Mexican Figure Skater Donovan Carrillo: Everything You Need to Know

Donovan Carrillo is living his Olympic dream as he became the first Mexican ice skater to compete in the Winter Olympics in 30 years when he took the ice in the men’s short program. Yet another Mexican athlete making history. Donovan Carrillo’s age is 22 and is one of just 4 Mexican athletes competing in the Beijing Winter Olympics 2022. Many of us who were watching the Olympic broadcast for the final showdown between USA’s Nathan Chen and Yuzuru Hanyu of Japan were shocked to “up next representing Mexico is Donovan Carrillo” and what’s more he skated a thrilling program that had the announcers in tears. And for good reason too because Donovan Carrio made history when he not only scored a personal best 79.69-point score but historically qualified for the men’s long program; something no Mexican ice skater has ever accomplished. 

What’s even more impressive is that Donovan Carrillo had been doing much of his training for the Olympics at a mall in Mexico. Where he trained, the rink is pretty small and he skates alongside kids who were there having fun. According to an article in the Los Angeles Times, he trained at The Ice Sports Center in a rink only two-thirds the size of an official Olympic rink. Day in and day out he trained with his coach Gregorio Núñez perfecting his program set to the beat of Carlos Santana’s “Black Magic Woman” and, record-breakingly, he will also get to do his program set to “Shake it” in the men’s free skate competition. 

Before capturing the hearts of Mexicans, Latinos, and everyone watching the Olympics, Donovan Carrillo went viral for his Juan Gabriel figure skating routine which was published on YouTube in 2016.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HhHWlIIei-4

He later went on to greater viral success for donning a glitter mariachi outfit in at the world exhibition Gala competition.

Carillo is no underdog either, in Mexico, he is a four-time national champion and placed 20th in the World Championships to qualify for Beijing 2022. 

“Reaching the Olympic Games is priceless,” he said. “Since I was a child, my parents taught me what it means to be at the Olympics and that not everyone has the chance to be at this level. Having that in mind made my Olympic [qualification] even more valuable.” – Juan Carrillo in Olympics.com

Born in Zapopan, Jalisco having started as a young gymnast Donovan Carrillo took up figure skating at the age of 8, and as his career progressed he ended up having to move out of Guadalajara Mexico to Leon at the age of 13 when the ice skating rink in Guadalajara closed. Leading up to the Olympics, Carrillo had to train in a shopping mall ice rink… yes in public while other people skated too. It’s even been said that he could not practice to his routine’s music and had to try to memorize it in his head. Which genuinely makes you wonder… how great would this kid be if he had a suburban mom to drive him to the state-of-the-art ice skating rink? I guess we’ll never know. 

What’s true is if you browse his social media you will see a flood of proud Mexicans congratulating him for making history in a sport with very very few Mexicans in it. At his age, he still has a bright future ahead as a figure skater and the world stage has definitely brought his profile up a few notches. We can’t wait to see what he does for his next Olympic competition, the Men’s Single Skating- Free skating on February 10.