If you look at Andrew Torgashev's competitive results, something peculiar jumps out.
There are no results from 2020 until mid-2022.
But in those missing years between the 2020 World Junior Championships and his first competition back in the National Qualifying Series is a hell of a journey.
It all started toward the end of COVID-19 lockdowns, when Torgashev was returning to the ice and getting ready for the season. He was training a lot of jumps, putting a lot of reps in, and was very motivated after a fifth-place finish at the 2020 U.S. Junior Championships and an eighth-place finish at the World Junior Championships.
So when he started feeling pain in his landing foot, he thought it was just an overuse injury. Once he could no longer push through the pain, he went to a doctor, who diagnosed him with a stress fracture in the metatarsals. That fall, he was off the ice for six weeks and in a boot for another four, at which point he missed the 2020-21 season.
Torgashev began training again in the spring of 2021 and started feeling the same pain.
"I couldn't stand on the ball of my foot, so all landings were very painful. Takeoff for loop, flip and Lutz was painful, and it's a killer because it's not like I'm in a full-body cast or anything crazy," Torgashev said. "I can't use my right foot, and that's unfortunately a big part of this sport. And I knew that if I didn't let it heal, this is going to be something that's going to follow me around forever."
So he took even more time off to let the injury fully heal, this time getting a proper diagnosis – there was a dislocation in the first metatarsal, which kept things from healing properly. He missed the entire 2021-22 season and says he did consider retirement because it was so mentally and physically challenging.
"I didn't want to retire on that last season, knowing that I'm capable of much more and that I have potential for, much more," Torgashev said. "But I think, really, what made my decision was just looking back to all of the people that have helped me get to this moment, especially my parents. My mom has always been there to support and to push when I need it, to all the coaches that I had worked with previously that had put in so much effort into my development. It just – I couldn't do it. If they have faith in me, then I should also have faith in myself."
Torgashev took his recovery slowly, prioritizing his health over his competitive results and relearning his jumping technique to be easier on his foot. But the long layoff meant he went from competing on Team USA and at the U.S. Championships to having to qualify for sectionals to qualify for the U.S. Championships.
"When I was first competing again, it felt like starting from scratch," Torgashev said. "I felt like I was 10 years old again and nervous at these local competitions.
"It did kind of teach me not to take things for granted so much. Like, all of these assignments, being on Team USA, being at nationals, having opportunities to go and represent your country at competition. I was definitely taking that for granted because I had been doing it for most of my career, until it wasn't there. Nobody was sending emails, 'Hey, what competitions would you like to attend this year?' There was none of that. We had to build back up from scratch, for the most part."
He placed second at the 2023 Eastern Sectional Singles Final to qualify for the 2023 U.S. Championships, which was his major goal for the season. He had zero expectations for himself and was simply excited to be back, to see the friends and competitors that thought he'd fallen off the face of the earth.
Torgashev would then stun everyone – including himself – in San Jose, California, by winning the free skate and finishing third overall to make the World Championships team.
"That was crazy," he said. "It felt a little unreal at that moment, but at the same time, it's what I was practicing, so I can't be too shocked with myself. I'm just happy that it all worked out, and of course, ever since I was young, we dream of being on the podium at senior nationals. Ever since doing juvenile nationals in 2011, looking up to the senior podium – it's just nice to actually be up there now."
Because of his lack of international results, Torgashev had to compete at the 2023 Challenge Cup to reach the technical minimum required to attend ISU championships. He did so successfully and traveled to Saitama, Japan, for his first World Championships.
At the beginning of the season, he never would've believed that's where his season would take him.
"No way," Torgashev said emphatically. "No way. No. I mean, I was scoring 180s. I was nervous going for a triple flip-triple toe combo. I don't even know what was going on. I was just trying to find myself again. I guess it's everywhere, not just in this sport – when you're more concerned about the process, you end up seeing better results than when you're caught up in the results."
Torgashev placed 21st in Saitama but came away with the experience of a lifetime.
"I never realized how special of a competition it is," he said. "Every country is putting forward their best. Everybody here is at their last competition, and everyone's looking to work and put their best foot forward. And it doesn't matter what discipline or what country – everybody has the same goal of putting their best foot forward, for themselves and for their team."
It's an experience Torgashev will carry with him into the 2023-24 season. He's back on Team USA and will make his senior Grand Prix debut at 2023 Humana Skate America on Oct. 20-22 in Allen, Texas.
Now, he can dream bigger than simply qualifying for the U.S. Championships. He hopes to retain his podium spot and return to the World Championships, as well as push the boundaries in his skating, increasing the quality and including at least two quads.
And there are even bigger goals ahead.
"My ultimate goal is to be on the 2026 Olympic team," Torgashev said. "So until that, there's a good list of things that I'm setting out to accomplish in order to make that team. So I think one step at a time is a great motto for this whole career, for this process.
"It feels good to look back and be able to talk about Worlds in Japan and nationals and stuff, but I think it's also important to look towards the future and not get too caught up in the past."
Don't miss Andrew Torgashev when he competes at 2023 Humana Skate America this week. Follow along, with results, how to watch and more on the U.S. Figure Skating Fan Zone. To purchase tickets, visit 2023skateamerica.org.
