Britain's 'Disco Brits' Eye First Olympic Medal Since 1994

When the arena played the Spice Girls and fans posed with life-size cutouts of their heroes, it was clear ice dancers Lilah Fear and Lewis Gibson had become something special for British skating.

The pair nicknamed the 'Disco Brits' just claimed bronze at the European Championships in Sheffield, their fourth consecutive European medal. Now they're setting their sights on an even bigger prize: Britain's first Olympic figure skating medal since legends Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean won gold in 1994.

Their journey breaks every ice dancing rule. Fear, 26, and Gibson, 31, first teamed up in 2016 when Gibson was completely new to ice dancing after switching from singles skating at age 21. Most partnerships start competing together as teenagers with years of shared history.

But that late start became their strength. Within one season together, they won the British title and developed a performing style that stands out from traditional ice dancing. Their routines feature crowd-pleasing hits like the Spice Girls medley and Scottish classics including "I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)," complete with choreography from highland dance experts.

Olympic champion Robin Cousins sees their confidence as their secret weapon. "There is an amazing confidence, it is not arrogance," Cousins told BBC Sport. "They carry that on to the ice when others don't."

The pair has built serious momentum since placing 10th at the Beijing 2022 Olympics. They won Britain's first World Championship medal in ice dancing in over 40 years and finished the 2024-25 season ranked first by the International Skating Union.

Why This Inspires

Fear and Gibson prove that unconventional paths can lead to extraordinary places. Gibson didn't even start skating until age 11, incredibly late for the sport, and came out publicly as gay while advocating for same-sex partnerships in international competition. Fear designed her own competition dresses and performed as a flower girl the last time Sheffield hosted Europeans in 2012.

Their partnership works because they respect each other's independence off the ice while trusting completely on it. That balance has helped them handle the pressure of Olympic expectations with refreshing ease.

At the Europeans, one small slip during synchronized twizzles cost them gold, proving they'll need flawless performances in Milan to beat powerhouse teams from the United States and France. But they've shown they can deliver when it counts, and the entire skating world will be watching.

Fear and Gibson fly to Milan on January 31st, carrying the hopes of a nation that hasn't celebrated an Olympic figure skating medal in over three decades and proving that starting late doesn't mean finishing behind.