Figure skater Hektor Giotopoulos Moore has been selected to represent Australia at the 2026 Winter Olympic Games, marking a major milestone in his international skating career and a moment of pride for the Greek community in Australia.
Giotopoulos Moore will compete in the Pairs event alongside partner Anastasiia Golubeva, following the official announcement of the first athletes selected to the Australian Olympic Winter Team.
Speaking following his selection, Giotopoulos Moore said he was proud to represent both his heritage and his country.
“I am very proud to be able to represent the Greek community as well as the Australian, and the fact that the Olympics were originally from Greece is a very cool bonus,” he said, in comments published by the Australian Olympic Committee.
The pair secured one of just 19 Mixed Pairs quota places for the Olympics after finishing ninth at the ISU World Figure Skating Championships in Boston in March 2025. Their qualification followed a breakthrough bronze medal at the ISU Grand Prix in Halifax in 2024 – the first medal ever won by Australia at a senior International Skating Union Grand Prix – as well as back-to-back silver medals at the World Junior Championships in 2022 and 2023.
Giotopoulos Moore, who began skating at the age of eight, has described his Olympic selection as the culmination of more than a decade of dedication and sacrifice.
“Being selected for the Olympic team is a dream come true,” he said. “To me, it shows all the hard work and sacrifices I’ve made over the past 15 years have been worth it.”
His partner Golubeva, who received Australian citizenship in December 2025, said representing Australia at the Olympics was a significant achievement and expressed gratitude for the opportunities she has received since joining the national program.
Australian Olympic Team Chef de Mission Alisa Camplin said the selection of Giotopoulos Moore and Golubeva reflected years of sustained excellence at the highest level of international competition.
The newly selected skaters will next compete at the Four Continents Championships in Beijing before returning to Montreal to complete preparations for the Games.
The Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics will commence on 6 February 2026, with figure skating events held at the Milano Ice Skating Arena across 12 days. Australian athletes are expected to compete in figure skating on 9, 11, 15 and 16 February.
