Team USA ice dancer Vadym Kolesnik is asking for help as he gets ready to compete in the 2026 Winter Olympics. Kolesnik, 24, who qualified for the Games in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, with his partner, Emilea Zingas, launched a GoFundMe page this week with the goal of raising $25,000. "As I prepare for the Olympics, I am facing significant financial challenges," Kolesnik wrote. "Elite-level training requires extensive resources, including coaching fees, ice time, choreography, travel, and competition expenses." Kolesnik, who was born in Ukraine, is also hoping to use the donations to turn the Winter Olympics into a family affair. Inside Married Ice Dancing Duo Madison Chock and Evan Bates' Romance "In addition, my greatest personal hope is to be able to bring my family from Ukraine to safely attend the Olympic Games - to finally have them in the stands after years apart, witnessing the dream we've all sacrificed for together," he wrote. Kolesnik said he and Zingas, 23, have "dedicated our lives to pursuing excellence at the highest level of our sport." After earning silver medals at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships earlier this month, the pair was named to the United States Olympic team on Sunday, January 11 "These milestones reflect years of sacrifice, discipline, and belief in our shared Olympic dream," Kolesnik wrote. "Skating has been my lifelong dream - one built on years of sacrifice, resilience, and unwavering belief, even through the most uncertain times. Growing up in Ukraine shaped who I am, both as an athlete and as a person. In recent years, my journey has carried extra weight as my homeland continues to face unimaginable hardship. While I train and compete internationally, my family remains in Ukraine, and being separated from them during such a pivotal moment in my career has been incredibly difficult." Kolesnik added, "Every contribution, no matter the size, helps relieve the financial burden and allows me to focus fully on training, competing, and honoring both the country that raised me and the country I now represent. Thank you for believing in my journey, for supporting Olympic dreams, and for helping turn this once-in-a-lifetime moment into something I can share with my family. Your generosity means more than words can express." Kolesnik and Zingas joined ice dancing pairs Madison Chock & Evan Bates and Christina Carreira & Anthony Ponomarenko on the Team USA squad. "For me, it's a dream of my life to represent the U.S.," Kolesnik said in a statement released by U.S. Figure Skating when the team was announced. "Ever since I moved here at the age 15, I knew that I wanted to represent the U.S. and go to the Olympics and do my absolute best, so it's an honor for me." U.S. Figure Skating shared a video via Instagram of Kolesnik and Zingas being told they officially made the Olympic team. Olympic Ice Dancers Evan Bates and Madison Chock's Relationship Timeline "We're going to Milan!" they both screamed into the camera. Kolesnik reflected on the accomplishment on social media two days later. "A huge thank you and congratulations to our coaching team and everyone who supported us on this journey to Milan," he wrote via Instagram on Tuesday, January 13. "We did it, guys. We made dreams come true. So much more to come." The ice dancing competition at the 2026 Winter Olympics begins on February 6.