Andrew Torgashev

Last updated
Andrew Torgashev
2017-2018 ISU Junior Grand Prix Final Andrew Torgashev jsfb dave5779.jpg
Andrew Torgashev at the 2017–18 Junior Grand Prix Final
Born (2001-05-29) May 29, 2001 (age 24)
Coral Springs, Florida,
United States
Height1.70 m (5 ft 7 in)
Figure skating career
CountryFlag of the United States (23px).png  United States
Discipline Men's singles
Coach Rafael Arutunian
Vera Arutunian
Nadezhda Kanaeva
Brandon Frazier
Skating clubPanthers Figure Skating Club
Began skating2006
Highest WS34th (2018–19)
Medal record
U.S. Championships
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 2025 Wichita Singles
Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg 2023 San Jose Singles

Andrew Torgashev (born May 29, 2001) is an American figure skater. He is the 2024 Grand Prix de France bronze medalist, 2025 U.S. national silver medalist, 2019 Asian Open Trophy silver medalist, the 2016 Tallinn Trophy bronze medalist, and the 2015 U.S. national junior champion.

Contents

Personal life

Andrew Torgashev was born May 29, 2001, in Coral Springs, Florida. [1] He is the son of Ilona Melnichenko and Artem Torgashev, who competed for the Soviet Union in ice dance and pair skating respectively. [2] As a result, Torgashev is fluent in both English and Russian. [3] Later in his career as a competitive figure skater, Torgashev also began working as a coach at the Great Park Ice & FivePoint Arena in Irvine, California. [2]

Torgashev, who is half-Ukrainian with family still living in the country, has vocalized his support for Ukraine following the Russian invasion and has partaken in ice shows to raise money in support. [4]

Career

Early career

Torgashev began learning to skate in 2006. [1] He was awarded the juvenile bronze medal at the U.S. Junior Championships in December 2010. [5] He won the U.S. national juvenile title in the 2011–2012 season and the U.S. intermediate title the following season. [6]

He placed fourth in the novice men's category at the 2014 U.S. Championships.

2014–15 season: U.S. Junior National champion

Torgashev became age-eligible for international junior events in the 2014–2015 season. Competing for in the ISU Junior Grand Prix series, he placed fourth in Ostrava, Czech Republic, and fifth in Tallinn, Estonia.

After taking the junior gold medal at the Eastern Sectionals, he won the junior title at the U.S. Championships, setting U.S. junior men's records in the free skate and total score. [7] He was assigned to the 2015 World Junior Championships and finished tenth at the event, which was held in March in Tallinn.

2015–16 season

Torgashev fractured his right ankle in June 2015 while practicing a quadruple toe loop. [8] He underwent surgery in June to insert three screws, which were removed from his ankle in January 2016. [9] As a result, he missed the entire skating season. He worked on his edges, stroking, and speed after returning to the ice. [10]

2016–17 season

Torgashev returned to competition in July 2016. [8] Competing in the 2016 Junior Grand Prix series, he won silver in Russia and placed fourth in Germany.

Making his senior international debut, he took the bronze medal at the 2016 CS Tallinn Trophy in November. He finished eleventh in the senior ranks in January at the 2017 U.S. Championships.

At the 2017 World Junior Championships, he placed twenty-fifth in the short program and did not qualify to the free skate.

2017–18 season

Torgashev placed sixth at the Philadelphia Summer International in early August 2017. During the 2017 Junior Grand Prix series, he won silver in Belarus with a personal best total score of 212.71 points and then placed fourth in Italy. He qualified for the JGP Final in Nagoya, Japan, where he placed sixth. Torgashev also finished sixth at the 2017 CS Warsaw Cup. In January, at the 2018 U.S. Championships, he ranked ninth in the short program, fourteenth in the free skate, and thirteenth overall.

