Good things come in threes for Lithuania’s Allison Reed and Saulius Ambrulevicius. On their third attempt, the ice dancers finally made their Olympic dream come true by winning the ISU Skate to Milano Olympic Qualifier in Beijing (CHN).

“We are ice dancers, we bring the drama — we like to keep things fun and exciting,” Reed joked.

Looking back, there truly was a lot of drama along the way. Reed and Ambrulevicius teamed up in spring 2017 and, just a few months later, unexpectedly earned an Olympic spot for Lithuania for the 2018 Olympic Winter Games in PyeongChang (KOR) at the ISU Olympic Qualifier Nebelhorn Trophy. However, American-born Reed did not yet hold Lithuanian citizenship — and as a result, no Lithuanian ice dance couple competed in PyeongChang.

Allison Reed and Saulius Ambrulevicius at the ISU Skate to Milano Olympic Qualifier in Beijing (CHN) ©ISU

By the time the 2022 Olympic Winter Games came around, Reed/Ambrulevicius were among Europe’s top-ten teams and secured a quota place directly by finishing 15th at the ISU World Figure Skating Championships 2021 in Stockholm (SWE). Yet again, the citizenship hurdle stood in their way. Despite Reed’s efforts — including learning the language — she was unable to obtain her passport in time, and another Lithuanian couple went to the Games in Beijing (CHN).

Allison Reed and Saulius Ambrulevicius at the ISU World Figure Skating Championships 2021 in Stockholm (SWE) © Getty Images

The pair kept going — and kept improving. They collected ISU Grand Prix medals and consistent top-ten finishes at the ISU World and European Championships. In 2024, they made history by winning the bronze medal at the ISU European Championships in Kaunas (LTU) — Lithuania’s first ISU Championship medal in 18 years. Then, on December 17, 2024, Reed was finally granted Lithuanian citizenship by President Gitanas Nausėda.

The road to the 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milano-Cortina seemed clear. But as Reed said, ice dancers like a bit of drama. At the ISU World Championships 2025 in Boston (USA) — the main qualifying event for the Games — she fell in the Rhythm Dance. The mistake cost the team a spot in the final and direct qualification.

Allison Reed and Saulius Ambrulevicius at the ISU World Figure Skating Championships 2025 - Boston (USA) © ISU

“It was unfortunate, but the second that happened, it was like our minds switched,” Reed said. “We knew we needed to be ready early. We wanted to choose music and build programs that reflected who we are not only as athletes, but as people. We really put our blinders on over the summer and made this our number one goal. Every day in practice we showed that — I’m so proud of us.”

Making it happen in Beijing

At the Olympic Qualifier in Beijing, Reed and Ambrulevicius danced to a commanding first place to secure Lithuania’s Olympic spot — but suspense lingered until the very end as they awaited their Free Dance scores. Only when the marks appeared did the emotions come through, with tears of relief and joy.

Allison Reed and Saulius Ambrulevicius at the ISU Skate to Milano Olympic Qualifier in Beijing (CHN) ©ISU

“Until the last minute, until we saw the scores, I wasn’t letting myself believe it,” Ambrulevicius said. “Only then could we finally celebrate.”

“It was very mental at this stage of our careers,” he added. “Physically, we were super ready and there was no doubt we could push until the end. But mentally, I had a brain freeze toward one of the last choreo elements. After that, we regrouped quickly and finished strong. It’s a big mind game, and we did all the work beforehand. We had a plan to breathe through the whole program — it helps you stay calm and stable — and it worked.”

Allison Reed and Saulius Ambrulevicius at the ISU Skate to Milano Olympic Qualifier in Beijing (CHN) ©ISU

Their long Olympic journey has strengthened their bond both on and off the ice.

“I think it really brought us together in ways I never imagined,” Reed shared. “We sat down and said, this is our goal, this is what we want to achieve, and we know we’re capable of it. Let’s put all our chips in, trust our coaches, trust each other. We knew coming here that this goal was achievable — and we did it.”

Starting strong in the Olympic season

Now, the focus turns to Milano-Cortina — but Reed and Ambrulevicius have more goals this season. Their start has already been strong: before Beijing, they claimed victory at the Bolero Cup in Sheffield (GBR).

“It’s going to take a day or two to process what we’ve done and how far we’ve come,” Ambrulevicius said. “After that, we’ll regroup. It’s a big win — but there’s more to come.”

“The turnaround is quite quick for our Grand Prix,” Reed added. “We have two weeks to prepare for our first Grand Prix in France. We’ll review our programs, see what went well and what needs refining, make the small adjustments — and be ready.”

Fun fact: Allison Reed competed at the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver (CAN) as a 15-year-old ice dancer representing Georgia. Saulius Ambrulevicius will make his Olympic debut in 2026.

Watch Allison Reed/Saulius Ambrulevicius next at the ISU Grand Prix events:

• Grand Prix de France, Angers (FRA) — October 17–19
• Skate Canada International, Saskatoon (CAN) — October 31–November 2