Local skaters compete in Milan and southern Colorado jeweler is proud to have pins awarded to Olympic medalists

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- Colorado Springs is home to three figure skaters competing in the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan. And we're also home to a business that's putting their work on display for the winners.

Ellie Kam and Danny O'Shea have trained at the Broadmoor Ice Hall since they teamed up in 2022. They placed 9th overall in the individual event. They skated a beautiful short program on Sunday, but had some mistakes in the free skate yesterday.

Ellie and Danny helped fellow U.S. skaters in the team event win gold the first weekend of the Olympics. That was a big feat to come out on top of team Japan who won the silver. And the pair team really rose to the occasion in that event and moved up a placement which helped secure a win for the U.S. And now they come back to Colorado Springs, team figure skating gold medalists!

A few weeks ago we had a story about how a local jeweler has fully taken over making figure skating pins for national, world and Olympic medalists.

Revolution Jewelry Works says they're honored to see their work on the world stage in Milan. A memento Olympic medalists will have forever, made right here in southern Colorado.

Just as figure skaters prepared for the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics, Revolution Jewelry Works was busy making the new and improved Radix Pin.

"We were a part of building the pins with the last Olympics and it was in the old school style and everything like that, says owner and master faceter, Jennifer Farnes. "Now to know that it is our development of these new modern pins and it is really difficult to describe because it is being part of history and being part of a global event." 

This pin is awarded to figure skating Olympic medalists. Farnes says it's a big honor because she has always loved the Games.

"I think it was a Winter Olympics in the '80s where my brothers and I would all sit around the TV and we would actually make different musical instrument sounds to the Olympic theme," says Farnes. "And everybody crowded the TV to watch figure skating. That was like the thing my family loved. And I remember Oksana Baiul, even the era of Nancy Kerrigan, Brian Boitano. Like all of the classics '80s, '90s."

From a family affair to a work project. Farnes is proud to work with U.S. Figure Skating and be the exclusive manufacturer of the the Radix Pins moving forward.

"The history of the sport and again evolution is always just fascinating to me to see the tricks and the jumps that people were doing back then and now it's like well everybody needs to do be able do that to effectively compete," says Farnes. "It is insanity."

Farnes says just as the sport has grown and changed, so has the pin design and color.

"We actually used a scan of a modern figure skate to build a cad file and then we have the pieces cast in bulk so we do all of the casting and then once the skates are cast we actually have to attach the components by hand," says Farnes. "The pin stem, the mechanism that allows it to be placed on a piece of clothing, all of that has to be done by hand. Then the engraving, then the plating and the finishing. So start to finish each pin has multiple hours that goes into it between my team."

It's something unique to southern Colorado, and to Farnes who's been a figure skating fan since she was a little girl. Now leaving her mark on the sport.

"We're the only company in the world that is making these pins, we are the only company that's allowed to make them and we can only make them for the winners," says Farnes. "It's not something that someone can walk in off the street and purchase. It has to be earned and that's the thing that makes it so special and unique."

Amber Glenn is eager to get back on Olympic ice after helping USA win gold in the figure skating team event in Milan. The 26-year-old has trained here in Olympic City, USA for many years. She's coming off her third consecutive U.S. title and will be the oldest U.S. ladies' single skater to compete at the Olympics since 1927.

Despite her more 'senior' age, she's the only American woman attempting, and landing the mind-boggling triple axel in competition. She just gets better with age! Amber competes in the short program today and the free skate Thursday. And she is eyeing the podium. Her coach Damon Allen says they are coming off a big adrenaline rush after winning team gold.

"I'm so proud of Team USA and blessed to be part of the gold medal team," says Allen. "Amber and I are regrouping for the individual event and excited to show all of the hard work she has put into being an Olympian."