In June, he announced that he had relocated to Colorado Springs, Colorado, to work full-time with Christy Krall. [11] Erik Schultz and Joshua Farris also became members of his coaching team. [1]

2018–19 season

In August 2018, Torgashev won the senior men's title at the 2018 Philadelphia Summer International. At the 2018 Junior Grand Prix in Bratislava, Slovakia, he placed fifth in the short program, third in the free skate, and fourth overall. In September, he won gold at JGP Lithuania in Kaunas after placing second in the short program and first in the free skate. These results qualified him for the 2018–19 Junior Grand Prix Final in Vancouver, Canada. [12] Due to a fractured toe, he withdrew from the competition and was off the ice for eight weeks, until around mid-November. [13] In January, he finished seventh in the senior ranks at the 2019 U.S. Championships.

In March 2019, he won silver at the Egna Spring Trophy.

2019–20 season: World Junior bronze medal

Torgashev started the season at the 2019 Philadelphia Summer International, where he won the event. He competed in the JGP series, placing fourth in Riga, Latvia, at the JGP Croatia. He placed second in the short program with a new personal best, sixth in the free program, and fourth overall. He then competed at the senior level at the 2019 CS Asian Open Trophy, winning the silver medal.

Competing at the 2020 U.S. Championships, Torgashev placed third in the short program, skating a clean program that included a quadruple toe loop. [14] He struggled in the free skate, falling twice and stepping out of an under-rotated attempted quadruple toe loop in the program's second half. Fifth in that segment, he dropped to fifth place overall. [15]

Assigned to the 2020 World Junior Championships, Torgashev placed third in the short program, winning a small bronze medal. [16] Torgashev fell four times in the long program, placing eleventh in that segment and dropping to eighth place overall. [17]

2019–20 and 2020–21 seasons

In November 2019, Torgashev announced a coaching change as he moved from Colorado to California to train with Rafael Arutyunyan at Great Park Ice in Irvine. [18]

He was unable to compete during the 2019–20 and 2020–21 figure skating seasons due to an injury in his right foot that ultimately required ankle surgery as well as a long rehabilitation. [3]

2022–23 season: U.S. National bronze medal and World Championship debut

Making his return to competition, Torgashev qualified for the 2023 US Championships in San Jose, following a second-place finish at the 2023 Eastern Sectional Championships. By his own account, he entered the event hoping to finish in the top ten. [19] Torgashev couldn't afford to pay for his coaching team's travel expenses to attend the competition, so his father, Artem, stood in as his coach. [20] He placed fifth in the short program, and then won the free skate, winning the overall bronze medal with a total score of 255.56 points. [21] He called the result "surreal." [22] [19]

Because Torgashev had not competed internationally since 2020, he lacked the technical minimum scores required to attend ISU championships and could not obtain them in time to be assigned to the 2023 Four Continents Championships. He was provisionally selected for the 2023 World Championships in Saitama, Japan, pending his acquisition of the requisite scores at the International Challenge Cup. [23]

Torgashev finished fifth at the Challenge Cup, securing the minimum technical scores, and finished twenty-first in his World Championship debut. He said afterward: "I would have liked better, but I'm so grateful to be here and for the opportunity." [24]

2023–24 season: Grand Prix and Four Continents debut

Torgashev began the season by winning the bronze medal at the 2023 CS Lombardia Trophy. [2] He appeared on the Grand Prix at the 2023 Skate America, where he came eleventh in the short program but rose to seventh after the free skate. [25]

In advance of the 2024 U.S. Championships, Torgashev was preemptively named to the American team for the 2024 Four Continents Championships in Shanghai, which were to take place the week after the national championships. [26] He finished fifth at the national championships in Columbus. [27] At the Four Continents Championships, Torgashev came eighth. [28]

2024–25 season: Grand Prix medal, U.S. National silver medal, Disappointing Worlds

Torgashev during the short program at the 2025 World Championships Andrew Torgashev 2025 Worlds Short Program 02.jpg
Torgashev during the short program at the 2025 World Championships

