Fast-rising Fear/Gibson have long-term goals in ice dance: We 'feel like it's just begun'

Having joined forces in ice dance ahead of the 2016-17 season, Great Britain's Lilah Fear and Lewis Gibson have been a revelation this Olympic cycle.

The duo finished 24th at the World Figure Skating Championships in 2018, but have since skyrocketed up the rankings, placing seventh at worlds in 2021 - while also becoming a fan favourite team on the circuit.

But from their perspective, they're only just getting started.

"I feel like it's just begun," the 27-year-old Gibson said in an interview as part of the Olympic Channel original series, On Edge. The series, which Fear/Gibson are a part of, is set to debut later in November 2021.

"[Our career] is so short lived so far and there's so much more to accomplish as well, just in our own skating growth," he added. "Yeah, to really feel like we have achieved everything that we actually physically can achieve in this sport. So I think it'll be an exciting few years ahead."

While qualifying for a spot on Team GB at Beijing 2022 is only a formality at this point, the team have goals past the coming Winter Olympic Games, too.

"Looking past the Olympics, beyond February, we see at least four more years I think," said Fear, who is 22. "It’s just a starting point for us. ... We're not even close to being satisfied with where we are [now]. There's so many different avenues we want to go down and challenges we want to face as a team."

Fan favourites turn focus inward

Fear/Gibson are part of the Ice Academy of Montreal, which trains some of the top teams in the world, including four-time world champion Gabriella Papadakis and Guillaume Cizeron.

It's the kind of atmosphere that the British duo have flourished within, and though they share ice time with their competitors, they are doing their best to act as sponges, soaking in every bit of knowledge and experience.

"I'd say the wonderful thing about this sport is that you can really find your individuality in it while being exposed to all these other personalities and dynamics in the partnerships," explained Gibson. "It's allowed us to really find who we are as Lilah and Lewis and pave out our own path in a way."

Fear and Gibson's 2019-20 free dance, set to Vogue, was a fan favourite, catapulting them to popularity with followers of the sport that they hadn't experienced before. This season, they were set on creating another "moment," choosing disco for their rhythm dance and a Lion King medley for their free.

After a bronze medal finish at the ISU Challenger Finlandia Trophy, the team struggled at Skate Canada in late October, finishing seventh overall. They look to bounce back at NHK Trophy this coming weekend (12 and 13 November), their second Grand Prix assignment of the Olympic season.

"We watch videos and we're pretty critical of ourselves," Fear said in September, about how the team deals with adversity. "I think most athletes realize that there's always that space to improve. I think it's quite reassuring because we want to improve even more. And I think as a team, we don't really set specific result-based goals. We just focus on what we do every day in training and then we like to be surprised by the results that happen."

Playing the long game: Milano Cortina 2026?

With five different world medal-winning teams still actively competing ahead of the coming Winter Games, Fear/Gibson know in the crowded current field of ice dance that their ceiling is so high.

But the 20-somethings realize they have "only" been together for five years, not long in ice dance standards.

"Yes. The plan is definitely also 2026," Fear confirmed, before adding with a laugh: "And then I don't know mathematically how old will be... stay young and keep moisturizing!"

Where would they like to see themselves go in seasons to come?

"I mean, at the top - of course," Fear said. "I mean, yeah, I think that what we've achieved in five seasons is crazy when we think about where we came from." 

It's about being patient in what otherwise feels like a daily grind.

"We still have time and we only see ourselves getting better," added Gibson. "And we, as Lilah said, we still have so much that we want to achieve and work on because it just doesn't feel like it's anywhere near there yet."