Chances of the Armenian Pair and Main Favorites of the 2026 Winter Olympics

The primary goal for the Armenian pair is to reach the top 16 in the short program and qualify for the free skate, but their potential allows them to aim even higher.

On February 15, the pairs short program will take place at the 2026 Winter Olympics. Nineteen duets from 14 countries will compete, with only the top 16 advancing to the free program.

Armenia will be represented by Karina Akopova / Nikita Rakhmanin, who will take the ice first. They will be followed by reigning Olympic champions Sui Wenjing / Han Cong of China.

The short program starts at 22:45 Yerevan time (21:45 Moscow time). In Armenia, it will be broadcast by First Channel; in Russia, by OKKO; and in several other countries, coverage will be available on Eurosport.

Armenian Pair: The Dark Horse

Akopova and Rakhmanin will skate to “Artsakh” by Ara Gevorgyan. The duo previously represented Russia but has competed under the Armenian flag since 2025.

They secured their Olympic quota at the qualification event in Beijing in September 2025, finishing second with 122.99 points. They trailed the Chinese pair (124.84) but outscored the Japanese duo (115.98), earning one of three available Olympic spots.

The 122.99 score serves as a benchmark here. At the 2022 Winter Olympics, that total would have placed 10th, while the gold-winning score was 155.47.

Since switching sporting nationality, the Armenian pair has steadily returned to the elite level:

• 4th place — 2025 CS Trialeti Trophy (Georgia)

• 5th place — 2025 CS John Nicks International Pairs Competition (New York)

• 2nd place — Olympic Qualification (Beijing)

Their main task is to qualify for the free skate. However, a clean and confident performance could push them into the top 10 — and possibly even higher. This Olympic tournament has already seen surprises, including the victory of Kazakhstan’s Mikhail Shaidorov in the men’s event.

Main Favorites

The clear favorites are Japan’s Riku Miura / Ryuichi Kihara. They have already claimed silver in the team event in Italy, are two-time world champions (2023, 2025), and the reigning Grand Prix Final winners.

Other medal contenders include:

• Germany — Minerva Fabienne Hase / Nikita Volodin

• Italy — Sara Conti / Niccolò Macii

• Georgia — Anastasia Metelkina / Luka Berulava

• Canada — Deanna Stellato-Dudek / Maxime Deschamps

• USA — Ekaterina Efimova / Misha Mitrofanov

• China — Sui Wenjing / Han Cong

The United States, Canada, Japan, Germany, and Italy each have two pairs entered. Armenia, Australia, China, France, Georgia, Great Britain, Hungary, the Netherlands, and Poland are represented by one pair each.

Realistic Expectations

Reaching the top 16 would fulfill the minimum objective for the Armenian duo. However, with a clean skate and stable technical elements, Akopova and Rakhmanin are capable of exceeding expectations. A top-8 finish would be an outstanding result and a historic achievement for Armenian figure skating.

By the end of the evening, it will become clear whether the Armenian pair can seize their opportunity and establish themselves among the world’s elite.