Torgashev started the season by competing on the 2024–25 ISU Challenger Series, finishing fifth at the 2024 CS Cranberry Cup International and ninth at the 2024 CS Nebelhorn Trophy. Going on to compete on the 2024–25 Grand Prix circuit, Torgashev would place fourth in both the short and program segments at the 2024 Grand Prix de France but managed to win the bronze medal as a result of many of the event's top contenders making mistakes. [29] Initially only assigned one Grand Prix event, Torgashev's name was assigned to the 2024 NHK Trophy to replace Canadian skater, Stephen Gogolev, days before the event. [30] At the NHK Trophy, Torgashev delivered a strong short program, earning a new season's best score, finishing fourth in that competition segment. He would place fifth in the free skate, where he obtained a new personal best free skate and combined total score, and finish fourth overall. [31] [32] Following his success on the Grand Prix series, Torgashev expressed elation, saying, "I packed for a few days trip to France, and ended up staying for a while more week in Japan. It was awesome. Even more, achieving a PB in the free and total score was so sick, just think I’m still capable of so much more though." [33]

At the 2025 U.S. Championships, Torgashev won the silver medal behind Ilia Malinin after placing second in both the short program and free skate segments. [34] [35] “It is for sure validating whenever you’re on the podium,” said Torgashev. “It makes it seem like your hard work is worth it. It definitely gives motivation to keep training and keep pushing on.” [35]

Two months later, at the 2025 World Championships, he skated a personal best in the short program, scoring 87.27 and placing eighth. However, he had an error-riddled free skate with two falls and numerous poor landings. He finished second to last in the free skate, and dropped down to twenty-second. [36]

Programs

Torgashev at the 2017-18 Junior Grand Prix Final 2017-2018 ISU Junior Grand Prix Final Andrew Torgashev jsfb dave4236.jpg
Torgashev at the 2017–18 Junior Grand Prix Final
Competition and exhibition programs by season
Season Short program Free skate program Exhibition program
2014–15
[37]
2015–16
[8]
"Le temps des cathédrales"
2016–17
[8]
"Le temps des cathédrales""Bohemian Rhapsody"
2017–18
[38]
2018–19
[1]
"El Tango de Roxanne"
2019–20
[39]
2022–23
[40] [41]
Oblivion
Medley:
  1. "The Gate"
    • "Push the Limits"
      • "Gravity of Love"
      • "O Fortuna"
      2023–24
      [42] [43] [20]
      Void of Madness:
      1. "The Void"
        • "Madness"
        "Bloodstream"
        2024–25
        [2]
        "L'enfer"
        "Enter the Jungle"
        "L'enfer"
        2025–26
        [44]
        Apashe Medley
        1. "ORATORES"
          • "Good News"

            Competitive highlights

            Competition placements at senior level [31]
            Season 2016–17 2017–18 2018–19 2019–20 2022–23 2023–24 2024–25 2025–26
            World Championships 21st22nd
            Four Continents Championships 8th
            U.S. Championships 11th13th7th5th3rd5th2nd
            GP France 3rdTBD
            GP NHK Trophy 4thTBD
            GP Skate America 7th
            CS Asian Open Trophy 2nd
            CS Cranberry Cup 5th
            CS Lombardia Trophy 3rd
            CS Nebelhorn Trophy 9thTBD
            CS Tallinn Trophy 3rd
            CS Warsaw Cup 6th
            Challenge Cup 5th
            Egna Spring Trophy 2nd
            Philadelphia Summer 6th1st1st
            Competition placements at junior level [31]
            Season 2014–15 2016–17 2017–18 2018–19 2019–20
            World Junior Championships 10th25th8th
            Junior Grand Prix Final 6th
            U.S. Championships 1st
            JGP Belarus 2nd
            JGP Croatia 4th
            JGP Czech Republic 4th
            JGP Estonia 5th
            JGP Germany 4th
            JGP Italy 4th
            JGP Latvia 4th
            JGP Lithuania 1st
            JGP Russia 2nd
            JGP Slovakia 4th

            Detailed results

            ISU personal best scores in the +5/-5 GOE System [31]
            SegmentTypeScoreEvent
            TotalTSS246.58 2024 NHK Trophy
            Short program TSS87.27 2025 World Championships
            TES46.91 2023 Lombardia Trophy
            PCS41.152025 World Championships
            Free skating TSS162.222024 NHK Trophy
            TES81.972024 NHK Trophy
            PCS80.252024 NHK Trophy

