Gabriela Juarez-Rivas is Emerging as a Key Figure for Team USA

From Junior World Champion to Olympic hopeful, the 17-year-old is making her mark on the road to Milano–Cortina 2026

Gabriela Juarez-Rivas did not follow a traditional path into elite figure skating.

Before committing fully to skating, she briefly explored rhythmic gymnastics and swimming. She first stepped onto the ice at age 5, and by 7, she had chosen figure skating as her sole focus and begun competing seriously.

Now 17, Juarez-Rivas is a Junior World champion, a Grand Prix Final silver medalist, and one of the most consistent young competitors in U.S. women’s figure skating — a résumé that has moved her firmly into the conversation heading toward the 2026 Olympic cycle.

“When I was younger, I didn’t really think about where skating could take me,” Juarez-Rivas said. “I just liked being on the ice and getting better every year. It wasn’t about titles yet. I liked enjoying the process and seeing how far I could push myself.”

A steady rise through U.S. skating

Juarez-Rivas was born in Mountain View, California, and raised in nearby San Jose, where she continues to train at Sharks Ice. She represents Team USA and the Peninsula Skating Club, remaining closely tied to Northern California as her career progresses internationally.

Her rise through the U.S. skating system was gradual and intentional. Consistent results at the regional and sectional levels earned her invitations to the National Development Camp. In 2023, she made her Junior Nationals debut and officially earned Team USA status.

“There wasn’t a single competition where everything suddenly changed,” she said. “It was more like each season added something new, and eventually all of those experiences started to stack up.”

Junior breakthrough on the world stage

The 2023–24 season marked Juarez-Rivas’ breakthrough internationally.

On the Junior Grand Prix circuit, she placed second at JGP Saint Gervais and third at JGP Ljubljana, qualifying for the Junior Grand Prix Final, which she won. She closed the season by capturing the 2024 World Junior Championship title in Taipei.

“At Junior Worlds, I remember telling myself to just stay really present and focus on what I could control,” Juarez-Rivas said. “That mindset helped me a lot because it stopped me from overthinking everything that was at stake. It was definitely the biggest stage I had been on at the time! I skated last, and once I heard my score, I was in absolute shock.” 

Gabriela Juarez-Rivas "Samson and Delilah" short program at the 2023 Junior World Championships.

Immediate impact as a senior

Juarez-Rivas transitioned to senior competition during the 2024–25 season — and the adjustment was immediate.

She won gold at the CS Lombardia Trophy in her senior international debut, followed by a bronze at the Grand Prix de France and a fifth-place finish at the Cup of China. Her results qualified her for the Grand Prix Final in Grenoble, where she earned the silver medal.

“I think moving up to seniors forced me to trust my training more,” she said. “You’re skating against people you’ve watched for years, so you have to believe that you belong there too.”

Her first senior World Championships came in Boston in 2025. Juarez-Rivas finished sixth overall despite a difficult free skate, placing her among the top women in the world in her first appearance at the event.

“It wasn’t the competition I imagined in my head, but it was still a huge learning experience,” she said. “Being in that environment showed me what I need to work on and what I’m capable of at that level. I think I got too confident after my short program, and that let me lose a potential higher finish. Skating in front of a crowd of almost 20,000 people is definitely something that takes some getting used to.” 

Gabriela Juarez-Rivas "Black Swan" short program at the 2025 World Championships.

Training in elite company

Juarez-Rivas trains full-time at Sharks Ice in San Jose under coaches Olga Ganicheva and Aleksey Letov, with choreography by Shae-Lynn Bourne. Rafael Arutyunyan, who is based in Irvine, works with her as a technical specialist — Juarez-Rivas travels south periodically for jump sessions with him rather than training under him day to day.

She also has a longtime training tie on the other side of the country. Juarez-Rivas and two time World champion Ilia Malinin have been close friends since they were seven, having first met at a novice competition back in 2017. Malinin trains in Virginia under Tatiana Malinina and Roman Skorniakov, who occasionally coach Juarez-Rivas as well when she visits — a trip she makes a few times a year, with Malinin doing the same in reverse.

“Ilia’s one of my best friends, on and off the ice,” Juarez-Rivas said. “We’ve known each other since we were little kids, so it’s less about competing with each other and more about knowing how to support each other.” 

Programs and creative direction

For the 2025–26 season, Juarez-Rivas skated a short program to The Phantom of the Opera and a free skate to Carmen, both choreographed by Shae-Lynn Bourne.

She enjoys the process of interpreting different characters on the ice, a part of skating she says keeps her mentally engaged throughout the season.

“I really like being able to tell a story through my programs,” she said. “Each piece has a different energy, and figuring out how to bring that out while still staying technically sharp is something I enjoy working on.”

Gabriela Juarez-Rivas "Carmen" free skate at the 2025 Nebelhorn Trophy.

Strong start to the Olympic season

Juarez-Rivas opened the 2025–26 season with gold at the CS Nebelhorn Trophy, where she delivered a personal-best free skate score. She followed this up with a bronze medal at the Finlandia Trophy, qualifying her for the Grand Prix Final in Vancouver, where she placed fourth.

With the U.S. Championships in St. Louis just weeks away, Juarez-Rivas is squarely in the mix for one of the three spots on the 2026 U.S. Olympic team. Isabeau Levito, the reigning World silver medalist, looms as her closest rival for a place on that roster, along with defending U.S. champion Amber Glenn — but Juarez-Rivas’s Grand Prix Final berth and Nebelhorn title have kept her firmly in the Olympic conversation as the selection window approaches.

“I think every event this season has taught me something a little different,” she said. “Some days everything clicks and some days you have to fight for it, and I’m trying to take something useful from both.”

“I want to keep building and not skip steps,” Juarez-Rivas added. “Of course I have goals, but for me it’s more about doing the work and trusting that the results will come when I’m ready.”

With the Olympic team announcement looming, Gabriela Juarez-Rivas is clearly a skater to watch as the road to Milano–Cortina narrows — and we’ll be rooting for her every step of the way.