The 2026 Milano-Cortina Winter Games closing ceremonies stream live today as part of the 2026 TV schedule, but the past two weeks have provided more than enough viral moments. From the stars of Heated Rivalry carrying the Olympic torches to the dog that jumped the barrier and ran across the finish line during a women’s cross country ski event, it’s been constant entertainment on and off the course. However, the best Olympic stories are always moments of camaraderie among athletes, and I’m loving this story behind the secret group chat all US gold medalist figure skaters are in.
Winning a gold medal at an Olympics is many professional athletes’ dream, and one of the most difficult challenges they will ever face. However, once a person accomplishes it, they own that title for life. 1988 Olympic Champion Brian Boitano told AP that for American figure skaters, that Olympic gold also buys you entry into the incredibly exclusive OGM text chat: Only Gold Medals. As Boitano explained:
It’s really fun. You go into the chat and you’re like, ‘Wow.’ You just think to yourself, ‘I’m actually in this community.’ Not only that you’re in the Olympic community, but you’re a gold medalist.
Before AP’s report, knowledge of the chat was only known to those in it: US figure skaters who are Olympic champions. Nathan Chen, who won gold at the 2022 Beijing games, said his initial text came out of nowhere, simply saying “Congratulations. Welcome to our chat.”
With that, newly minted Team USA gold medalists Ilia Malinin, Ellie Kam, Danny O’Shea, Amber Glenn and 2026 women’s singles Olympic champion Alysa Liu all probably got similar texts when they took home the prize in the figure skating team event on Sunday Feb. 8th.
The number of OGM members is less than 20, but with an incredible age range of 70 years. Boitano explains what it’s like to be closely connected with over half a century of US figure skating history:
When we started the chain, I thought it was just really cool. You have Evan Lysacek and Carol Heiss and Scott Hamilton and Dorothy Hamill, and you just keep going — Kristi Yamaguchi, Meryl Davis, Charlie White.
How Much US Olympians Make For Each Medal And How It Compares To Other Countries
Holy name drop! This is reminding me of that Avengers group chat. “US skating’s mightiest heroes” has a nice ring to it. However, Tom Hiddleston was suspiciously left out of the infamous A-lister chat because he wasn’t technically an MCU Avenger, and it does make me think about all the US figure skating medalists who reach the podium, just not the top step.
Any Olympic medal is a huge accomplishment to celebrate, something made clear to everyone when Eileen Gu clapped back at a reporter’s insensitive question regarding her silver medal wins.
Every athlete knows what a big deal it is to even podium, which is why I love this moment between Liu and Japanese skater Ami Nakai when they realized they both podiumed:
There has to be a winner though, so there will always be certain exclusivity to getting gold. But nearly every athlete that accomplishes such has certainly earned it, especially Alysa Liu. Shortly after the Bay Area native’s individual win, OGM members Yamaguchi and Sarah Hughes told NBC News that congratulating the 20-year-old champ was less like passing on the baton, and more like “embracing her into [their] little sorority.”
It’s true, only other champions know how it feels, the rush of winning and the intense public attention afterwards. So it really is nice that they have a support system set up for each other via the group chat. I can imagine how excited they get to welcome a new member, because it also means a Team USA win!
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