Israeli Figure Skater Mariia Seniuk Advances to Olympic Final

Against a backdrop of political tension and whispered warnings of protests, Israeli figure skater Mariia Seniuk delivered a poised and confident performance at the Milano-Cortina Winter Games earning her place in the Olympic free skate final.

The 20-year-old, born in Moscow and competing for Israel since 2019, entered the women’s singles short program aware that representing Israel might not bring unanimous applause. Instead, she was met with warmth.

Seniuk scored 58.61 in her short program, finishing 22nd and advancing to the free skate. A four-time Israeli national champion, she had the honor of carrying Israel’s flag at the opening ceremony, where the delegation of 10 athletes drew scattered boos. But on the ice in Milan’s Forum di Assago arena, the reception told a different story.

“I’m skating for Israel, and some of the people don’t support it, but I really enjoyed the atmosphere today,” Seniuk said. “It’s very, very special… you can just feel it. I felt the support… I’m very, very grateful.”

Israeli flags dotted the arena, including one particularly large banner waved proudly in the stands. Among supporters were Phyllis and Steven Sheinman, who had traveled from Cortina and had previously used the same flag to cheer on another Jewish athlete, skeleton racer Jared Firestone, known as the “Jewish Jet.”

Despite isolated incidents earlier in the Games including a shop employee removed for shouting political slogans many Israeli fans reported overwhelmingly positive interactions.

Mia Drazin, a 22-year-old who moved to Israel from Canada during the war in Gaza to serve as a first medical responder, entered the arena carrying a large Israeli flag. She admitted feeling nervous.

“I was like, is someone going to beat me up? If people give me a bad look, I’m fine with that. Listen, I’m Israeli now, I’m tough,” she said. “But so far, four people have asked me to take a picture… I’m getting a lot of ‘Am Yisrael Chai.’ No bad looks. People have been really nice.”

On the leaderboard, Japan’s Ami Nakai led after the short program with 78.71, followed by three-time world champion Kaori Sakamoto and reigning world champion Alysa Liu. But for Israel, the headline was Seniuk’s advancement a milestone in a sport where Israeli representation has steadily grown.

In a Games defined by elite athleticism and global attention, Seniuk’s performance carried a meaning beyond her score. Competing under the blue-and-white flag, she demonstrated composure and pride, proving that Israeli athletes continue to claim their place on the world stage.

As she prepares for the free skate, one thing is certain Mariia Seniuk is not skating alone. She carries with her the hopes of a nation and a message that the people of Israel will live on.

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