            Senior level

            Results in the 2016–17 season [31]
            DateEvent SP FS Total
            PScorePScorePScore
            Nov 20–27, 2016 Flag of Estonia.svg 2016 CS Tallinn Trophy 468.124133.333201.45
            Jan 14–22, 2017 Flag of the United States.svg 2017 U.S. Championships 777.8211147.5311225.35
            Results in the 2017–18 season [31]
            DateEvent SP FS Total
            PScorePScorePScore
            Aug 3–5, 2017 Flag of the United States.svg 2017 Philadelphia Summer International 1061.493141.466202.95
            Nov 16–19, 2017 Flag of Poland.svg 2017 CS Warsaw Cup 661.526121.266182.78
            Dec 29, 2017 – Jan 8, 2018 Flag of the United States.svg 2018 U.S. Championships 981.3214135.6913217.01
            Results in the 2018–19 season [31]
            DateEvent SP FS Total
            PScorePScorePScore
            Jul 30 –
            Aug 5, 2018
            Flag of the United States.svg 2018 Philadelphia Summer International 367.671138.741206.41
            Jan 19–27, 2019 Flag of the United States.svg 2019 U.S. Championships 976.956149.027225.97
            Mar 28–31, 2019 Flag of Italy.svg 2019 Egna Spring Trophy 466.971151.462218.43
            Results in the 2019–20 season [31]
            DateEvent SP FS Total
            PScorePScorePScore
            Jul 31 –
            Aug 3, 2019
            Flag of the United States.svg 2019 Philadelphia Summer International 178.521134.091212.61
            Oct 30 – Nov 3, 2019 Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg 2019 CS Asian Open Trophy 272.912144.632217.54
            Jan 20–26, 2020 Flag of the United States.svg 2020 U.S. Championships 397.875162.775260.64
            Results in the 2022–23 season [31]
            DateEvent SP FS Total
            PScorePScorePScore
            Jan 23–29, 2023 Flag of the United States.svg 2023 U.S. Championships 578.781177.783255.56
            Feb 23–26, 2023 Flag of the Netherlands.svg 2023 International Challenge Cup 1070.334145.535215.86
            Mar 22–26, 2023 Flag of Japan.svg 2023 World Championships 2271.4121139.1821210.59
            Results in the 2023–24 season [31]
            DateEvent SP FS Total
            PScorePScorePScore
            Sep 8–10, 2023 Flag of Italy.svg 2023 CS Lombardia Trophy 286.414146.853233.26
            Oct 20–22, 2023 Flag of the United States.svg 2023 Skate America 1168.716150.967219.67
            Jan 22–28, 2024 Flag of the United States.svg 2024 U.S. Championships 488.027151.195239.21
            Jan 30 – Feb 4, 2024 Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg 2024 Four Continents Championships 881.158156.058237.20
            Results in the 2024–25 season [31]
            DateEvent SP FS Total
            PScorePScorePScore
            Aug 8–11, 2024 Flag of the United States.svg 2024 CS Cranberry Cup International 384.306140.645224.94
            Sep 18–21, 2024 Flag of Germany.svg 2024 Nebelhorn Trophy 1463.926143.739207.65
            Nov 1–3, 2024 Flag of France.svg 2024 Grand Prix de France 481.544152.103233.64
            Nov 8–10, 2024 Flag of Japan.svg 2024 NHK Trophy 484.365162.224246.58
            Jan 20–26, 2025 Flag of the United States.svg 2025 U.S. Championships 294.942191.552286.49
            Mar 25–30, 2025 Flag of the United States.svg 2025 World Championships 887.2723125.5222212.79

