That’s Keegan: Messing’s Return to Competitive Figure Skating No Shock to Browning
Keegan Messing’s return to the competitive figure skating scene comes as little surprise to those who have closely followed his career. The 33-year-old, a two-time Olympian and two-time Canadian national champion, has captivated audiences across the globe while performing in show tours with Canadian figure skating icon Kurt Browning for the past two years. Browning, the tour director for Stars on Ice, remarked on Messing’s remarkable form, highlighting the improvement in his triple axel. “Your triple axel looks better now with a backflip in front of it than it did when you’re at the Olympics,” Browning noted.
Messing, hailing from Girdwood, Alaska, has taken a bold step as he gears up for the upcoming Olympics in Milan-Cortina, Italy. His desire for a comeback was ignited during the Stars on Ice tour when he successfully landed a quad toe. “That was where the seed was planted,” Messing shared, reflecting on the pivotal moment that inspired him to return to competition.
While his international accolades are limited—highlighted by a silver at the Four Continents Championship and a sixth-place finish at the 2021 World Championships—Messing’s charismatic performances have made him a crowd favorite. His return will greatly influence the men’s category in Canadian figure skating, a discipline that has been missing standout athletes since his departure after the 2022-23 season.
Browning commented, “I think he saw an opening, and I think he saw himself filling it,” emphasizing the ideal circumstances that led to Messing’s decision. Even as he faces a competitive landscape, including national champion Roman Sadovsky and Stephen Gogolev, Messing is prepared to prove himself. With ongoing training challenges, notably a stressed Achilles tendon, he acknowledges the physical limitations that come with age but remains optimistic about his performance.
Messing plans to showcase a flair for dramatic performance in his routines, allowing more crowd-pleasing elements like backflips. He aims to skate to ‘On the Dark Side’ for his short program and ‘The Mountain Song’ for his long program. As the figure skating community watches closely, all eyes will be on Messing as he seeks to make a splash on the Olympic stage once again.
