Figure skating-Shibutanis returning to ice dance ahead of Milano Cortina Olympics

American ice dance siblings Maia and Alex Shibutani are returning to competitive figure skating, seven years after the two-times Olympic bronze medallists announced their retirement when Maia was diagnosed with cancer.

The Shibutanis - known in the skating world as the "Shib Sibs" - plan to compete in the 2025-26 Olympic season under the guidance of coaches Marina Zoueva and Massimo Scali.

"These past seven years have challenged and inspired us in ways we never expected. I'm so happy and grateful to be healthy and in a position to make the decision to return to the sport I love in this way," 30-year-old Maia said.

The Shibutanis are two-times U.S. champions and three-times world medallists, winning silver in 2016 and bronze in 2011 and '17. Their 2011 medal made them the youngest ice dancers - Maia was 16 and Alex, 20 - in nearly 50 years to climb the world championship medal podium.

They captured bronze medals in both the ice dance and the team event at the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics, making history as the first athletes of Asian descent - their parents are Japanese - and only non-white team to earn an Olympic ice dance medal.

The siblings took a break after the Olympics which they extended after Maia was diagnosed with kidney cancer.

They have kept busy during their seven years as authors of four children's books while also working in choreography, public speaking and other creative endeavours.

"Our experiences and the new skills we've developed during our time away from competition have brought us different perspectives and created some exciting new possibilities," said Alex, 34. "We don't take any of this for granted. We're really enjoying the process and look forward to performing and competing together again."

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