They will have to first spend Valentine's Day in an awkward way: they'll be competing against one another.
Hubbell and Zachary Donohue are third and fourth respectively. They will be aiming to win a medal as the American duo closes competition Monday with their free dancing. Diaz and Olivia Smart are further down the rankings as they attempt to improve their rhythm dance skills with a memorable performance for Spain.
Diaz almost sheepishly said, "It has never really been a very close battle."
Hubbell and Donohue are amongst the top ice dancers in the world. They were once an off-ice couple, but they were so skilled on the ice that they remained best friends and partners even after their relationship ended. They have won a pair silver medals at world championships, and they were fourth at the Pyeongchang Olympics.
Smart and Diaz have never placed in the top 10 at world championships.
In the literal sense, they are indeed competing with each other. In the real world, however, there is no competition. This takes the stress out of a delicate, tricky situation and allows Hubbell and Diaz both to be their biggest fans on those rare occasions when they get to stand in the stands.
Hubbell was a key player in the U.S. winning the silver medal at the team event last Thursday. The silver medal was won by the United States. It could go on to be made into a gold medal once the Russian doping scandal is resolved. Spain didn't have a competing team in the event.
Hubbell stated that it was special to have Hubbell's fiance at the event because we are often so focused on the event that we don’t get to see each others in person. It was a great pleasure to have him there.
Many couples are real at the Winter Olympics.
Diaz even claimed he had a gift to give Hubbell, but he wouldn’t spoil Saturday night's surprise.
Montana-born ice dancer Tim Koleto brought a gift to his wife Misato Komatsubara. It's not easy to find boxes of chocolates in the Olympic bubble, making a candlelit dinner almost impossible.
However, there is a florist in Olympic Village. For those who lack the same level of forethought, there is a saving grace.
Kotelo said, "We're very fortunate to be able to share our time here together." He and Komatsubara helped Japan win the bronze medal in the team competition. Their love story deserves to be on the desk of someone at the Hallmark Channel.
Koleto started his career as a solo skater, before moving to dance in 2013, and joining forces with Yura to represent South Korea. He teamed up with Thea Rabe to skate for Norway until that partnership was over. Koleto considered quitting the sport after that 2016 pairing.
Komatsubara's association with Andrea Fabbri, representing Italy, was ending around the same time. Koleto flew to Milan, the location of the next Winter Olympics, and met Komatsubara as a joke. They were soon married and became ice dance partners.
In 2020, he became a Japanese citizen and legally adopted the Komatsubara surname in respect of his wife.
Koleto stated, "We often talk about it that it was fate that our paths crossed." "Both of our sport experiences were disillusioned and we may have been ready to leave before we met each other. It is difficult and long-winded to start over with a new partner. You get to know one another so well and intimately even when you aren't together for three hours. It takes a while to get back on track. It's a blessing that we met.
Ice dance partners aren't real-life couples. However, it is essential to show off that kind of chemistry in order for ice dancing programs to succeed. It's an act for them, much like a dramatic performance on screen or stage.
Sometimes, however, these partnerships can lead to more. This was the case with American ice dancers Madison Chock & Evan Bates. They have been dancing together more than a decade and are now at their third Olympics together. However, they began serious dating several years after their partnership was formed.
After Saturday's rhythm dance, they were fourth. They will now celebrate Valentine's Day with their loved ones Monday.
She said, "We're going to let our training shine through." "We're going to let our skating shine."
