Warrior: Someone who takes a leap of faith, even though they might not achieve their desired result. They draw upon their inner strength and discipline to push forward, despite hardship or obstacles along their path.

Andrew Torgashev, the 2025 U.S. silver medalist, personifies a warrior. After a few low moments in the first part of his competitive season, he is ready for battle.  

Instead of slowing down in the offseason, Torgashev took a different approach — rigorous training filled with many run-throughs — and it paid off. He made his season debut in late September at Nebelhorn Trophy in Oberstdorf, Germany, where he earned a silver medal.

"It was definitely the way that I prepared myself in the offseason," he said. "I got myself into really good shape. I felt like I did all the right things."

He continued with two Grand Prix events — Grand Prix de France in Angers, and NHK Trophy in Osaka, Japan. Both competitions were filled with ups and downs for the 24-year-old. In Angers, he rebounded from a tough short program to finish sixth overall. A bright spot was his free skate score of 161.84, which was just 0.38 points shy of his current international personal best.

In Osaka, Torgashev struggled in both segments of the event, finishing ninth overall with a score of 212.01.

"My competitions were quite close together," he said. "For France, I felt really good going into it. But by the NHK Trophy, I was fatigued."

Having support in those tough moments was critical for him. Brandon Frazier, the 2022 World pairs champion, accompanied Torgashev to several competitions throughout the season.

"He understands me as a person and an athlete, and he helps me to stay on track," Torgashev said. "It's good to have someone you trust, someone you can be vulnerable with, at the boards. He knows my high points and low points."

Torgashev is quick to acknowledge he hasn't put out his best efforts as of late.

"I'm disappointed in the results — obviously, they could have been better," he said. "It's a high-pressure season. I have a bit of a chip on my shoulder. I know I'm capable of showing my best performance. Once the fall international competitions were over, it puts it into perspective on what I need to do for nationals."

Over the past several weeks, Torgashev has spent quality time with his immediate family, reflecting and redirecting.
 
"I went to see my mom for Thanksgiving, and I saw my dad in Florida in early December," Torgashev said. "It was an opportunity to reset. Honestly, it was the perfect thing for me to do. I feel strong and refreshed."

He continued, "It can be overwhelming at times and tough to manage expectations. After seeing my family, it's allowed me to take a step back, focus on the process and how I'm going to get there."

As he turns his attention to the 2026 Prevagen U.S. Figure Skating Championships in St. Louis, Torgashev is ready to get back out on the ice and, in his words, "throw down." For his short program, he will perform to "Maybe I Maybe You" by the German rock band The Scorpions.

"To be completely honest, I was stuck on what the short was going to be," he said. "It was going to be difficult to top last year's short program. I initially started with 'My Way' by Frank Sinatra, but it didn't feel right — it didn't feel genuine to me."

The song lyrics speak about love, hope and bravery, despite darkness and uncertainty that exists. For Torgashev, the narrative is still a work-in-progress, but one that he is eager to tell.  

"I'm still developing the story, trying to find a deeper connection," he said. "I'm still searching."

He collaborated with acclaimed choreographer Shae-Lynn Bourne for his free skate, a medley of songs by Apashe and Ólafur Arnalds.

"The story of the free program is about the fight against something you can't see," Torgashev said. "It's about the monsters in your closet. In the program, I don't succumb to it — I battle against it."

His free skate is broken into three parts.

"The first part is about discovery — the warrior going into a dark cave and not being able to see anything," he said. "The middle part is about his subconscious — going through parts of his life where he finds strength. The ending has a big battle at the end, and the warrior defeats the monster."

With the 2026 U.S. Championships rapidly approaching, Torgashev is taking a purposeful, steady approach.

"I've been dreaming about the Olympics since I was 9 years old," he said. "You can paralyze yourself with expectations. Last season was easier, because I had no expectations. This year, there is so much more on the line. I've learned to take every situation in stride."

Torgashev is ready to put the demons to rest. 

"I want to go out there and skate with no regard to the results," he said. "I want to leave a moment on the ice."

Watch Andrew Torgashev compete at the 2026 Prevagen U.S. Figure Skating Championships. For results, how to watch information and more, visit the 2026 Prevagen U.S. Figure Skating Championships event page.