Andrew Torgashev Electrifies Milan-Cortina 2026 Short Program, Surges Toward Olympic Figure Skating Medal

Dateline: Milan, Italy — February 10, 2026 Opening paragraph U.S. figure skater Andrew Torgashev electrified the Mediolanum Forum on Monday with a clean, high-energy short program that scored 88.94 points, temporarily vaulting him to the top of the men’s standings at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics. The 24-year-old Coral Springs, Florida native is making his Olympic debut after years of injuries and near-misses, turning the one-word search term “torgashev” into a breakout trend across social media and sports portals worldwide. Historic first Olympic start Torgashev and teammate Maxim Naumov are the first Florida-trained men to represent Team USA in Olympic figure skating, a storyline fueling regional viewing parties from Miami to Orlando. Performing to “Run Boy Run,” Torgashev executed a textbook triple-Axel, quad-toe–triple-toe combination and level-four spins that drew roars from a capacity crowd. From comeback to crown contender Just two years ago the skater contemplated retirement after ankle surgery and a torn ligament in his left foot, setbacks that sidelined him from the 2024 season. A renewed training plan with coach Christy Krall helped him win bronze at the 2025 U.S. Championships and lock a spot on the national team. Technical edge in the short program According to the official Olympic judging sheet released minutes after his skate, Torgashev earned 47.35 in technical elements and 41.59 in program components, with +3 and +4 grades of execution on every jump. His base value beat his previous international best by nearly five points, signaling medal potential going into Thursday’s free skate. Florida fan frenzy fuels traffic Search volume for “torgashev” spiked 1,200 percent within an hour of his performance, driven by local news hits, livestream guides and TikTok replay clips. The digital buzz mirrors Ilia Malinin’s viral quad-Axel moment in Beijing, positioning Torgashev as the breakout American story of these Games. How to watch the free skate • Date: Thursday, 13 February • Time: 19:00 CET / 1:00 p.m. ET (NBC, Peacock, Olympic Channel) • Streaming: Peacock premium feed with English commentary; Spanish-language coverage on Telemundo Deportes. What’s next If Torgashev repeats today’s precision and lands his planned quad-Salchow in the free skate, statisticians project a podium-challenging total above 280 points, putting pressure on favorites Yuma Kagiyama (Japan) and Ilia Malinin (USA). Regardless of final placement, his comeback narrative and Florida roots have already carved a lasting Olympic moment—and ensured that the single-word keyword “torgashev” will keep surging long after the last spin stops.