NOVI, Mich. (Michigan News Source) — Olympic dreams don’t usually come with a victory lap around a hometown rink. For Emilea Zingas and Vadym Kolesnik, they did—earning a spot at the 2026 Winter Games in Milan-Cortina.

The ice dance duo, who train at Novi Ice Arena, learned Jan. 11 they had been named to their first U.S. Olympic figure skating team, celebrating the moment on home ice.

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“Well, I think it was the best moment of my entire life,” Zingas said on the Peacock broadcast. “I’m so grateful for my family, for my coaches, for everyone who has supported us along the way.”

The pair finished second at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships, behind veteran champions Madison Chock and Evan Bates, who claimed a record seventh national title. 

Kolesnik, who was born in Ukraine and later became a U.S. citizen, said the moment carried special weight.

“This is the moment of their life,” he said of his family watching from abroad. “They always dreamed of me becoming a champion and going to the Olympics one day.”