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Canada currently sits two points behind the bronze medal position in the figure skating Team Event after the men’s short and ice dance free program on Saturday.
With 35 points, Canada is placed in fourth behind host nation Italy with 37 points. The United States and Japan are currently in gold and silver position.
After coming into the day in fifth place, Stephen Gogolev finished the men’s short program in third for eight points, qualifying Canada the final phase of free programs.
The 21-year-old from Toronto made his Olympic debut in an energetic short program to a medley of songs, Zip Gun Bop, Mugzy’s Move, and Hey Pachucho! at the Milano Ice Skating Arena, earning a personal best score of 92.99 points.
Toronto’s Stephen Gogolev skated to a season’s best score of 92.99 points, to finish in third place in the Olympic figure skating team men’s short program. Gogolev’s skate qualified Canada for the team event free program, and moved Canada into fourth place overall.
“I’m focusing more on myself and what I can do in the moment, and obviously that is going to translate to the highest ranking possible for the team,” Gogolev told reporters on Saturday.
When it came to handling his nerves, Gogolev said “it all comes down to training leading up to competition.”
“The more you train, and the more consistently you train, the more confidence you build up,” he said.
Finals for the team event began with the Marjorie Lajoie and Zachary Lagha skating the ice dance free program on Saturday.
The two-time Olympians skated to “Nureyev” from movie The White Crow, scoring a season’s best score of 120.9 points to finish third, earning an additional eight points for Canada.
Marjorie Lajoie and Zachary Lagha finished in third place in the Olympic figure skating team event free dance, keeping Canada in fourth place overall.
Medals for the Team Event will decided on Sunday, with women’s single skater Madeline Schizas, pairs skaters Lia Pereira and Trennt Michaud and Gogolev set to preform their free programs in the hopes of helping Canada snag a spot on the podium.
Canada finished day one of the Team Event Friday in fifth position with 19 points after strong performances from ice dancers Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier in the rhythm dance, and Pereira and Michaud – who replaced Deanna Stellato-Dudek and Maxime Deschamps after an undiscovered injury by Stellato-Dudek – and Schizas in the short programs.
Gilles and Poirier and Pereira and Michaud each placed fourth in their programs while Schizas placed sixth.