Over four years, Ukrainians Iryna Pidgaina and Artem Koval have made their figure skating dreams come true, but away from home. The ice dance pair had to start their lives over in Vienna, Austria, after being forced to relocate from their home country following the full-scale Russian invasion in 2022. In the process, they became one of the nation’s most successful junior sides. However, after years of sacrifice, they are now facing a challenge that has nothing to do with their performances on the ice.

Pidgaina and Koval have begun a GoFundMe campaign to raise funds to keep their careers going. According to the campaign, the money raised will help them to cover the expenses involved in elite figure skating, such as ice time, coaching, choreography, new programs, physical conditioning, and costumes. Interestingly, their appeal comes at a stunning time.

Pidgaina and Koval aren’t struggling athletes aiming for the breakthrough, but rather among the most well-accomplished young ice dancers in the world. The pair won bronze medals in the 2026 ISU World Junior Figure Skating Championships in Estonia’s capital city of Tallinn. They are four-time ISU Junior Grand Prix champions as well. Yet success has not guaranteed stability.

After spending four years training abroad, the pair says the resources that helped them continue competing have now run out, which prompted them to seek public support. Although the fundraiser was launched in late 2025, the campaign remains far from its goal. As of June 1, it had raised €2,599 of its €20,000 target, just 13% of the amount.

But financial challenges were not the only obstacle standing in their way. After the 2025 World Junior Championships, their preparations were turned upside down when Pidgaina became seriously ill.

“Ira stayed in the hospital for about two weeks. It was a shock for us. Ira stayed in the hospital for about two weeks. During that entire time, I visited her regularly and was always there, and helped in any way I could. Sometimes, I even spent the night in the hospital. My priority was to help Ira recover quickly and recuperate both physically and mentally. I tried to support her as much as possible, talking to her frequently about various topics,” Koval said to Ice Dance.

Neither Artem nor Iryna disclosed the name or diagnosis of the illness. According to Koval, the situation became so severe that the team believed they might not compete at all during the 2025-26 season.

But soon, they returned to win Junior Grand Prix gold in Gdańsk. Now, however, even after overcoming every obstacle thrown their way, their childhood dream is once again at stake. To understand why, it helps to look at everything they have already sacrificed to reach this point.

The Sacrifices Behind Iryna Pidgaina and Artem Koval’s Success

For Pidgaina and Koval, figure skating has been part of their lives for as long as they can remember. Iryna first stepped onto the ice at just four years old in Odesa, Ukraine. While many skaters begin in singles before finding their way to ice dance, she focused on the discipline from the start. By the age of seven, she was already skating with a different partner and building the foundation for what would become an elite career.

Artem’s journey began in a much different way. His older sister had been encouraged to take up figure skating for health reasons, but when she was unable to attend her first lesson, his mother suggested he go instead. What seemed like a simple decision turned into a life-changing moment. Then, eight-year-old Artem quickly fell in love with the sport and decided he wanted to pursue it seriously.

Years later, the two future stars found themselves training at the same skating school in Odesa. Although they knew each other, they competed with different partners. That changed when Artem returned from training in Kharkiv, and his partnership came to an end.

Their coach decided to pair him with Iryna. Yet just as their careers were gaining momentum, world events forced them onto a different path.

In 2022, with Russia invading Ukraine in full force, Pidgaina and Koval left their homeland. It wasn’t easy to leave family, friends, and the life they knew behind them. One of the most difficult aspects for Iryna is the separation from her father, who is still in Ukraine. Due to the nature of her training and competitive schedule, she has only had a chance to see him about once a year. For Artem, the uncertainty of those early days remains unforgettable till now.

As he says, “I took only a few things with me, one bag with everything I needed: skates, clothes, documents, and a computer.” The pair first moved to the Eastern European nation of Moldova, hoping the conflict would soon end and allow them to return home. Instead, as the situation worsened, they were offered an opportunity by their coach to relocate to Vienna and continue training. It was a difficult decision, but one they felt they had to make to keep their careers alive.

Now, after establishing themselves as one of the world’s top junior ice dance teams, Pidgaina and Koval are preparing for life in the senior ranks. “Being seniors, it’s always about improving and getting better. What was enough in juniors will be less in seniors, so we would like to show strong senior skating,” Pidgaina said.

But stepping into the senior ranks requires more than talent and determination. It requires resources, stability, and the ability to keep training at the highest level, something that has become increasingly difficult as their financial support runs dry.