• Source: Alex Shibutani

Alex Hideo Shibutani (born April 25, 1991) is an American former competitive ice dancer. Partnered with his sister Maia Shibutani, he is a two-time Olympic bronze medalist (2018), a three-time World medalist (silver in 2016; bronze in 2011 and 2017), the 2016 Four Continents champion, and a two-time U.S. national champion (2016, 2017). The Shibutanis have also won six titles on the Grand Prix series and a silver medal at the 2009 World Junior Championships. They are two-time members of the US Olympic team, competing at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, and the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea. In 2018, they became the first ice dancers who are both of Asian descent to medal at the Olympics (bronze in team figure skating and ice dancing). They are the second sibling duo to ever share an ice dancing Olympic medal, and the first from the United States.




Personal life


Alex Hideo Shibutani was born on April 25, 1991, in Boston. He is the son of Chris and Naomi Shibutani, both of Japanese descent, who met as Harvard musicians. He has a younger sister, Maia Shibutani, who competes with him as his partner for ice dancing. He attended the Brunswick School in Greenwich, Connecticut, during the late 1990s before relocating to Colorado Springs from 2005 through 2007 then Ann Arbor, Michigan in 2007.
While in Colorado Springs, Alex Shibutani attended Cheyenne Mountain High School and finished his sophomore year there. He completed his junior and senior years of high school at Huron High School and entered the University of Michigan in the fall semester of 2009.




Career






= Early career

=
Alex Shibutani began skating at age seven. He originally trained as a single skater and competed up to the juvenile level in singles. In March 2003, he and his family attended the World Championships in Washington D.C. He said, "We were seated close to the ice in the second row, and when the ice dancers came out for their warm up, we could actually feel a gust of wind as the skaters flew by. We were so impressed with the artistry, skating quality, and speed of the top teams that we decided to give it a try."




Programs






Competitive highlights






Detailed results






Social media presence and television appearances


Maia and Alex Shibutani are amongst the most active Olympic sports athletes engaged across several social media platforms. Their YouTube channel @ShibSibs, established in 2012, includes 95 videos which have been viewed almost nine million times by over 157,000 subscribers, as of April 2018. Videos consist a range of formats including behind-the-scenes montages from their travels throughout the world for training, exhibition shows and competitions. Amongst the popular are lip synch music videos with casts which include popular Olympic figure skaters and gymnasts from all over the world, including Yuzuru Hanyu and Mao Asada, Michelle Kwan, Kristi Yamaguchi, Brian Boitano, Javier Fernandez, Adam Rippon, Meryl Davis and Charlie White. Videos are created (including filming, editing) entirely by the Shibutanis.
Their respective Instagram and Twitter accounts (@maiashibutani, @alexshibutani) have been tagged as accounts to follow by various media accounts including global media publications such as the New York Times as "Olympian Instagram Accounts to follow".
The Shibutanis were guests on the Nickelodeon television show, Nicky Ricky Dicky & Dawn appearing as themselves during episode 304 broadcast in 2017. They have made several appearances on NBC's The Today Show, including to skate performance on the Rockefeller Center rink and to introduce Ralph Lauren designed outfits for the 2018 US Olympic team.




Philanthropy and diplomacy


In 2017, the Shibutanis were named Sports Envoys by the U.S. State Department's Sports Diplomacy Office, joining a select roster of figure skaters, including Michelle Kwan and Evan Lysacek, who have been named to this role in the past. As envoys, the siblings have traveled to South Korea (2017) and Japan (2018, 2019).
Right To Play Athlete Ambassadors since 2013
LA2028 Athlete Advisory Commission members. Active involvement in the successful bid which brings the 2028 Summer Olympics back to the U.S. The Shibutanis participated in the panel presentation at the US Olympic Media Summit, joining LA2028 Chairman Casey Wasserman and Athletes Relations Liaison Janet Evans.
Other organizations and causes to which the Shibutanis have lent support through skating performances, fundraising and social media engagement support include: The Jimmy Fund (through Harvard benefit show An Evening with Champions), Charity: Water (where Maia raised over $10,000 as part of her 2017 birthday campaign), One Fund Boston, and NOH8 Campaign.
The Shibutanis were invited by President Joe Biden to the April 10, 2024, state dinner on the occasion of the visit of Japan Prime Minister Kishida Fumio to the United States.




Awards and honors


The siblings are two-time winners of the Edi Award from the Professional Skaters Association for outstanding ice dance performance at US Nationals
The Shibutanis are several times winners of the US Olympic Committee "Team of the Month" award (including in October 2017 and December 2017) for their competitive achievements while representing Team USA internationally.
Maia and Alex were nominated and elected as Finalists for the 2018 James E. Sullivan Award, awarded annually since 1930 by the AAU honoring the best amateur athlete in America across all sports.




Brand partnerships and sponsors


Tumi Inc. - brand ambassadors
Ralph Lauren Corporation - official sponsored athletes along with fellow Olympians Gus Kenworthy, Aja Evans, Jamie Anderson and Paralympian Rico Roman.
Intel - Global Team Intel Athletes for the 2018 Winter Olympic Games
Coca-Cola Corporation's Minute Maid brand
The Hershey Company's Ice Breakers brand
Smucker's Milk-Bone brand




References






External links



Official website
Maia Shibutani & Alex Shibutani at the International Skating Union
Maia Shibutani & Alex Shibutani at SkatingScores.com
Alex Shibutani at Team USA (archived)
Alex Shibutani at Olympics.com
Alex Shibutani at Olympics at Sports-Reference.com (archived)

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• Seluncur indah
• Alex Shibutani
• Maia Shibutani
• Alex and Maia Shibutani
• Shibutani
• Marina Zoueva
• Spiegel im Spiegel
• ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating
• U.S. Figure Skating Championships
• Figure skating at the 2018 Winter Olympics
• Igor Shpilband