Olympics-Figure skating-After cancer and loss, Gilles says simply skating at Olympics feels like a victory

By Agnieszka Flak

MILAN, Feb 10 (Reuters) - No matter where Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier finish at the Milano Cortina Games, the Canadian ice dance duo believe they have already won simply by standing on Olympic ice again.

After surviving ovarian cancer, mourning her mother’s death from brain cancer, and returning to her sport with renewed purpose, Gilles says that while a medal would be "a blessing", it is perspective — not podiums — that now guides her skating.

"Every time we step on the ice to go compete like this, this is just skating, this is a small piece in our life," the 34-year-old said after she and Poirier delivered a strong rhythm dance to sit behind the dominant French and American pairs.

"We didn't even know we were going to come to the Olympics a couple of years ago, we just did it year by year, because we still continue to love skating," she said.

Gilles underwent surgery in late 2022 to remove an ovary and appendix, later learning the tumour was cancerous. Her mother had died from glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer, in 2018.

She has spoken openly about how both experiences changed her approach to skating.

"The people that have been there for us, they're even more important than the Olympic medal. And I think if you have that kind of perspective, you've already won," she said.

The couple, who have been skating together for 14 years, finished fourth when they first stepped on the ice in Milan during the team event on Friday, feeling their timing was slightly off as they got carried away by the energy in the arena.

During the individual programme on Monday, they felt they had given everything.

"We were really in the zone today, we were really focused," Poirier said. "We kind of had our blinders on... we went in feeling motivated and hungry and just so ready to enjoy ourselves and immerse ourselves in the programme."

Much of that polish comes from choreographer Alexandra Crenian, who has shaped their programs for seven years.

"She knows us so well that she knows how to get things out of us," Gilles said. Poirier added a lot of the programme came from the tiny details such as "arms, heads, giving us cues for our intention with some of the movements".

WARDROBE MISHAP

Even a wardrobe mishap - when one of Poirier's wristbands came off and got stuck on Gilles’ tights - barely threw them.

Gilles picked it up smoothly and held it behind her back to the end of their programme - allowing them to avoid a one-point deduction had it fallen on the ice.

"Thank goodness it was at the very end. And we just covered it really well," she said. "But that's the thing: we were so present. We knew where every part of our body was, where every part of our costumes were, that the moment it touched me I knew exactly what I had to do."

The couple are now in a fierce battle for bronze with Britain's Lilah Fear and Lewis Gibson and Italians Charlene Guignard and Marco Fabbri who are in fourth and fifth places after the rhythm dance. The medals will be decided after the free dance on Wednesday.

"Our best skating doesn't come from aiming for a specific score or trying to beat specific people," Poirier said. "It's believing in the programmes that we've made for ourselves ... and putting on an amazing show for this audience."