Mexican Skater Donovan Carrillo Qualifies for Second Olympic Figure Skating Final

Milano Cortina, Italy — Mexican figure skater Donovan Carrillo made history on Tuesday by qualifying for the men’s figure skating final at the Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, marking his second appearance in an Olympic final.

Carrillo secured his spot by finishing among the top 24 skaters in the short program. His routine, while not flawless, featured a minor slip but was generally considered a strong performance.

The skater maintained his program from last season, set to four versions of the song “Hip-Hip Chin Chin.” He received scores of 39.71 points for technical elements and 36.85 for program components, totaling 75.56 points.

“I decided to keep it because it’s a very strong program. I didn’t skate it well at the World Championships, but I’m convinced that, when executed properly, it has very high potential,” Carrillo explained after leaving the ice at the Milano Skating Rink.

Carrillo’s charismatic performance connected with the audience, who showed strong support with Mexican flags, cheers from the stands, and enthusiastic backing throughout his presentation.

After completing his routine, Carrillo thanked the crowd and shared an inspirational message with broadcast cameras: “Dreams come true.”