            Junior level

            Results in the 2014–15 season [31]
            DateEvent SP FS Total
            PScorePScorePScore
            Sep 3–7, 2014 Flag of the Czech Republic.svg 2014 JGP Czech Republic 457.942124.634182.57
            Sep 24–27, 2014 Flag of Estonia.svg 2014 JGP Estonia 464.706112.955177.65
            Jan 18–25, 2015 Flag of the United States.svg 2015 U.S. Championships (Junior) 175.611149.631225.24
            Mar 2–8, 2015 Flag of Estonia.svg 2015 World Junior Championships 1067.786133.9610201.74
            Results in the 2016–17 season [31]
            DateEvent SP FS Total
            PScorePScorePScore
            Sep 14–17, 2016 Flag of Russia.svg 2016 JGP Russia 365.472139.442204.91
            Oct 5–9, 2016 Flag of Germany.svg 2016 JGP Germany 273.486118.324191.80
            Mar 15–19, 2017 Flag of Chinese Taipei for Olympic games.svg 2017 World Junior Championships 2555.422555.42
            Results in the 2017–18 season [31]
            DateEvent SP FS Total
            PScorePScorePScore
            Sep 20–24, 2017 Flag of Belarus.svg 2017 JGP Belarus 374.342138.372212.71
            Oct 11–14, 2017 Flag of Italy.svg 2017 JGP Italy 469.032136.534205.56
            Dec 7–10, 2017 Flag of Japan.svg 2017–18 Junior Grand Prix Final 664.73695.766160.49
            Results in the 2018–19 season [31]
            DateEvent SP FS Total
            PScorePScorePScore
            Aug 22–25, 2018 Flag of Slovakia.svg 2018 JGP Slovakia 565.373129.384194.75
            Sep 5–8, 2018 Flag of Lithuania.svg 2018 JGP Lithuania 269.391132.241201.63
            Results in the 2019–20 season [31]
            DateEvent SP FS Total
            PScorePScorePScore
            Sep 4–7, 2019 Flag of Latvia.svg 2019 JGP Latvia 678.524131.164196.23
            Sep 25–28, 2019 Flag of Croatia.svg 2019 JGP Croatia 280.536132.334212.86
            Mar 2–8, 2020 Flag of Estonia.svg 2020 World Junior Championships 381.5011127.458208.95

