Two-time Olympic bronze medalists Maia Shibutani (30) and Alex Shibutani (34) are lacing up their skates again. In a press statement released overnight the siblings announced:
"Two-time Olympic medalists Maia Shibutani (30) and Alex Shibutani have announced their return to competitive figure skating. They plan to compete in the upcoming 2025-26 Olympic season under the guidance of coaches Marina Zoueva and Massimo Scali."
The duo--affectionately dubbed the "Shib Sibs"--last competed at the 2018 PyeongChang Games, where they captured bronze in both ice dance and the team event, becoming the first athletes of Asian descent to stand on an Olympic ice-dance podium. A hiatus followed Maia's 2019 kidney-cancer diagnosis, during which the pair authored four children's books and worked as choreographers and diversity advocates.
Speaking in the release, Maia said, "These past seven years have challenged and inspired us in ways we never expected. I'm so happy and grateful to be healthy and in a position to return to the sport I love." Alex added, "We don't take any of this for granted. We're really enjoying the process and look forward to performing and competing together again."
A Familiar Pattern in Ice Dance
Elite teams resurfacing just in time for an Olympic run is becoming something of an ice-dance tradition:
Tessa Virtue & Scott Moir--2010 Olympic champions, retired after Sochi 2014, then stunned the field by returning in 2016 and reclaiming gold at PyeongChang 2018.
Guillaume Cizeron--Beijing 2022 gold medalist--announced in March 2025 that he will return with new partner, Canadian Olympian Laurence Fournier Beaudry, aiming for Milano-Cortina 2026.
If those precedents are any indication, the Shibutanis' comeback could reshape the battle for the Olympic podium once again.
What's Next
The siblings will relocate to Canton, Michigan, to train full-time with Marina Zoueva--who guided Virtue/Moir and Davis/White to Olympic titles--and Italian choreographer-turned-coach Massimo Scali. Their competitive re-debut is expected at a late-2025 Challenger Series event, followed by the U.S. Championships in January 2026 where two Olympic berths will be at stake.
Seven years older, a world wiser, yet still armed with the crisp unison and musicality that first thrilled fans in 2011, the Shib Sibs are ready for Act II. The road to Milano-Cortina starts now.