In a state where it almost never snows, athletes with Florida connections have made their way to the 2026 Winter Olympics.
Andrew Torgashev, Josh Williamson, Brittany Bowe, Erin Jackson, Mia Manganello and others are competing in Italy. The figure skater, speedskaters and bobsledder demonstrate that Sunshine State geography hasn’t stopped them from chasing their dreams.
Torgashev, 24, an Olympic figure skater from Coral Springs near Fort Lauderdale, finished 12th in men’s single figure skating last week in his first appearance at the Olympics.
His career has been characterized by great successes despite daunting obstacles. Beginning in 2015, the 13-year-old figure skater spiraled into years of injuries, not being able to return for a full season until 2023.
Before Torgashev turned 16 and relocated to Colorado for training, he was coached by his parents, Artem Torgashev and Ilona Melnichenko, both former Soviet Union figure skaters.
Artem Torgashev remains in Florida and coaches at the Panthers IceDen, the same rink where his son grew up skating.
He said when he started coaching 29 years ago, the rink was new and there were not many rinks in Florida. Since then, he has witnessed the growing popularity of figure skating in the Sunshine State.
“That first is my job, and second is my passion,” Artem Torgashev said. “You build not only skaters, but, you know, new people, new adults, new characters.”
Torgashev skated on Tuesday, advancing to the men's free skate and recording a personal best. His father texted him a heart emoji following the performance.
Outside of the rink, Artem Torgashev said that his son enjoys building Legos and brought some boxes with him to the Games to enjoy during his free time.
Josh Williamson, 29, is a native of Sanford near Orlando and an Olympic bobsledder. This is his second Olympic appearance following the Beijing Games in 2022. Williamson was fourth in the two-man bobsledding heats through Heat 2 on Monday and is expected to compete in the four-man event starting Wednesday.
Williamson did not begin playing an ice sport until his college years.
Erin Jackson, 33, and Brittany Bowe, 37, are both Olympic speedskaters who were coached by Renee Hildebrand and are natives of Ocala – where there are currently no ice rinks.
Jackson took fifth in the women’s 500-meter race and sixth in the 1,000-meter race. Bowe took fourth in the 1,000-meter race and was racing in the women’s team pursuit later this week.
Jackson and Bowe began their careers inline skating before taking up speed skating. Jackson – who sat for a lengthy interview with NBC star Snoop Dogg to discuss her skating – was the flagbearer for Team USA alongside Frank Del Duca.
Mia Manganello, 36, of Crestview in Florida’s Panhandle, is another Olympic speedskater. This is Manganello’s third appearance in the Winter Olympics, after competing in Beijing in 2022 and in Pyeongchang in 2018. She also will compete this week in the women’s team pursuit.
The Olympian follows in her parents’ footsteps, former inline speedskaters Dominic and Karen Manganello.
In fact, that is how the Manganellos met – at a skating rink in Fort Walton Beach. That is also how Dominic Manganello’s parents met.
The date of the mass start, Feb. 21, marks the Manganellos’ 40th wedding anniversary, a day with lots to celebrate as their daughter takes on the competition.
Manganello grew up in Florida, helping at her parents’ restaurant, Mia’s, and skated at least four times a week at the former roller rink called Hot Wheels. She moved to Salt Lake City on her 13th birthday to fully commit to speed skating.
“I’d jump in the back of a delivery driver's car, and they dropped me off at the roller rink while my parents cooked and ran the restaurant,” Manganello said. “And then mom and dad would come pick me up after the restaurant closed.”
Besides the food from her parent’s restaurant, Manganello also misses the beach and her childhood friends after moving to Utah. Her favorite dish is her dad’s meatballs, she said.
Manganello said four of her best friends from elementary school still live in Crestview.
Desiree English is one of them. English’s parents had a portrait studio next door to the restaurant, where they would go back and forth making food and taking pictures.
May 27, 2023.
After Manganello moved away, English’s parents established a restaurant called Desi’s Downtown, which remains open today.
Despite Manganello’s hard work and long hours of training, English said she is the most selfless person she knows, always thinking of others and reaching out when she can.
“It makes me want to cry for her because I'm so proud,” English said.
Manganello said this is her final season before retirement, and she does not know what is next for her, other than pursuing a bachelor’s degree in business management.
“I feel very privileged and excited to know that anything can happen next,” Manganello said.
The athletes with Florida ties are among nearly 3,000 competing in Italy. The Games began Feb. 4 and will end Sunday.
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