🔹 Fear and Gibson Set the Tone at Milano Ice Skating Arena
Lilah Fear and Lewis Gibson opened Great Britain’s figure skating team campaign at the Milano Ice Skating Arena with a dynamic rhythm dance that secured third place and delivered a crucial boost of confidence ahead of the individual ice dance competition.
Skating to a Spice Girls medley, the duo posted a season-best score of 86.85, earning eight team points and finishing behind only the USA (91.06) and France (89.98) in the opening segment.
“There’s nothing like this feeling,” Fear said. “We built towards this moment all week and just went out to enjoy it.”
Gibson added: “It’s our first team event at the Olympics, and hearing the crowd right by the boards is incredible.”
🔹 Style, Precision and Confidence on the Ice
Their routine blended sharp technical execution with crowd-pleasing flair. Gibson skated in a leopard-print top inspired by Mel B, while Fear wore a Union Jack dress in homage to Geri Halliwell, reinforcing the upbeat, empowering theme of the programme.
Former British skater Louise Walden praised the performance as “magnificent, powerful and entertaining,” highlighting the pair’s ability to combine athletic intensity with musical interpretation.
🔹 Team GB Slip to 8th Place After Mixed Results
Despite the ice dance success, Britain’s overall team position suffered in the other disciplines. Team GB currently sit in 8th place with 11 points, outside the qualification zone for the finals.
In the pairs short programme, Anastasia Vaipan-Law and Luke Digby were going well before a fall on the throw triple salchow, which wiped out points for the element and led to a deduction.
In the women’s short, Kristen Spours missed her double axel, causing the jump to be ruled invalid and leaving her in 10th place.
🔹 What Team GB Need to Reach the Final
Only the top five teams progress to the medal rounds. For Britain to stay in contention, men’s skater Edward Appleby must score at least nine points in his short programme. Without that result, Team GB’s hopes of advancing in the team event will effectively end.
🔹 Strong Rivals: USA Lead, France Close Behind
The United States top the standings after Madison Chock and Evan Bates delivered a season-best 91.06, reinforcing their status as favourites for ice dance gold.
France sit second thanks to European champions Laurence Fournier Beaudry and Guillaume Cizeron, whose partnership has been under scrutiny following allegations involving Cizeron’s former partner and the suspension of Fournier Beaudry’s previous skating partner — adding extra context to their strong Olympic debut together.
🔹 Medal Momentum for Fear and Gibson
Regardless of Team GB’s wider struggles, Fear and Gibson’s third-place finish is a powerful indicator of their medal potential. They are aiming to become Britain’s first Olympic figure skating medallists since Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean in 1994, and their rhythm dance in Milan suggests they remain firmly in that conversation.
