The road to the 2026 Winter Olympics was supposed to begin in Boston. But for the 22-year-old Estonian figure skating prodigy, it felt more like a battlefield than a competition. Before he even laced up his skates, fate threw its first punch. A viral illness weakened his body, and persistent leg pain threatened to sap his strength. And as if that wasn’t enough, he was slotted 19th in the starting order—an almost crushing disadvantage for a skater dreaming of the Olympics. For many, that trifecta of setbacks would have been enough to crumble their spirit. But not for him. When he finally took the ice, there was no sign of weakness. He skated with defiance in his eyes and fire in his veins. Each glide was a rebellion, each jump a dare, each spin a refusal to surrender. For a fleeting moment, he danced above the pain, stirring the crowd and forcing the stalwarts to take notice. But sometimes, courage alone isn’t enough. Despite his gutsy performance, fate was in no mood for mercy.

On March 29, 2025, Mihhail Selevko watched his dreams of competing at the Winter Olympics slip through his fingers. Competing in the men’s free skate at the ongoing World Figure Skating Championships, Selevko delivered a performance that, while solid, fell short of the mark. His free skate score of 140.52 brought his total to 218.02, placing him 8th after two of four groups. Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough to secure a spot in the final berth—and with it, his Olympic hopes were dashed. But did that mean Selevko was ready to give up? Absolutely not!

After the event, the Estonian skater admitted to being disheartened, but his words revealed a fighter’s spirit: “I am disappointed for now. I was aware that the quad Salchow maybe wasn’t the most stable recently, but with the quad toe and the triple loop, I really don’t know what happened. I tried my best in the second half, but yeah, I’m fairly disappointed.” Yet, even in the face of heartbreak, Selevko was already looking ahead. 

With remarkable resilience, the 22-year-old figure skater spoke about his next steps: “I’m looking forward to working on my new free program. The choreographer will again be Adam Solya, and I’ll also be working on all my quads.” No sulking, no surrender—just raw determination. Though he may have missed this Olympic chance, Selevko’s resolve makes one thing clear: he isn’t finished. In fact, he’s just getting started. And he knows from which point he would have to start – the quads. But what was the problem with his quad on Saturday?

In Boston, Mihhail Selevko aimed to conquer the ice, but instead, he found himself battling his own body. His quad Salchow— a jump worth a jaw-dropping 9.70 points if landed cleanly—could have been his ticket to a higher score, maybe even glory. But it didn’t click. The landing was shaky; his stability wavered, and with it, so did his Olympic hopes. Perhaps.

Because Selevko wasn’t skating at 100%. Far from it. In fact, weeks before the World Championships, he had already confessed to ERR, “Unfortunately, it hurts all the time, even when walking.” Imagine that. Pain—not just when training or performing, but with every step he took. And yet, he still pushed forward, defying his own discomfort for the love of the sport. However, for Selevko, the answer is clear: recover, rebuild, and come back stronger. His mindset? As sharp as his blades. He refuses to be defined by the setbacks. Instead, he’s laser-focused on lifting his performance, healing his body, and fine-tuning every quad in his arsenal. Just look back at his words from last year.

The figure skating phenom believes in continuous improvement 

Last year, Mihhail Selevko stood tall and proud, holding his ISU CS Tallinn Trophy with a determined glimmer in his eyes. In his moment of glory, he didn’t gloat—he set his sights higher. Speaking to ERR, he declared, “I hope to perform even better at the next competition. I aim to be in peak form for the home European Championships and the World Championships, as Olympic spots are at stake there.” Bold words from a rising star, but they weren’t just talk.

In February 2025, he kept his promise. At the European Championships in Tallinn, he delivered a stellar performance, earning a seventh-place finish— a career-best on that stage. It was the perfect build-up for Boston. Confidence high. Momentum strong. Everything seemed aligned for a breakthrough. However, the bright-eyed champion from Tallinn found himself fighting a different battle on the Boston ice. A viral illness weakened him. Persistent leg pain hampered his power. And drawing 19th in the starting order only added to the uphill climb. He gave it everything— but even his fiercest effort couldn’t shield him from the sting of missteps. The jumps he once nailed with precision faltered under the weight of his struggles. Sure, his Boston dream fell short. But Selevko isn’t one to dwell on disappointment. So, if you think one setback is enough to stop him, think again.