NOVI, Mich. (WXYZ) — Figure skaters Vadym Kolesnik and Emilea Zingas have spent countless hours at a Novi ice rink dreaming about the Olympics. Now the ice dancing duo is well on their way.
Kolesnik and Zingas have spent long hours and long days training to perfect ice dance, which is different from figure skating pairs.
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"We really focus on the quality of edges, doing turns, clearly executing them," Kolesnik said. "We try to tell the story and show more expressions."
Together, they're chasing a big dream they've had since childhood. Kolesnik came to America from Ukraine while Zingas grew up in Grosse Pointe Farms.
"I think especially in figure skating, the main question people ask you is 'are you going to go to the Olympics' when you tell them you're a figure skater," Zingas said.
The Olympic rings and signs of past Olympians hang on the wall at the Novi Ice Arena, where they train with legendary coach Igor Shpilband.
"It's really nice. I love the group that we have here. Igor Shpilband, I think, is the best coach in the world and definitely the best coach for us. He really pioneered U.S. ice dance and Michigan has been an epicenter for ice dance for decades now," Zingas said.
It’s been just four years since Shpilband matched the two as a team and already, they are representing the U.S. in the 2026 Olympic Games in Milan.
"We came into the season with nothing to lose and we kind of knew we were underdogs to get that Olympic spot and I think it made us more determined than ever and just kind of relax and enjoy those moments, and I’m really grateful for that,” Zingas said
For Zingas, this Olympic qualification holds special meaning after previous disappointment.
"This has been decades' worth of work for both of us. For me in particular, I tried to qualify for the Olympic Games last Olympics and I was unable to do so by myself as a singles skater and so now having had that disappointment and then now having the satisfaction and the joy of making the team, it just feels so special and I'm so so grateful," Zingas said.
The real journey is now just beginning.
"This is our dream coming true," Kolesnik said.
Their grace is grounded in their community and each other.
While they acknowledge the competition ahead, they remain optimistic about their future.
"Everyone wants to win it. I don't know what's going to happen at this Olympics because this is just a start for us because we're competing against people who are a little older, they have more experience. This is kind of new for us because we're still young so we still have opportunities, but we just want to go out there, enjoy our time, have fun and perform to the best of our abilities, but I can promise you one thing, that one day we will win," Kolesnik said.
Kolesnik moved to the U.S. and started competing for Team U.S.A.
With his family still in Ukraine, he says he has experienced significant financial strain as elite-level training requires extensive resources, including coaching fees, ice time, choreography, travel and competition expenses.
A GoFundMe has been created to support him and to help bring his family to the competition in Milan.
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