Shibutanis To Return After Seven Years

American crystal creation relative and sister Alex and Maia Shibutani are group to return to competitory fig skating, ending a seven-year hiatus during which Maia was diagnosed pinch cancer.

They took a break aft winning bronze astatine nan 2018 Winter Olympics, earlier Maia had room to region a tumour from her kidney.

The pair, known arsenic nan Shib Sibs, person written 4 childrens' books successful their clip distant from nan sport, but return pinch an oculus connected nan 2026 Games successful Milan and Cortina.

"These past 7 years person challenged and inspired america successful ways we ne'er expected," 30-year-old Maia said.

"I'm truthful happy and grateful to beryllium patient and successful a position to make nan determination to return to nan athletics I emotion successful this way."

Aged 20 and 16, nan Shibutanis won bronze astatine nan 2011 World Championships, making them nan youngest crystal dancers successful almost 50 years to triumph a world medal.

They besides won metallic successful 2016 and bronze successful 2017 and are two-time US champions.

They won bronze medals successful nan crystal creation and nan squad arena astatine nan 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, making history arsenic nan first athletes of Asian descent - their parents are Japanese - and only non-white squad to gain an Olympic crystal creation medal.

"Our experiences and nan caller skills we've developed during our clip distant from title person brought america different perspectives and created immoderate breathtaking caller possibilities," said 34-year-old Alex.

"We don't return immoderate of this for granted. We're really enjoying nan process and look guardant to performing and competing together again."

Justin Dillion, US fig skating's elder head of jock precocious performance, said it was "incredibly exciting".

"They are beardown ambassadors for nan sport, some connected and disconnected nan ice," he said.

"Their comeback adds to nan excitement surrounding Team USA aft a very successful twelvemonth and makes nan squad stronger arsenic we look toward nan Olympic season."