            References

            1. 1 2 3 4 "Andrew Torgashev: 2018/2019". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on September 10, 2018.
            2. 1 2 3 4 "Andrew Torgashev". U.S. Figure Skating. Archived from the original on January 29, 2019.
            3. 1 2 Hersh, Philip (16 March 2023). "Ahead of world championships debut, Andrew Torgashev is building instead of grinding". NBC Sports. Retrieved 19 August 2023.
            4. Torgashev, Andrew. "Skate for Ukraine". Instagram. Retrieved 8 November 2024.
            5. Davis, Craig (December 18, 2010). "Coral Springs' Torgashev gets bronze medal in first trip to Figure Skating Junior Nationals; Chiera, Feigenbaum also post top-five finishes". South Florida Sun-Sentinel . Archived from the original on June 9, 2016. Retrieved March 9, 2015.
            6. Menning, Rick (February 3, 2013). "Local skater earns second national title". South Florida Sun-Sentinel. Archived from the original on February 16, 2013.
            7. Rutherford, Lynn (January 23, 2015). "Torgashev sets new U.S. standard for junior men". IceNetwork.com . Archived from the original on July 1, 2018.
            8. 1 2 3 4 Rutherford, Lynn (July 19, 2016). "Smarter, stronger Torgashev aims to regain top form". IceNetwork.com . Archived from the original on August 1, 2017.
            9. Sausa, Christie (August 17, 2018). "Torgashev gears up for competition season with stop in Lake Placid". Lake Placid News. Archived from the original on September 11, 2018.
            10. Rutherford, Lynn (February 1, 2017). "In face of injury, Brown puts positivity to the test". IceNetwork.com . Archived from the original on July 3, 2018.
            11. Torgashev, Andrew (June 27, 2018). "Some big changes!". figureskatersonline.com/andrewtorgashev. Archived from the original on June 28, 2018.
            12. "ISU Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final 2018/19 Entries: Junior Men". International Skating Union.
            13. Rutherford, Lynn (January 27, 2019). "Beyond the big three, are there any other U.S. figure skating stars?". NBC Sports . Archived from the original on January 29, 2019.
            14. Slater, Paula (January 25, 2020). "Chen in comfortable lead at U.S. Nationals". Golden Skate.
            15. Slater, Paula (January 26, 2020). "Chen wins fourth consecutive U.S. National title". Golden Skate.
            16. Slater, Paula (March 4, 2020). "Japan's Yuma Kagiyama takes lead at Junior Worlds". Golden Skate.
            17. Slater, Paula (March 6, 2020). "Andrei Mozalev nabs Junior World title". Golden Skate.
            18. Sauer, Meg (November 19, 2020). "Andrew Torgashev Reinvests in Himself, Training During 2020-21 Season". U.S. Figure Skating Fan Zone.
            19. 1 2 Reid, Scott M. (January 30, 2023). "Ilia Malinin wins first U.S. title despite early fall". Orange County Register .
            20. 1 2 Edmunds, Polina. "The Comeback Kid ft. Andrew Torgashev". Spotify. Retrieved 4 July 2023.
            21. Walker, Elvin (January 29, 2023). "Ilia Malinin Wins U.S. Title to Close Out U.S. Championships". U.S. Figure Skating.
            22. Chen, Sonja (January 29, 2023). "Ilia Malinin wins 1st U.S. men's skating title, Brown 2nd". The Washington Post .
            23. "Figure Skating: Teenagers Malinin, Levito, veterans Knierim/Frazier, Chock/Bates lead U.S. squad for Worlds". Olympic Channel . January 30, 2023.
            24. "Team USA Wins Two Medals on Final Day of World Championships". U.S. Figure Skating. March 25, 2023.
            25. Slater, Paula (October 22, 2023). "'Quad God' Malinin takes second Skate America title". Golden Skate. Retrieved October 26, 2023.
            26. "Eighteen Athletes Named to Four Continents Team". U.S. Figure Skating. January 9, 2024. Retrieved February 5, 2024.
            27. Flett, Ted (January 28, 2024). "Ilia Malinin storms to gold in Columbus". Golden Skate. Retrieved February 24, 2024.
            28. Slater, Paula (February 3, 2024). "Kagiyama wins first Four Continents title". Golden Skate. Retrieved February 24, 2024.
            29. Slater, Paula (November 2, 2024). "Adam Siao Him Fa rebounds in France for third consecutive title". Golden Skate.
            30. "🇺🇸 Andrew Torgashev replaces 🇨🇦 Stephen Gogolev at NHK Trophy". X. Anything GOEs. Retrieved 4 November 2024.
            31. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 "USA–Andrew Torgashev". SkatingScores.
            32. Slater, Paula (November 9, 2024). "Yuma Kagiyama wins third NHK Trophy title". Golden Skate.
            33. Torgashev, Andrew. "These last two weeks have been crazy , thank your for my moral rock @brandon_f1992 , thank you to me team at @team__raf and @greatparkice". Instagram. Retrieved 10 November 2024.
            34. https://skatingscores.com/2425/natusa/sr/men/results/
            35. 1 2 Chen, Sherry (January 27, 2025). "Ilia Malinin seizes third consecutive U.S. title". Golden Skate.
            36. https://www.skatingscores.com/2425/wc/sr/men/results/
            37. "Andrew Torgashev: 2014/2015". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on May 23, 2015.
            38. "Andrew Torgashev: 2017/2018". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on May 29, 2018.
            39. "Andrew Torgashev: 2019/2020". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on March 7, 2020.
            40. "Andrew Torgashev: 2022/2023". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 10 April 2023. Retrieved 19 August 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
            41. Ge, Misha (April 26, 2022). "SP - Andrew Torgashev".
            42. "Andrew Torgashev: 2023/2024". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 17 August 2023. Retrieved 19 August 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
            43. Ge, Misha (July 4, 2023). "FP - Andrew Torgashev".
            44. "25/26 Free Program". Instagram. Instagram. Retrieved 2 August 2025.