Adelia Petrosian to Take the Ice at the 2026 Olympics: Short Program Start

Today, February 17, Adelia Petrosian will take the ice at the 2026 Winter Olympics and present her short program set to Michael Jackson hits (Billie Jean, They Don’t Care About Us).

The 18-year-old Armenian skater from Russia will begin her campaign in the women’s singles event. Petrosian will skate second in the short program, where 29 athletes are entered. Only 24 skaters will advance to the free skate.

The competition begins at 20:45 Moscow time (21:45 Yerevan time).

In Armenia, the event will be broadcast by First Channel, in Russia by the OKKO streaming service, and in several other countries it will be available on Eurosport.

A Program Set to Michael Jackson

Adelia’s short program is choreographed to Michael Jackson’s hits — a bright and emotional choice that promises to bring energy to the Olympic ice. The key technical elements will be quadruple toe loops: if executed cleanly, they could become decisive in the battle for top scores.

Main Favorite — Kaori Sakamoto

The main gold medal contender is Japan’s Kaori Sakamoto — a three-time world champion and three-time Olympic medalist. Despite her impressive list of achievements, Olympic gold has so far eluded her, adding intrigue to this tournament.

Battle for the Podium

Petrosian is also considered among the favorites. With a flawless skate, she is capable of challenging Sakamoto seriously. However, her limited senior international experience could become a pressure factor in the Olympic atmosphere.

Among the gold contenders are also U.S. representatives:
Alysa Liu
Amber Glenn

Both American skaters have already competed at the 2026 Olympics in the team event and won gold medals, boosting their confidence ahead of the individual competition.

The first decisive chapter unfolds tonight. The short program will set the tone for the Olympic battle for gold.