An experienced U.S. team will kick off the ISU Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating Series in Bangkok, Thailand, Aug. 23-26.

Five members of Team USA – one woman, two men and one ice dance team – will travel to the first Junior Grand Prix of the season. All athletes have international experience, with four having previously competed in the JGP Series.

The two-time reigning U.S. junior champions in ice dance, Leah Neset and Artem Markelov begin their third season skating on the Junior Grand Prix circuit. Last season, at their only JGP event, they earned bronze before taking fifth at the ISU World Junior Figure Skating Championships 2023. They then started this season strong with gold in the junior event at the 2023 Lake Placid Ice Dance International.

In the men's event, Team USA will be represented by Jacob Sanchez and Michael Xie.

Although Sanchez didn't compete in the Junior Grand Prix Series last season, he made his Junior Grand Prix debut in 2021 and ended last season with momentum, securing silver in junior at the U.S. Championships and winning his first gold medal internationally at the 2023 Coupe du Printemps.

This will be Xie's second season on the JGP circuit. Last season, he claimed a pair of top-seven finishes in France and Poland.

The youngest member of the Team USA delegation at just 13 years of age, Annika Chao will make her Junior Grand Prix debut. Despite being her first junior season, Chao has international experience, clinching the silver in the advanced novice competition last season at the 2023 Mexico Cup.

Competition begins Thursday with the women's and men's short programs. The event continues Friday with the rhythm dance and women's free skate before concluding Saturday with the free dance and men's free skate. Pairs is not being contested at this Junior Grand Prix and will debut in Austria the following weekend.

Entering its 26th season, the ISU Junior Grand Prix Series consists of seven international events in a cumulative point-scoring format. Each athlete is eligible to score points in two of the seven scheduled events (pairs can compete in two of four designated events). The top six point-earners in each discipline qualify for the ISU Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final 2023, taking place Dec. 7-10 in Beijing, China.

For more information on the Junior Grand Prix Series, including full results, streaming information, news and more, visit the Junior Grand Prix Competition Central on the U.S. Figure Skating Fan Zone.