior. On February 8, she crashed seconds into her downhill race, breaking her leg and needing to be airlifted off the mountain.
In response to her injury, Lalani shared that it was upsetting, but he still believes her “reputation as one of the best American alpine skiers ever will stay intact.”
Lalani also added that he is excited to watch snowboarders Red Gerard and Chloe Kim, noting that they “have done really well in the past Olympics.”
Aarav Shah ’26, who snowboards occasionally, also identified snowboarding as one of the events he is excited to watch, saying that the “tricks they do are really cool.” Shah added that watching the athletes helps him better understand the sport for when he snowboards on his own.
“I like seeing how they build up the proper speed and when they can hit the right trick because I’m trying to learn how to do some cool tricks myself,” Shah said.
Shah added that he is looking forward to watching the South Korean speed skating team that he remembers was “pretty good.”
Livia Kam ’26 said she was excited to watch figure skating because she used to do it when she was younger.
“I learned to skate at Igloo Ice Rink in Mount Laurel when I was little, and that’s where Isabeu Levito also learned and currently trains,” Kam said.“I just love watching figure skaters and watching their bond together because they’re all really happy together,” she added.
Kam said she follows figure skater Alysa Liu closely.
“I really like her personality and how she skates. She skates with a lot of freedom, and she seems really happy on the ice.”
Alexa Cohen ’29, who skis frequently with her family and friends, noted that she is also excited to watch the Olympic skiing events because of her own experience. “I also do it, so it interests me at a higher level,” she said.
Sources:
Vazquez, Jennifer. “Lindsey Vonn Decided to Ski With a Torn ACL. Did This Injury Play a Role in Her Crash?” NBC New York, 8 Feb. 2026. google.com/url?q=https://www.nbcnewyork.com/olympics/lindsey-vonn-ski-torn-acl-crash-facts-health/6457583/&sa=D&source=docs&ust=1770580959800452&usg=AOvVaw1UxRHVi5ygRiT8nmaFKfmR
Smith, Emma. “Ilia Malinin: The Quad God out to Dominate Winter Olympics.” BBC Sport, BBC, 10 Feb. 2026, www.bbc.com/sport/articles/ce94jxvny58o.
