For American ice dancers Maia and Alex Shibutani (@shibsibs), their family bond is their greatest strength. “Skating with a sibling is unique,” says 23-year-old Maia (@maiashibutani). “But we’ve always gotten along well. Alex is an awesome big brother and now that we’re on the same team, we treat each other like equals. It’s a huge strength for us to know that we support each other unconditionally.”
Competing in their second Winter Olympics, in #Pyeongchang2018, Maia and Alex are no strangers to success in ice dancing, a ballroom dancing-influenced form of figure skating: They are three-time world medalists and two-time U.S. champions in their sport. And earlier this week, they won bronze in the team figure skating event. But being Olympic athletes — together — is their greatest triumph. “Our bond extends beyond our skating together as a team,” says 26-year-old Alex (@alexshibutani). “We’ll be best friends for the rest of our lives.” ??
Lace up your skates and watch our story to join Maia and Alex as they prepare for the Winter Olympics (@olympics), which are taking place in Pyeongchang, South Korea, February 9-25. Keep tuning in as we spotlight competing athletes from around the world.