Local pair team celebrates team gold medal and prepares for individual skating event this weekend
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- One figure skating pair team who trains here in Olympic City, USA is riding an Olympic high right now. Ellie Kam and Danny O'Shea helped Team USA secure gold a few days ago in the team event.
And now they prepare for the individual pairs event which starts this weekend. Their coach talked about their Olympic goals before they left for Milan.
"I think the Olympics are just this really special thing that so many of us dream about since we are small," says coach, Drew Meekins.
Drew Meekins has coached Ellie and Danny since they teamed up in 2022. He now also checks a new box, Olympic coach.
"To be going is always a dream come true every time so it really feels that way," says Meekins.
The team is coming off some adversity. Danny suffering a broken foot less than a year ago.
"They've had unique and different challenges, but I think in the true spirit of what it means to be an Olympian, they've just conquered those challenges as they've come and they are ready for this moment," says Meekins.
Making the Olympics was step one. Helping win gold in the team event was step two.
"One phrase that we use a lot is skate in a way that makes you proud," says Meekins. "Skate in a way that makes you proud of the work you've been doing at home and the training that you've been doing."
Clearly the pair and Meekins are having an amazing Olympics so far. And now step three is to give it their all in the individual event.
"For them to go out there and skate in a way that shows what they can do, shows what they've worked on and makes them proud of all the work they've done," says Meekins.
The pair competes in the short program on Sunday and the free skate on Monday.
